Sec. 843. Tenure and accountability of program managers for program execution periods
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Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall revise Department of Defense guidance for defense acquisition programs to address the tenure and accountability of program managers for the program execution period of defense acquisition programs. For purposes of this section, the term program execution period refers to the period after Milestone B approval (or Key Decision Point B approval in the case of a space program). The revised guidance required by subsection
(a)shall— require the program manager for the program execution period of a defense acquisition program to enter into a performance agreement with the milestone decision authority for such program within six months of assignment, that— establishes expected parameters for the cost, schedule, and performance of the program consistent with the business case for the program; provides the commitment of the milestone decision authority to provide the level of funding and resources required to meet such parameters; and provides the assurance of the program manager that such parameters are achievable and that the program manager will be accountable for meeting such parameters; and provide the program manager with the authority to— veto the addition of new program requirements that would be inconsistent with the parameters established in the performance agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph (1), subject to the authority of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics to override the veto based on critical national security reasons; make trade-offs between cost, schedule, and performance, provided that such trade-offs are consistent with the parameters established in the performance agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph (1); redirect funding within such program, to the extent necessary to achieve the parameters established in the performance agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph (1); develop such interim goals and milestones as may be required to achieve the parameters established in the performance agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph (1); and use program funds to recruit and hire such technical experts as may be required to carry out the program, if necessary expertise is not otherwise provided by the Department of Defense. The Secretary shall ensure that each program manager for the program execution period of a defense acquisition program— has the appropriate management, engineering, technical, and financial expertise needed to meet the responsibilities assigned pursuant to subsection (c); is provided the resources and support (including systems engineering expertise, cost estimating expertise, and software development expertise) needed to meet such responsibilities; and is assigned to the program manager position for such program at the time of Milestone B approval (or Key Decision Point B approval in the case of a space program) and continues in such position until the delivery of the first production units of the program. The Secretary may waive the requirement in paragraph
(3)of subsection
(d)that a program manager for the program execution period of a defense acquisition program serve in that position until the delivery of the first production units of such program upon submitting to the congressional defense committees a written determination that— the program is so complex, and the delivery of the first production units will take so long, that it would not be feasible for a single individual to serve as program manager for the entire period covered by such paragraph; and the complexity of the program, and length of time that will be required to deliver the first production units, are not the result of a failure to meet the certification requirements under section 2366a of title 10, United States Code.