S. 1271 – Defense Acquisition Decision Making Streamlining Act of 2019

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:31 AM UTC

The Defense Acquisition Decision Making Streamlining Act of 2019 creates pilot programs aimed at speeding up how the Department of Defense makes milestone decisions for major weapon systems. Within 90 days of the law’s enactment, each service’s acquisition chief must recommend at least one major acquisition program to serve as a “skunk works” test case. The pilot programs must define the information needed for decisions and set up a faster, more interactive process between program offices and decision makers. Within 180 days, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment must brief Congress on the selected programs and how they meet the new requirements.

Key Provisions

Service Acquisition Executives must recommend at least one major defense acquisition program for a pilot “skunk works” effort within 90 days of enactment.
Each pilot program must (a) specify the data needed for milestone decisions—requirements, cost estimates, acquisition plan—and (b) create an efficient process that reduces internal reviews and increases regular interaction with decision makers.
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment must provide an informal briefing to the congressional defense committees within 180 days, outlining the selected programs, their action plans and timelines, and how they satisfy the pilot program elements.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

May 1, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 1, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

May 1, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 1, 2019

II

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1271

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 1, 2019

Mr. Rounds introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To provide for pilot programs to streamline decision-making process for weapon systems.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Defense Acquisition Decision Making Streamlining Act of 2019.

2.

Pilot programs to streamline decision-making process for weapon systems

(a)

Candidate acquisition programs

(1)

In general

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Service Acquisition Executive shall recommend to the Secretary of Defense at least one major defense acquisition program for a skunk works pilot program as described in the Department of Defense’s Better Buying Power 3.0 memorandum. Each pilot program should include tailored measures to streamline the entire milestone decision process, with the results evaluated and reported for potential wider use.

(2)

Elements

Each pilot program selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:

(A)

Delineating the appropriate information needed to support milestone decisions, assuring program accountability and oversight, which should be based on the business case principles needed for well-informed milestone decisions, including user-defined requirements, reasonable acquisition and life-cycle cost estimates, and a knowledge-based acquisition plan for maturing technologies, stabilizing the program design, and ensuring key manufacturing processes are in control.

(B)

Developing an efficient process for providing this information to the milestone decision authority by—

(i)

minimizing any reviews between the program office and the different functional staff offices within each chain of command level; and

(ii)

establishing frequent, regular interaction between the program office and milestone decision makers, in lieu of documentation reviews, to help expedite the process.

(b)

Briefing

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall provide to the congressional defense committees an informal briefing detailing—

(1)

the acquisition programs selected pursuant to subsection (a);

(2)

the associated action plans, including timelines, for each program; and

(3)

the manner in which each program conforms to the requirements set forth in subsection (a)(2).

(c)

Congressional defense committees defined

In this section, the term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.