Title: Rapid Fielding Defense Capabilities and Risk Assessment Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Rapid Fielding Defense Capabilities and Risk Assessment Act
This bill addresses the use of "middle tier" defense acquisition programs. It requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to brief Congress on lessons learned and best practices identified through the use of the middle tier of acquisition programs intended to be completed in a period of two to five years, using two pathways: rapid prototyping and rapid fielding. An analysis shall accompany the briefing that includes (1) identification of lessons learned that can be applied to both middle tier and major acquisition programs, (2) description of the extent to which covered risk (determined by DOD) should be a factor in determining acquisition authority, and (3) description of whether requirements applicable to major defense acquisition programs should be applicable to middle tier programs.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3132 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3132

   To require the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing to the 
  congressional defense committees relating to the ``middle tier'' of 
             acquisition programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 5, 2019

Mr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself, Mrs. Davis of California, and 
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing to the 
  congressional defense committees relating to the ``middle tier'' of 
             acquisition programs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rapid Fielding Defense Capabilities 
and Risk Assessment Act''.

SEC. 2. BRIEFING RELATING TO THE ``MIDDLE TIER'' OF ACQUISITION 
              PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than December 1, 2019, the Secretary of 
Defense shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense 
committees (as defined in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States 
Code) on lessons learned and best practices identified through the use 
of the ``middle tier'' of acquisition programs described under section 
804 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
(Public Law 114-92; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note). The briefing shall be 
accompanied by a written analysis--
            (1) identifying which lessons learned can be applied to--
                    (A) ``middle tier'' acquisition programs; and
                    (B) any major defense acquisition program (as 
                defined under section 2430 of title 10, United States 
                Code);
            (2) describing the extent to which covered risk should be a 
        factor in determining which acquisition authority to use, 
        including--
                    (A) an acquisition pathway as described under 
                subsection (b) of section 804 of the National Defense 
                Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114-
                92; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note);
                    (B) the authority described under section 2371b of 
                title 10, United States Code;
                    (C) acquisition authority relating to urgent 
                operational needs;
                    (D) a traditional acquisition process; or
                    (E) any other acquisition authority, as determined 
                by the Secretary;
            (3) describing whether any requirements applicable to major 
        defense acquisition programs should be applicable to ``middle 
        tier'' acquisition programs under such section; and
            (4) recommending amendments or revisions (as applicable) to 
        law or regulation, and including available data to support such 
        recommendations.
    (b) Covered Risk Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered 
risk'' shall have the meaning given by the Secretary of Defense, and 
shall include a consideration of cost, schedule, performance, risk to 
operational success.
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