A bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for a one-year extension of other transaction authority.

Bill: 110-s-3328
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Competitive bidding
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost accounting
Department of Homeland Security
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government procurement
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-24
text: 
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for a one year extension of the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out an alternative contracting program for research and development projects if the Secretary issues policy guidance by September 30, 2008, detailing the appropriate use of other transaction authority and provides mandatory training to each employee handling procurements under such authority.

Directs the Secretary to submit to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Homeland Security an annual report on the exercise of such authority, including: (1) the technology areas in which research projects were conducted under other transactions; (2) the extent of the cost-sharing among federal and nonfederal sources; (3) the extent to which use of the other transactions contributed to a broadening of the technology and industrial base available for meeting the needs of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and fostered within the technology and industrial base new relationships and practices that support national security; (4) the total payments received by the government; and (5) the rationale for using such authority.

action_date: 2008-09-11
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for a one year extension of the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out an alternative contracting program for research and development projects if the Secretary issues policy guidance by September 30, 2008, detailing the appropriate use of other transaction authority and provides mandatory training to each employee handling procurements under such authority.

Directs the Secretary to submit to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Homeland Security an annual report on the exercise of such authority, including: (1) the technology areas in which research projects were conducted under other transactions; (2) the extent of the cost-sharing among federal and nonfederal sources; (3) the extent to which use of the other transactions contributed to a broadening of the technology and industrial base available for meeting the needs of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and fostered within the technology and industrial base new relationships and practices that support national security; (4) the total payments received by the government; and (5) the rationale for using such authority.

action_date: 2008-09-23
text: 
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for a one-year extension of the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out an alternative contracting program for research and development projects if the Secretary issues policy guidance by September 30, 2008, detailing the appropriate use of other transaction authority and provides mandatory training to each employee handling procurements under such authority.

Directs the Secretary to submit to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the House Committee on Homeland Security an annual report on the exercise of such authority, including: (1) the technology areas in which research projects were conducted under other transactions; (2) the extent of the cost-sharing among federal and nonfederal sources; (3) the extent to which use of the other transactions contributed to a broadening of the technology and industrial base available for meeting the needs of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and fostered within the technology and industrial base new relationships and practices that support national security; (4) the total payments received by the government; and (5) the rationale for using such authority.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2008-09-23
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text as passed Senate: CR S9336)
action_date: 2008-09-23
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text as passed Senate: CR S9336)
action_date: 2008-09-23
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9335-9336)
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 952.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman without amendment. With written report No. 110-454.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman without amendment. With written report No. 110-454.
action_date: 2008-07-30
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2008-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2008-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate