SEC. 835.

Establishment of Pathfinder Programs to inform requirements reform

DIVISION A · TITLE VIII: Acquisition Policy, Acquisition Management, and Related Matters · SUBTITLE B: Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations

Source
SECTION TEXT · SEC. 835.

(a) Requirement for service-level requirements reform Pathfinder Programs

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, each Secretary of a military department shall establish a program to be known as a Pathfinder Program to—

(1)

inform and assist in efforts to reorient and reform the requirements process within such military department in accordance with (b);

(2)

support the service chief concerned in the development of capability requirement statements for equipping the armed force concerned that—

(A)

describes the operational problem to provide necessary context for the capability requirement;

(B)

proposes nonprescriptive solutions to operational problems; and

(C)

ensures system interoperability, where appropriate, between and among joint military capabilities (as defined in section 181 of title 10, United States Code); and

(3)

develop and establish requirements-related processes of the military department concerned in a manner that supports, and is consistent with the Joint Force Requirements Process prescribed in the Manual for the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and the Joint Force Requirements Process (document number CJCSM 5123.01; dated January 15, 2026).

(b) Establishment

A Pathfinder Program established in accordance with (a) shall seek to—

(1)

accelerate the delivery of capability requirements to address operational problems;

(2)

remove bureaucratic barriers in the requirements process;

(3)

provide operational users of required capabilities with an independent voice and direct role to ensure that capabilities meet the needs of such users;

(4)

apply data-based analytics for decision making related to requirements, acquisition, and budgeting;

(5)

enable a clear, unbroken linkage from strategic guidance to concepts to capabilities to budgeting;

(6)

drive design, development, and integration—

(A)

to integrate processes across the military department concerned and with the joint force as required;

(B)

to balance the urgency of immediate needs with longer-term strategic investments;

(C)

to support the breadth of existing innovative technologies and major programs regardless of acquisitions pathway; and

(D)

to address all elements of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policy to deliver holistic solutions considering all such elements; and

(7)

align authorities to responsibilities in order to ensure that capability developers have the authority to execute and are held accountable for outcomes.

(c) Evaluation and lessons learned

(1) In general

Each Secretary of a military department carrying out a Pathfinder Program shall observe, document, and assess the execution of such Pathfinder Program, to enable the development of recommendations to improve—

(A)

speed, clarity, and effectiveness in the prioritization of operation problems and the development of capability requirements statements;

(B)

alignment of requirements, acquisition, and budgeting;

(C)

integration of user feedback and operational insights;

(D)

effectiveness of engagement with private entity partners; and

(E)

alignment of requirements processes of military departments with and in support of the Joint Requirements Process.

(d) Report to Congress

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with each Secretary of a military department, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing—

(1)

barriers encountered the implementation of the Pathfinder Program;

(2)

lessons learned and recommendations developed through the implementation of the Pathfinder Program; and

(3)

recommended statutory, regulatory, or organizational changes needed to accelerate the delivery of capability requirements to address operational problems, and remove bureaucratic barriers in the requirements process.

(e) Termination

(1) In general

A Pathfinder Program established under this section may be terminated at the discretion of the Secretary concerned, but shall not be terminated on a date prior to the day that is 24 months after the date of establishment of such Pathfinder Program.

(2) Notification

Not less than 60 days before the date on which the Secretary concerned prior terminates a Pathfinder Program, such Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees a notification of the intent to terminate along with an updated report including the elements described in subsection (d).

(f) Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The terms capability requirement , operational problem , and service chief have the meanings given, respectively, in section 3101 of title 10, United States Code.

(2)

The term requirements document has the meaning provided in section 3104 of title 10, United States Code.