Sec. 1607. National security space launch program phase three acquisition
568 words·~3 min read·
/bill/118/hr/2670/rh/section-1607·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— the United States Space Force must continue to ensure assured access to space through phase three of the national security space launch program; the acquisition strategy covered in the briefing provided to the Committee on Armed Services and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives in April 2023— includes a dual-lane approach that is consistent with increasing competition for launch services needed by the future national security space architecture; and balances introducing new launch providers and systems with meeting all required missions during the planned ordering period; as the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, completes the final request for proposals, it should consider including funding for launch services support for lane 1 missions that require specific national security space launch requirements, such as the Global Positioning Services IIIF satellites that are intended to be included in the ordering period; and the Department should ensure that objective readiness requirements are met by launch service providers before basic award in either lane.
In competitively awarding and executing the phase three acquisition strategy, the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, shall— maximize competition, to the extent practicable, for both lanes 1 and 2, as described in the briefing on the acquisition strategy provided to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives in April 2023; use lane 1 task or delivery order contracts to— launch national security space payloads that require launch systems capable of lifting a minimum of 20,000 pounds mass to 100 nautical miles; and provide opportunities for new and emerging launch providers or systems to compete for national security space launch missions as such providers and systems become ready; use lane 2, firm fixed-price indefinite delivery requirements contracts to— award contracts to national security space launch providers with launch systems that are capable of meeting all national security space launch design reference orbits; and launch national security space low-risk tolerant payloads that require full mission assurance that— are performed by the national security space launch program or have unique national security space mission requirements; and in the case of any new or emerging national security space launch-class mission that is authorized for any of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 and is not identified in the phase three final request for proposals reference manifest contract— assign such mission to the lane 1 contract referred to in paragraph (2); or assign such mission to the lane 2 contract referred to in paragraph (3), if the Secretary determines that such a mission is has unique national security space or other Government requirements that could not be met if the mission were assigned to the lane 1 contract.
If the Secretary assigns a mission to the lane 2 contract pursuant to subsection (b)(4)(B), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate notification of such assignment and the reason for such assignment. In this section, the term phase three acquisition strategy means the process through which the Secretary of the Air Force— enters into phase three contracts during fiscal year 2025; orders launch missions during fiscal years 2025 through 2029; and carries out such launches under the national security space launch program.