Us Code § 4127 - Defense innovation unit  1

§ 4127. Defense innovation unit  1

(a) Establishment.—There is established in the Department of Defense a Defense Innovation Unit (referred to in this section as the "Unit").

(b) Director and Deputy Director.—There is a Director of the Unit who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense from among persons with substantial experience in innovation and commercial technology, as determined by the Secretary.

(c) Authority of Director.—The Director is the head of the Unit. The Director—

(1) shall serve as a principal staff assistant to the Secretary of Defense on matters within the responsibility of the Unit;

(2) shall report directly to the Secretary without intervening authority; and

(3) may communicate views on matters within the responsibility of the Unit directly to the Secretary without obtaining the approval or concurrence of any other official within the Department of Defense.

(d) Responsibilities.—The Unit shall have the following responsibilities:

(1) Seek out, identify, and support development of and experimentation with commercial technologies that have the potential to be implemented within the Department of Defense.

(2) Accelerate the adoption or integration of commercial technologies within the Department of Defense to transform military capacity and capabilities.

(3) Serve as the principal liaison between the Department of Defense and individuals and entities in the national security innovation base, including entrepreneurs, startups, commercial technology companies, and venture capital sources.

(4) Carry out programs, projects, and other activities to strengthen the national security innovation base.

(5) Coordinate and harmonize the activities of other organizations and elements of the Department of Defense on matters relating to commercial technologies, dual use technologies, and the innovation of such technologies.

(6) Coordinate and advise efforts among elements of the Department of Defense on matters relating to the development, procurement, and fielding of nontraditional capabilities.

(7) Coordinate with the Joint Staff and the commanders of the combatant commands to identify operational challenges that have the potential to be addressed through the use of nontraditional capabilities, including dual-use technologies, that are being developed and financed in the commercial sector.

(8) Using funds made available to the Unit—

(A) select projects to be carried out by one or more of the service-level innovation organizations;

(B) allocate funds to service-level innovation organizations to carry out such projects; and

(C) monitor the execution of such projects by the service-level innovation organizations.

(9) Serve as the principal liaison between the Department of Defense, nontraditional defense contractors, investors in nontraditional defense companies, and departments and agencies of the Federal Government pursing ² nontraditional capabilities similar to those pursued by the Department.

(10) Lead engagement with industry, academia, and other nongovernment entities to develop—

(A) domestic capacity with respect to innovative, commercial, and dual-use technologies and the use of nontraditional defense contractors; and

(B) the capacity of international allies and partners of the United States with respect to such technologies and the use of such contractors.

(11) Carry out such other activities as the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate.

(e) Support for Multi-stakeholder Partnerships.—

(1) The Director shall identify and support multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnerships that—

(A) have the potential to generate technologies, processes, products, or other solutions that address national defense or security needs; and

(B) have as an objective the technology transfer or commercialization of the work product generated by the partnership, which may include work product that incorporates Government-developed intellectual property licensed to the partnership in accordance with paragraph (3).

(2) Support provided by the Director to a multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnership under this subsection may include—

(A) providing funding or other resources to the partnership;

(B) participating in the partnership;

(C) providing technical and technological advice and guidance to the partnership;

(D) suggesting and introducing other participants for inclusion in the partnership;

(E) providing the partnership with insight into desired solutions for defense and security needs; and

(F) such other forms of support as the Director determines appropriate.

(3) To the extent the Director determines appropriate, the Director shall seek to actively inform potential participants in multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnerships of the availability of Government-developed intellectual property that may be licensed to the partnership.

(4) On an annual basis, the Director shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees a report on the activities, advances, outcomes, and work product of the multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnerships supported under this subsection.

(f) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term "multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnership" means a partnership composed of any combination of two or more of the following:

(A) Universities, colleges, or other institutions of higher education with research and innovation capability.

(B) Non-profit organizations that provide policy, research, outreach, operations, organizational, management, testing, evaluation, technology transfer, legal, financial, or advocacy expertise.

(C) For-profit commercial enterprises that may be publicly or privately owned, early stage or mature, and incorporated or operating by another ownership structure.

