NDAA Navigator — FY2027 H.R. 8800

SECTION TEXT · SEC. 1873.

(a) In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, shall establish a pilot program to leverage small business concerns to address supply chain gaps associated with parts, components, and assemblies listed on the No Bid Solicitation List.

(b) Program activities

In carrying out the pilot program established under subsection (a), the Director shall—

(1)

identify each part, component, or assembly listed on the No Bid Solicitation List that—

(A)

is a critical readiness item of supply;

(B)

is associated with a solicitation made at least 18 months in the past that has received no bids or no responsive offers; and

(C)

is suitable to be produced by advanced manufacturing;

(2)

for each part, component, or assembly identified under paragraph (1), identify one or more small business concerns with capabilities to produce or contribute to the production of the part, component, or assembly, including capabilities such as—

(A)

utilization of digital engineering, digital twins, or model-based engineering;

(B)

employment of advanced manufacturing technologies, including additive manufacturing;

(C)

rapid prototyping or reverse engineering;

(D)

ability to produce low-volume or legacy parts, components, or assemblies; or

(E)

specialization in—

(i)

development of engineering and technical data packages;

(ii)

validated manufacturing processes and materials; or

(iii)

support testing, certification, and qualification activities of parts, components, or assemblies; and

(3)

use available authorities to enter into contracts or agreements with small business concerns identified under paragraph (2) for the manufacture of parts, components, or assemblies identified under paragraph (1).

(c) Duration

The authority to carry out the pilot program under this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date on which the Director establishes the pilot program.

(d) Reports

Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Director establishes the pilot program, and annually thereafter for the duration of the program, the Director shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—

(1)

the number and type of parts, components, and assemblies addressed under the program;

(2)

the number of small business concerns participating in the program;

(3)

the number of small business concerns for which the contract or agreement entered into under the program is their first contract or agreement with the Department of Defense;

(4)

improvements in lead times and readiness metrics as a result of the program; and

(5)

recommendations of the Director regarding continuation, modification, or expansion of the program.

(e) Definitions

In this section—

(1)

the term advanced manufacturing has the meaning given such term in section 4841(f) of title 10, United States Code;

(2)

the term critical readiness item of supply has the meaning given such term in section 4324 of title 10, United States Code;

(3)

the term No Bid Solicitation List means the list maintained by the Defense Logistics Agency identifying solicitations that have received no bids or no responsive offers within required procurement timelines; and

(4)

the term small business concern means a small business concern as defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ).