{
  "id": "ACQ-21",
  "category": "University research & workforce",
  "capability": "Build research capacity in eligible states through DEPSCoR",
  "summary": "Competitively fund university research, instrumentation and graduate assistance, and facilitate laboratory collaboration in eligible states and territories.",
  "legal_basis": [
    {
      "citation": "10 U.S.C. §4010",
      "url": "https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section4010&num=0&edition=prelim",
      "kind": "statute",
      "note": "Primary statutory text; primary GovInfo baseline and amendment audit identified in research narrative."
    }
  ],
  "authority_holder": "Secretary of Defense acting through USD(R&E)",
  "actor_chain": {
    "planner": [
      "USD(R&E) and Service science-and-technology executives",
      "DARPA or Service laboratory/program manager"
    ],
    "resource_owner": [
      "Sponsoring component RDT&E budget owner; component comptroller"
    ],
    "approver": [
      "Secretary of Defense or military-department Secretary; valid delegate must be confirmed"
    ],
    "executor": [
      "DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office",
      "Performing laboratory or external research performer"
    ],
    "partners": [
      "Operational customer / acquiring program",
      "Security, export-control, counsel and fiscal officials as applicable"
    ]
  },
  "actor_sources": [
    {
      "title": "DEVCOM ARL Broad Agency Announcement — program managers and award instruments",
      "url": "https://arl.devcom.army.mil/collaborate-with-us/opportunity/arl-baa/"
    },
    {
      "title": "Office of Naval Research — funding opportunities",
      "url": "https://www.onr.navy.mil/work-with-us/funding-opportunities"
    }
  ],
  "requirements": [
    "USD(R&E) designates eligible states using statutory funding and state-commitment criteria.",
    "Awards support defense-responsive science/engineering and competitive research capacity."
  ],
  "limits": [
    "Geographically targeted eligibility; not a universal state economic-development grant."
  ],
  "funding": [
    "Available program appropriations; no entitlement from designation alone."
  ],
  "coordination_path": "USD(R&E) program → eligible-state/institution review → Service research/grants office → university/laboratory partnership.",
  "availability": "Express statutory pathway; award-specific appropriations, available balances, delegations, implementation and approvals not independently verified.",
  "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.",
  "family": "Workforce and expertise",
  "mechanisms": [
    "Other statutory tools"
  ],
  "goal_ids": [
    "develop-technology"
  ],
  "office_links": [
    {
      "office_id": "usd-research-engineering",
      "role": "planner",
      "label": "USD(R&E) and Service science-and-technology executives"
    },
    {
      "office_id": "comptrollers",
      "role": "resource_owner",
      "label": "Sponsoring component RDT&E budget owner; component comptroller"
    },
    {
      "office_id": "secretary-deputy-secretary",
      "role": "approver",
      "label": "Secretary of Defense or military-department Secretary; valid delegate must be confirmed"
    },
    {
      "office_id": "counsel-award-officials",
      "role": "executor",
      "label": "DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office"
    }
  ]
}