(D) Departments or agencies of the Federal Government with expertise, operations, or resources related to the objectives of the multi-stakeholder research and innovation partnership.

(2) The term "nontraditional capability" means a solution to an operational challenge that can significantly leverage commercial innovation or external capital with minimal dependencies on fielded systems.

(3) The term "nontraditional defense contractor" has the meaning given that term in section 3014 of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title IX, §913(a)(1), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 365.)

Delayed Effective Date of Section

Section effective 180 days after Dec. 22, 2023, with additional implementation requirements, see Effective Date; Implementation note below.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date; Implementation

Section effective 180 days after Dec. 22, 2023, with additional implementation requirements, see section 913(b)(1), (2) of Pub. L. 118–31, set out as notes under section 1766 of this title.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "Defense Innovation Unit".

² So in original. Probably should be "pursuing".

CHAPTER 305—UNIVERSITIES

        

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1843(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4244, initially enacted chapter 305 of this title, consisting of sections 4103, 4111, and 4112, which was to become effective Jan. 1, 2022. However, Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, §1701(u)(4)(A), (5)(A), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2153, repealed section 1843(a), and enacted a new section 1844(a), of Pub. L. 116–283, effective as if included therein, which eliminated the initial chapter 305 and enacted the current one.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Support for Protection of Sensitive Research Performed on Behalf of the Department of Defense

Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title II, §221, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 188, provided that:

"(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, may enter into contracts or other agreements with one or more eligible entities to assist institutions of higher education in protecting sensitive research performed on behalf of the Department of Defense.

"(b) Activities.—An eligible entity that enters into a contract or other agreement with the Secretary of Defense under subsection (a) shall carry out activities to assist institutions of higher education in protecting sensitive research performed on behalf of the Department of Defense. Such activities may include—

"(1) conducting effective due diligence in vetting visiting scholars;

"(2) assisting institutions in meeting applicable research security requirements, including through the use of common procedures and practices and shared infrastructure, as appropriate;

"(3) providing training to employees and offices of the institution that have responsibilities relating to research security; and

"(4) providing advice and assistance to institutions in establishing and maintaining research security programs.

"(c) Considerations.—In selecting an entity to receive a contract or other agreement under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall consider the following:

"(1) Geographic diversity and the extent to which the entity is able to maximize coverage of different regions of the United States.

"(2) Any ratings of the entity made by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency as part of the Agency's annual security vulnerability assessment ratings.

"(3) Whether and to what extent the entity uses best practices for research security as outlined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

"(4) The entity's demonstrated excellence in security programs, including receipt of awards for excellence in counterintelligence and outstanding achievement in industrial security.

"(d) Performance Metrics.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish metrics to measure the performance of each entity with which the Secretary enters into a contract or other agreement under subsection (a).

"(e) Notification and Report.—For any year in which the Secretary of Defense exercises the authority provided under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a report that—

"(1) identifies each eligible entity with which the Secretary entered into a contract or other agreement under such subsection; and

"(2) evaluates the performance of the entity.

"(f) Eligible Entity Defined.—In this section, the term 'eligible entity' means—

"(1) an entity the Secretary of Defense determines to be eligible to participate in the activities authorized under this section; or

"(2) a consortium composed of two or more such entities."

Support to Covered Educational Institutions

Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title II, §227(f), (g), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 198, provided that:

"(f) Support to Covered Educational Institutions.—

"(1) In general.—The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering may establish a program to award contracts, grants, or other agreements on a competitive basis to a covered educational institution, and to perform other appropriate activities, for the purposes described in paragraph (2).

"(2) Purposes.—The purposes described in this paragraph are the following:

"(A) Developing the capability, including workforce and research infrastructure capabilities, for covered educational institutions to more effectively compete for Federal engineering, applied research, commercialization, and workforce development funding opportunities.

"(B) Improving the capability of covered educational institutions to—

"(i) recruit and retain research faculty;

"(ii) participate in appropriate personnel exchange programs; and

"(iii) participate in appropriate educational and career development activities.

"(C) Any other purposes the Under Secretary determines appropriate for enhancing the engineering, applied research, commercialization, and development capabilities of covered educational institutions.

