To make improvements to cybersecurity acquisition policies of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

To make improvements to cybersecurity acquisition policies of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes. 1. Curricula on software acquisitions and cybersecurity software or hardware acquisitions for covered individuals (a) Curricula The President of the Defense Acquisition University shall develop training curricula related to software acquisitions and cybersecurity software or hardware acquisitions and offer such curricula to covered individuals to increase digital literacy related to such acquisitions by developing the ability of such covered individuals to use technology to identify, critically evaluate, and synthesize data and information related to such acquisitions. (b) Elements Curricula developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall provide information on— (1) cybersecurity, information technology systems, computer networks, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum technologies; (2) cybersecurity threats and capabilities; (3) operational efforts of United States Cyber Command to combat cyber threats; (4) mission requirements and current capabilites and systems of United States Cyber Command; (5) activities that encompass the full range of threat reduction, vulnerability reduction, deterrence, incident response, resiliency, and recovery policies and activities, including activities relating to computer network operations, information assurance, military missions, and intelligence missions to the extent such activities relate to the security and stability of cyberspace; and (6) industry best practices relating to software acquisitions and cybersecurity software or hardware acquisitions. (c) Plan Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the President of the Defense Acquisition University, shall submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to implement the curricula developed under subsection (a). Such plan shall include a list of resources required for and costs associated with such implementation, including— (1) curriculum development; (2) hiring instructors to teach the curriculum; (3) facilities; or (4) website development. (d) Implementation Not later than one year after the date on which the plan described in subsection (c) is submitted to Congress, the President of the Defense Acquisition University shall offer the curricula developed under subsection (a) to covered individuals. (e) Report Not later than one year after the date on which the plan described in subsection (c) is submitted to Congress, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the President of the Defense Acquisition University, shall submit to Congress a report assessing the costs and benefits of requiring all covered individuals to complete the curricula developed under subsection (a). (f) Covered individuals defined In this section, the term covered individuals (1) a contracting officer of the Department of Defense with responsibilities related to software acquisitions or cybersecurity software or hardware acquisitions; or (2) a individual serving in a position designated under section 1721(b) of title 10, United States Code, who is regularly consulted for software acquisitions or cybersecurity software or hardware acquisitions. 2. Report on streamlining of information assurance and cybersecurity approval processes in software acquisitions (a) Plan required Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report detailing a plan to streamline approval processes related to information assurance and cybersecurity for software acquisitions. (b) Elements The Secretary shall include the following in the plan required by subsection (a): (1) Areas of duplication or overlapping processes and methods to streamline such processes. (2) Recommendations on how to adapt requirements processes to be more iterative to meet the needs of modern software acquisitions. (3) Recommendations for modifying the requirements processes to become a threat-focused process. (4) An annex with information on staffing and funding levels and the impact on the efficiency of approval processes related to information assurance and cybersecurity for software acquisitions.

Summary: This bill requires the Defense Acquisition University of the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop training curricula related to software acquisitions and cybersecurity software or hardware acquisitions and offer the training to applicable DOD contracting officers and individuals with specified acquisition positions. Additionally, DOD must submit to Congress a plan to streamline approval processes related to information assurance and cybersecurity for software acquisitions.