EconDefense
ACQ-15 / Research, innovation and experimentation

Reinvest laboratory and test-organization funds in innovation, transition, people and minor infrastructure

Directors may use statutory 2–4% mechanisms for research, transition, workforce development and qualifying infrastructure; fixed customer surcharge up to 4% may support these purposes.

Download record

At a glance

Possible toolACQ-15 · Other statutory tools
Legal basis10 U.S.C. §4123

Authority holder: Secretary of Defense establishes mechanisms; directors exercise discretion in consultation with Service S&T executive

Other statutory tools

Mechanism tags describe the source text; they do not expand the authority.

Availability and verification

Express statutory pathway; award-specific appropriations, available balances, delegations, implementation and approvals not independently verified.

Requirements and limits

Eligibility & prerequisites

  • 2–4% of available funds under established mechanisms.
  • Infrastructure must meet §2805(d)/ §2811 applicable cost rules and pre-use congressional notification.

Limits & exclusions

  • A flexible internal investment mechanism, not unlimited new MILCON authority or off-budget money.

Funding conditions

  • Funds already available to lab/test organization; fees limited to 4% of performance costs.

Read the funding and execution guide

Who contributes what

Need & planning

  • Laboratory/test director and Service S&T executive

Resources

  • Laboratory/test-organization available funds and authorized customer fees

Approval

  • Director with Service S&T consultation; Secretary of Defense infrastructure notification
    Office profile

Execution

  • Laboratory/test organization and supporting fiscal/contracting staff

Partners & review

  • Customer activities; other laboratories; congressional committees for infrastructure notice

Office links are editorial matches to the original role text, not verified delegations. Composite labels and unmatched actors are preserved.

Coordination pathway

Director sets portfolio → consults Service S&T executive → fiscal calculation and facilities review → required notice → execution.

Actor and execution-role sources

Legal basis

  • 10 U.S.C. §4123Primary statutory text; primary GovInfo baseline and amendment audit identified in research narrative.
  • P.L. 119-60, §212Extends laboratory mechanism to Major Range and Test Facility Base test organizations.

What this research establishes

Legal powerSource and conditions recorded
EligibilityProject-specific check needed
Available fundsBalances not verified
DelegationValid signature authority must be checked
ExecutionOffice capacity and approvals must be checked

Confidence: High on express authority and cited conditions; execution assignment is illustrative unless statute expressly names it.

Currentness: GovInfo 2024 Code (includes FY2025 NDAA, P.L. 118-159) read in full for cited provision; targeted FY2026 NDAA P.L. 119-60 amendment/repeal sweep. No claim of complete legislative currency through 2026-10-02; remaining 2026 delta needs counsel validation.

Research target: October 2, 2026. A record-specific last-review date is not supplied. Publication date is not legal-currentness certification.

Related tools in this family