"(g) Definitions.—In this section:

"(1) Covered educational institution.—The term 'covered educational institution' means—

"(A) a mining, metallurgical, geological, or mineral engineering program—

"(i) accredited by a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural science, engineering technology, and computing; and

"(ii) located at an institution of higher education; or

"(B) any other post-secondary educational institution with a geology or engineering program or department that has experience in mining research or work with the mining industry.

"(2) Critical materials.—The term 'critical materials' means materials designated as strategic and critical under section 3(a) of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98b(a)).

"(3) Institution of higher education.—For purposes of paragraph (1), the term 'institution of higher education' has the meaning given in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)."

Infrastructure To Support Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Missions

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title II, §252, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1285, as amended by Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title II, §215(d)(9), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1594, provided that:

"(a) Master Plan Required.—The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall develop and implement a master plan that addresses the research, development, test, and evaluation infrastructure and modernization requirements of the Department of Defense, including the science and technology reinvention laboratories and the facilities of the Major Range and Test Facility Base.

"(b) Elements.—The master plan required under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the research, development, test, and evaluation infrastructure of the Department of Defense, the following:

"(1) A summary of deficiencies in the infrastructure, by location, and the effect of the deficiencies on the ability of the Department—

"(A) to meet current and future military requirements identified in the National Defense Strategy;

"(B) to support science and technology development and acquisition programs; and

"(C) to recruit and train qualified personnel.

"(2) A summary of existing and emerging military research, development, test, and evaluation mission areas, by location, that require modernization investments in the infrastructure—

"(A) to improve operations in a manner that may benefit all users;

"(B) to enhance the overall capabilities of the research, development, test, and evaluation infrastructure, including facilities and resources;

"(C) to improve safety for personnel and facilities; and

"(D) to reduce the long-term cost of operation and maintenance.

"(3) Identification of specific infrastructure projects that are required to address the infrastructure deficiencies identified under paragraph (1) or to support the existing and emerging mission areas identified under paragraph (2).

"(4) For each project identified under paragraph (3)—

"(A) a description of the scope of work;

"(B) a cost estimate;

"(C) a summary of the plan for the project;

"(D) an explanation of the level of priority that will be given to the project; and

"(E) a schedule of required infrastructure investments.

"(5) A description of how the Department, including each military department concerned, will carry out the infrastructure projects identified in paragraph (3) using the range of authorities and methods available to the Department, including—

"(A) military construction authority under section 2802 of title 10, United States Code;

"(B) unspecified minor military construction authority under section 2805(a) of such title;

"(C) laboratory revitalization authority under section 2805(d) of such title;

"(D) the authority to carry out facility repair projects, including the conversion of existing facilities, under section 2811 of such title;

"(E) the authority provided under the Defense Laboratory Modernization Pilot Program under section 2803 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 2358 note [now 10 U.S.C. 4121 note prec.]);

"(F) methods that leverage funding from entities outside the Department, including public-private partnerships, enhanced use leases and real property exchanges;

"(G) the authority to conduct commercial test and evaluation activities at a Major Range and Test Facility Installation, under section 2681 of title 10, United States Code [now 10 U.S.C. 4175]; and

"(H) any other authorities and methods determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of Defense.

"(6) Identification of any regulatory or policy barriers to the effective and efficient implementation of the master plan.

"(c) Consultation and Coordination.—In developing and implementing the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall—

"(1) consult with existing and anticipated customers and users of the capabilities of the Major Range and Test Facility Base and science and technology reinvention laboratories;

"(2) ensure consistency with the science and technology roadmaps and strategies of the Department of Defense and the Armed Forces; and

"(3) ensure consistency with the strategic plan for test and evaluation resources required by section 196(d) of title 10, United States Code [now 10 U.S.C. 4173(d)].

"(d) Submittal to Congress.—Not later than January 1, 2021, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] the master plan developed under subsection (a).

