The Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act, formally known as the Weapons Acquisition System Reform Through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009, was an Act of Congress created to reform the way the Pentagon contracts and purchases major weapons systems. It was signed into law on May 22, 2009, by PresidentBarack Obama.[1]
Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009
Long title
An Act to improve the organization and procedures of the Department of Defense for the acquisition of major weapon systems, and for other purposes.
Introduced in the Senate as S. 454 by Carl Levin (D–MI) on February 23, 2009
Committee consideration by Armed Services
Passed the Senate on May 7, 2009 (93-0)
Passed the House on May 13, 2009 (428-0)
Reported by the joint conference committee on May 19th, 2009; agreed to by the Senate on May 20th, 2005 (95-0) and by the House on May 21st, 2009 (411-0)
Signed into law by President Barack Obama on May 22, 2009
The Congressional Budget Office predicted that the reforms would cost US$55 million and should be in place by the end of 2010. The reforms are expected to save millions, perhaps even billions of dollars during the 2010s.[2] According to the Government Accountability Office, nearly 70% of the Pentagon's 96 biggest weapons programs were over budget in 2008. Another government report detailed $295 billion in waste and cost overruns in defense contracts.[1] The legislation created a Pentagon office, the Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE), to analyze the cost of new programs. CAPE reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and supersedes the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E). It also puts more emphasis on testing new weapons before they enter production to ensure sufficient development, giving commanders more say in weapons requirements.[1]
The Act was introduced February 23, 2009.[3] The bill passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously, 411-0 and 93-0, respectively.[2] Upon signing the Act, President Obama cited the need to end the "waste and inefficiency" it addressed.
Key provisionsedit
Key provisions in the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act included:[4]
Appointment of a Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE), who will communicate directly with the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense, and issue policies and establish guidance on cost estimating and developing confidence levels for such cost estimates;
Appointment of a Director of Developmental Test and Evaluation, who will be the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on developmental test and evaluation, and will develop DoD-wide policies and guidance for conducting developmental testing and evaluation. This official will review, approve, and monitor such testing for each Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP);
Appointment of a Director of Systems Engineering, who will be the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on systems engineering, and will develop DoD-wide policies and guidance for the application of systems engineering. This official will review, approve, and monitor systems engineering practices for each MDAP;
Requirement that DoD employ prototyping of MDAPs whenever practical;
Requirement that combatant commanders have more influence in the requirements generation process;
Changes to the Nunn–McCurdy Amendment, such as rescinding the most recent "Milestone" approval for any program that has experienced "critical cost growth;" and
Requirement that DoD revise guidelines and tighten regulations pertaining to conflict of interest of contractors working on MDAPs.
Referencesedit
^ abcReporting by Steve Holland; Andrea Shalal-Esa; writing by David Alexander & Editing by Eric Beech (May 22, 2009). "Obama signs law to reform Pentagon weapons buying". Reuters. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
^ abRussert, Luke (May 21, 2009). . MSNBC. Archived from the original on May 24, 2009.
^Weapons Acquisition System Reform Through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009. OpenCongress. Accessed May 22, 2009.
^Moshe Schwartz, "Defense Acquisitions: How DOD Acquires Weapon Systems and Recent Efforts to Reform the Process," Congressional Research Service, April 23, 2010, https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL34026.pdf
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009
External linksedit
Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act Signing, C-SPAN video library
President Obama signs law to allow Pentagon to scrap defense contractor projects with cost overruns, Daily News
Summary of the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 , Carl Levin United States senator
May 17, 2024
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The Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act formally known as the Weapons Acquisition System Reform Through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009 was an Act of Congress created to reform the way the Pentagon contracts and purchases major weapons systems It was signed into law on May 22 2009 by President Barack Obama 1 Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009Long titleAn Act to improve the organization and procedures of the Department of Defense for the acquisition of major weapon systems and for other purposes Enacted bythe 111th United States CongressEffectiveMay 22 2009Legislative historyIntroduced in the Senate as S 454 by Carl Levin D MI on February 23 2009Committee consideration by Armed ServicesPassed the Senate on May 7 2009 93 0 Passed the House on May 13 2009 428 0 Reported by the joint conference committee on May 19th 2009 agreed to by the Senate on May 20th 2005 95 0 and by the House on May 21st 2009 411 0 Signed into law by President Barack Obama on May 22 2009 The Congressional Budget Office predicted that the reforms would cost US 55 million and should be in place by the end of 2010 The reforms are expected to save millions perhaps even billions of dollars during the 2010s 2 According to the Government Accountability Office nearly 70 of the Pentagon s 96 biggest weapons programs were over budget in 2008 Another government report detailed 295 billion in waste and cost overruns in defense contracts 1 The legislation created a Pentagon office the Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation CAPE to analyze the cost of new programs CAPE reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and supersedes the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation PA amp E It also puts more emphasis on testing new weapons before they enter production to ensure sufficient development giving commanders more say in weapons requirements 1 Contents 1 Legislative history 2 Key provisions 3 References 4 External linksLegislative history editThe Act was introduced February 23 2009 3 The bill passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously 411 0 and 93 0 respectively 2 Upon signing the Act President Obama cited the need to end the waste and inefficiency it addressed Key provisions editKey provisions in the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act included 4 Appointment of a Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation CAPE who will communicate directly with the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense and issue policies and establish guidance on cost estimating and developing confidence levels for such cost estimates Appointment of a Director of Developmental Test and Evaluation who will be the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on developmental test and evaluation and will develop DoD wide policies and guidance for conducting developmental testing and evaluation This official will review approve and monitor such testing for each Major Defense Acquisition Program MDAP Appointment of a Director of Systems Engineering who will be the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on systems engineering and will develop DoD wide policies and guidance for the application of systems engineering This official will review approve and monitor systems engineering practices for each MDAP Requirement that the Director of Defense Research and Engineering periodically assess the technological maturity of MDAPs and annually report his her findings to Congress Requirement that DoD employ prototyping of MDAPs whenever practical Requirement that combatant commanders have more influence in the requirements generation process Changes to the Nunn McCurdy Amendment such as rescinding the most recent Milestone approval for any program that has experienced critical cost growth and Requirement that DoD revise guidelines and tighten regulations pertaining to conflict of interest of contractors working on MDAPs References edit a b c Reporting by Steve Holland Andrea Shalal Esa writing by David Alexander amp Editing by Eric Beech May 22 2009 Obama signs law to reform Pentagon weapons buying Reuters Retrieved May 22 2009 a b Russert Luke May 21 2009 Weapon bill passes House goes to Obama MSNBC Archived from the original on May 24 2009 Weapons Acquisition System Reform Through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009 OpenCongress Accessed May 22 2009 Moshe Schwartz Defense Acquisitions How DOD Acquires Weapon Systems and Recent Efforts to Reform the Process Congressional Research Service April 23 2010 https fas org sgp crs natsec RL34026 pdf nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009External links editWeapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act Signing C SPAN video library President Obama signs law to allow Pentagon to scrap defense contractor projects with cost overruns Daily News Summary of the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 Carl Levin United States senator Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 amp oldid 1197160171, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
