{
  "id": "ACQ-25",
  "category": "Research workforce",
  "capability": "Direct-hire laboratory scientists, engineers, students and qualified veterans",
  "summary": "STRL directors can appoint eligible specialists outside ordinary competitive hiring procedures, convert qualifying students and manage lab workforce within budget.",
  "legal_basis": [
    {
      "citation": "10 U.S.C. §4091",
      "url": "https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section4091&num=0&edition=prelim",
      "kind": "statute",
      "note": "Primary statutory text; primary GovInfo baseline and amendment audit identified in research narrative."
    },
    {
      "citation": "10 U.S.C. §4121",
      "url": "https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section4121&num=0&edition=prelim",
      "kind": "statute",
      "note": "Primary statutory text; primary GovInfo baseline and amendment audit identified in research narrative."
    }
  ],
  "authority_holder": "Directors of designated STRLs; specified research/test directors for covered positions",
  "actor_chain": {
    "planner": [
      "STRL director and technical managers"
    ],
    "resource_owner": [
      "Laboratory personnel budget"
    ],
    "approver": [
      "Director under statutory eligibility/numerical rules"
    ],
    "executor": [
      "Laboratory HR and appointing official"
    ],
    "partners": [
      "Service civilian-personnel offices; candidates"
    ]
  },
  "actor_sources": [
    {
      "title": "10 U.S.C. §4091 — statutory actor assignment",
      "url": "https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section4091&num=0&edition=prelim"
    }
  ],
  "requirements": [
    "Position and candidate must fit scientific/engineering, veteran STEM or student categories.",
    "Annual caps by category based on prior-year filled positions; senior technical positions have separate limits."
  ],
  "limits": [
    "Budget control remains; exclusion from personnel limits does not cover SES or scientific/professional §3104 positions.",
    "Other preserved civil-service requirements remain."
  ],
  "funding": [
    "Existing laboratory personnel funds; no automatic additional funded billets."
  ],
  "coordination_path": "Technical manager → laboratory HR verifies degree/veteran/student eligibility and remaining allocation → director appointment.",
  "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": [
    "People & expertise"
  ],
  "goal_ids": [
    "develop-technology"
  ],
  "office_links": []
}