Sec. 873. Increased competitive opportunities and strategy for certain critical technology contractors
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The Secretary of Defense shall seek to increase competitive opportunities for appropriate U.S. companies to be awarded prime contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions for commercial products or dual-use capabilities of which any component primarily relates to critical technology. Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to increase competitive opportunities available for appropriate U.S. companies and protect the integrity of the defense industrial base.
The strategy shall include the following: A description of methods to enhance the availability of funds authorized by sections 4021 and 4022 of title 10, United States Code, for appropriate U.S. companies to develop end items of critical technologies, to rapidly prototype such end items, to conduct continuous experimentation to improve such end items, and to deliver capabilities to the Department of Defense. Processes to monitor and mitigate risks to the defense industrial base.
Processes to improve coordination by the military departments and other elements of the Department of Defense to carry out subparagraphs
(A)and (B). Along with the report required under section 4814 of title 10, United States Code, that is due after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with appropriate U.S. companies, shall submit a report on the implementation of the strategy required in subsection (a)(2) and progress made to monitor and mitigate risks to the defense industrial base. In this section: The term appropriate U.S. company means— a nontraditional defense contractor, as defined in section 3014 of title 10, United States Code; or a prime contractor that has entered into a cooperative agreement with a nontraditional defense contractor with the express intent to pursue funding authorized by sections 4021 and 4022 of title 10, United States Code, in the development, testing, or prototyping of critical technologies. The term commercial product has the meaning given in section 3011 of title 10, United States Code. The term dual-use has the meaning given in section 4801 of title 10, United States Code. The term critical technology means a technology identified as critical by the Secretary of Defense, which shall include— biotechnology; quantum science; advanced materials; artificial intelligence and machine learning; microelectronics; space technology; advanced computing and software; hypersonics; integrated sensing and cyber; autonomous systems; unmanned systems; advanced sensing systems; and advanced communications systems.