I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1537 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct studies regarding alternative 
models for acquisition and funding of technologies supporting network- 
centric operations. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2009 
Mr. SESTAK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct studies regard-
ing alternative models for acquisition and funding of 
technologies supporting network-centric operations. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. STUDIES TO ANALYZE ALTERNATIVE MODELS 
FOR ACQUISITION AND FUNDING OF TECH-
NOLOGIES SUPPORTING NETWORK-CENTRIC 
OPERATIONS. 
(a) STUDIES REQUIRED.— 
(1) INDEPENDENT STUDY.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
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Secretary of Defense shall enter into a contract with 
an independent federally funded research and devel-
opment center to carry out a comprehensive study of 
policies, procedures, organization, and regulatory 
constraints affecting the acquisition of technologies 
supporting network-centric operations. The contract 
shall be funded from amounts appropriated pursuant 
to an authorization of appropriations in this Act or 
otherwise made available for fiscal year 2010 for op-
eration and maintenance for Defense-wide activities. 
(2) JOINT
CHIEFS
OF
STAFF
STUDY.—The 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall carry out 
a comprehensive study of the same subjects covered 
by paragraph (1). The study shall be independent of 
the study required by paragraph (1) and shall be 
carried out in conjunction with the military depart-
ments and in coordination with the Secretary of De-
fense. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED.—Each study re-
quired by subsection (a) shall address the following mat-
ters: 
(1) Development of a system for understanding 
the various foundational components that contribute 
to network-centric operations, such as data trans-
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port, processing, storage, data collection, and dis-
semination of information. 
(2) Determining how acquisition and funding 
programs that are in place as of the date of the en-
actment of this Act relate to the system developed 
under paragraph (1). 
(3) Development of acquisition and funding 
models using the system developed under paragraph 
(1), including— 
(A) a model under which a joint entity 
independent of any military department (such 
as the Joint Staff) is established with responsi-
bility and control of all funding for the acquisi-
tion of technologies for network-centric oper-
ations, and with authority to oversee the incor-
poration of such technologies into the acquisi-
tion programs of the military departments; 
(B) a model under which an executive 
agent is established to manage and oversee the 
acquisition of technologies for network-centric 
operations, but would not have exclusive control 
of the funding for such programs; 
(C) a model under which the acquisition 
and funding programs that are in place as of 
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the date of the enactment of this Act are main-
tained; and 
(D) any other model that the entity car-
rying out the study considers relevant. 
(4) An analysis of each of the models developed 
under paragraph (3) with respect to potential bene-
fits in— 
(A) collecting, processing, and dissemi-
nating information; 
(B) network commonality; 
(C) common communications; 
(D) interoperability; 
(E) mission impact and success; and 
(F) cost-effectiveness. 
(5) An evaluation of each of the models devel-
oped under paragraph (3) with respect to feasibility, 
including identification of legal, policy, or regulatory 
barriers that may impede the implementation of 
such model. 
(c) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than September 
30, 2010, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report on the results 
of the studies required by subsection (a). The report shall 
include the findings and recommendations of the studies 
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and any observations and comments that the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(d) NETWORK-CENTRIC OPERATIONS DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘network-centric operations’’ refers 
to the ability to exploit all human and technical elements 
of the Joint Force and mission partners through the full 
integration of collected information, awareness, knowl-
edge, experience, and decisionmaking, enabled by secure 
access and distribution, all to achieve agility and effective-
ness in a dispersed, decentralized, dynamic, or uncertain 
operational environment. 
Æ 
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