EconDefense
USC-71 / Intelligence, counterintelligence and security

Use DNI-approved exceptional acquisition powers for defense intelligence

A defense intelligence element may exercise specified CIA Act acquisition powers for an acquisition more than half funded by the National Intelligence Program only after an individualized or class-based DNI authorization.

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Authority / instrument · USC-71

Conditional intelligence acquisition authority

Intelligence, counterintelligence and security

Statute & instrument
Authority holder

Director of National Intelligence and head of the requesting defense intelligence element

What this does not authorize / hard limit

Class authorizations ordinarily no more than three years, or six with nondelegated DNI action; renewals require statutory process.

Recorded executor

Authorized element acquisition and financial officials (illustrative; delegation not verified)

Continue to actor →

Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.

Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedAcquisition more than50% National Intelligence Program-funded; current appropriation and separate source conditions required. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument.
Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent.
EngagementProgram unverifiedAdded in the October 5 statutory review; no current implementing program, intake or individual delegation verified.

Public evidence describes the institution and instrument; it is not approval of an individual transaction.

At a glance

Possible toolUSC-71 · Security & information

Authority holder: Director of National Intelligence and head of the requesting defense intelligence element

Security & information

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

Availability and verification

Statutory-review addition. Current program implementation, intake, available funds, and individual signing authority have not been verified.

Requirements and limits

Eligibility & prerequisites

  • Element head personally requests authority with insufficiency/mission-need justification; DNI issues written authorization; requests follow DoD procedures.
  • Notify congressional intelligence committees of each authorization or extension regardless of dollar size; notify OMB for acquisitions/classes exceeding $50 million annually. Keep requests/authorizations at least six years.

Limits & exclusions

  • Class authorizations ordinarily no more than three years, or six with nondelegated DNI action; renewals require statutory process.
  • No automatic inheritance of CIA powers; §3510(b) unvouchered-funds power is not granted by this bridge; applicable §3510(c) notice/guidance remains.

Funding conditions

  • Acquisition more than50% National Intelligence Program-funded; current appropriation and separate source conditions required.

Read the funding and execution guide

Who contributes what

Need & planning

  • Defense intelligence element acquisition sponsor (illustrative routing lead)

Resources

  • Cognizant component comptroller; account and available balance unverified
    Office profile

Approval

  • Director of National Intelligence and head of the requesting defense intelligence element

Execution

  • Authorized element acquisition and financial officials (illustrative; delegation not verified)

Partners & review

  • DNI
  • DoD counsel

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

Coordination pathway

Mission sponsor → component counsel and comptroller → required statutory findings and approvals → authorized execution office. Routing is illustrative; verify delegation and available funds.

Actor and execution-role sources

October 5 statutory review

Added in the October 5 statutory coverage review. The cited legal mechanism and its conditions were examined; a current implementing program, intake, funding balance and individual delegation were not verified.

Section coverage and review findings

Legal basis

What this research establishes

Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedAcquisition more than50% National Intelligence Program-funded; current appropriation and separate source conditions required. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument.
Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent.
EngagementProgram unverifiedAdded in the October 5 statutory review; no current implementing program, intake or individual delegation verified.

Confidence: High on the cited statutory mechanism; no implementation or obligation-ready certification.

Currentness: Reviewed 2026-10-05 against full official GovInfo 2024 Code text and a targeted P.L. 119-60 reference sweep. Official OLRC indexed text used where accessible; direct OLRC pages returned maintenance or access errors. No comprehensive later-law certification or current funding/delegation verification. P.L. 119-60 §§6402 and6501 verified. Current citation is §3024(m), not pre-FY26 §3024(n).

Review scope: Record reviewed 2026-10-05. Publication is not legal-currentness certification.

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