10 recordsWhat this group is not: These pathways do not supply interchangeable powers or funds; each retains its own purpose, procedures and exclusions.
Basis: ACQ-43, FIN-01, FIN-11
Example limit · ACQ-36: Lack of planning or expiring procurement funds does not justify noncompetition.
Recorded executing roles: Warranted contracting officer and program manager; Service/component program and contracting office; Supporting joint/Service contracting activity; Service program and contracting offices; Contracting officer and claims/insurance officials; DIU and coordinated development, experimentation or integration teams
Examine these authorities →ACQ-36 · ProcurementUse documented exceptions for unique sources, compelling urgency, industrial mobilization/essential research capacity, international commitments, express statutes, national-security secrecy or public interest.
What this is not / limit: Lack of planning or expiring procurement funds does not justify noncompetition.
Executing role: Warranted contracting officer and program manager
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
Use up to 5 program-year contracts for installation support, complex-equipment maintenance, specialized training, base services and environmental remediation when statutory conditions are met.
What this is not / limit: Not a blanket multiyear power for every service.
Executing role: Warranted contracting officer and program manager
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
Competitively select commercial products, services or nondevelopmental items via general solicitation with peer, technical or operational review and use authorized follow-on production routes.
What this is not / limit: §3458 CSO authority is distinct from DIU’s CSO solicitation technique used with §4022 OTs; do not merge requirements.
Executing role: Warranted contracting officer and program manager
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
Respond to documented combat, contingency or cyber deficiencies through accelerated acquisition/deployment; specified determinations unlock bounded use of available funds and selected legal waivers.
What this is not / limit: Cannot waive criminal/civil-penalty statutes, appropriations-expenditure laws or §3601 itself.
Executing role: Service/component program and contracting office
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
Run streamlined 2–5 year rapid-prototyping or rapid-fielding programs with coordinated requirements, resources and acquisition decisions.
What this is not / limit: A pathway is not its own contract instrument, appropriation or general statutory waiver.
Executing role: Warranted contracting officer and program manager
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
Use statutory applications and embedded-systems software pathways for iterative delivery, commercial cloud use and qualifying software-embedded hardware.
What this is not / limit: Exemptions from selected planning frameworks are not exemptions from all procurement, cybersecurity or fiscal requirements.
Executing role: Warranted contracting officer and program manager
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
A combatant commander can make written determinations to senior contracting officials for defined contingency, CBRN/cyber response, humanitarian/peacekeeping and below-armed-conflict directed operations.
What this is not / limit: Not a power for commander to sign any contract personally; contracting-official role remains.
Executing role: Supporting joint/Service contracting activity
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
With Secretary of Defense approval, a Service Secretary may initiate urgent/emerging development to exploit new technology or respond to threats using bounded rapid acquisition/funding authorities.
What this is not / limit: Chapter 221 competition may not be waived; other §3601 fiscal/penalty restrictions remain.
Executing role: Service program and contracting offices
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
Military-department R&D contracts may promise U.S. indemnification for defined unusually hazardous direct-performance third-party claims and contractor-property loss not otherwise insured/compensated.
What this is not / limit: Not blanket indemnity for any contractor business loss or retroactive unstated promise.
Executing role: Contracting officer and claims/insurance officials
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.
Portfolio acquisition executives, program managers and product support managers can request DIU assistance identifying, adopting and integrating commercial technologies into programs of record or fielded capabilities.
What this is not / limit: Does not itself waive requirements of the underlying contract, OT or funding instrument.
Executing role: DIU and coordinated development, experimentation or integration teams
Other statutory tools
Legal basisSources linked
RequirementsGates recorded
Actor sources & routing basis
Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.