"(e) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Infrastructure Defined.—In this section, the term 'research, development, test, and evaluation infrastructure' means the infrastructure of—

"(1) the science and technology reinvention laboratories (as designated under section 4121(b) of title 10, United States Code);

"(2) the Major Range and Test Facility Base (as defined in section 2358a(f)(3) of title 10, United States Code [now 10 U.S.C. 4091(f)(3)]); and

"(3) other facilities that support the research development, test, and evaluation activities of the Department."

Pilot Program for the Enhancement of the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Centers of the Department of Defense

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title II, §233, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2061, as amended by Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title II, §235, title X, §1081(d)(2), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1341, 1600; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, §1731(d), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1816; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title II, §216(a), (b), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3460; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title II, §§215(d)(7), 219, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1594, 1597, provided that:

"(a) Pilot Program Required.—

"(1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the military departments shall jointly carry out a pilot program to demonstrate methods for the more effective development of technology and management of functions at eligible centers.

"(2) Eligible centers.—For purposes of the pilot program, the eligible centers are—

"(A) the science and technology reinvention laboratories, as designated under section 4121(b) of title 10, United States Code;

"(B) the test and evaluation centers which are activities specified as part of the Major Range and Test Facility Base in Department of Defense Directive 3200.11; and

"(C) the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

"(b) Selection.—

"(1) In general.—The Secretaries described in subsection (a) shall ensure that participation in the pilot program includes—

"(A) the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; and

"(B) in accordance with paragraph (2)—

"(i) five additional eligible centers described in subparagraph (A) of subsection (a)(2) from each of the military departments; and

"(ii) five additional eligible centers described in subparagraph (B) of such subsection from each of the military departments.

"(2) Selection procedures.—(A) The head of an eligible center described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(2) seeking to participate in the pilot program shall submit to the appropriate reviewer an application therefor at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the appropriate reviewer shall specify.

"(B) Not later than 120 days after the date of such submittal, each appropriate reviewer shall—

"(i) evaluate each application received under subparagraph (A); and

"(ii) approve or disapprove of the application.

"(C) If the head of an eligible center submits an application under subparagraph (A) in accordance with the requirements specified by the appropriate reviewer for purposes of such subparagraph and the appropriate reviewer neither approves nor disapproves such application pursuant to subparagraph (B)(ii) on or before the date that is 120 days after the date of such submittal, such eligible center shall be considered a participant in the pilot program.

"(D) For purposes of this paragraph, the appropriate reviewer is—

"(i) in the case of an eligible center described in subparagraph (A) of subsection (a)(2), the Laboratory Quality Enhancement Program; and

"(ii) in the case of an eligible center described in subparagraph (B) of such subsection, the Director of the Test Resource Management Center.

"(c) Participation in Program.—

"(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), the head of each eligible center selected under subsection (b)(1) shall submit to the Assistant Secretary concerned a proposal on, and implement, alternative and innovative methods of effective management and operations of eligible centers, rapid project delivery, support, experimentation, prototyping, and partnership with universities and private sector entities to—

"(A) generate greater value and efficiencies in research and development activities;

"(B) enable more efficient and effective operations of supporting activities, such as—

"(i) facility management, construction, and repair;

"(ii) business operations;

"(iii) personnel management policies and practices; and

"(iv) intramural and public outreach; and

"(C) enable more rapid deployment of warfighter capabilities.

"(2) Implementation.—(A) The head of an eligible center described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(2) shall implement each method proposed under paragraph (1) unless such method is disapproved in writing by the Assistant Secretary concerned within 60 days of receiving a proposal from an eligible center selected under subsection (b)(1) by such Assistant Secretary.

"(B) The Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency shall implement each method proposed under paragraph (1) unless such method is disapproved in writing by the Deputy Secretary of Defense or a designee of the Deputy Secretary within 60 days of receiving a proposal from the Director.

"(C) In this paragraph, the term 'Assistant Secretary concerned' means—

"(i) the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition [now Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics], with respect to matters concerning the Air Force;

"(ii) the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, with respect to matters concerning the Army; and

"(iii) the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, with respect to matters concerning the Navy.

"(d) Waiver Authority for Demonstration and Implementation.—Until the termination of the pilot program under subsection (e), the head of an eligible center selected under subsection (b)(1) may waive any regulation, restriction, requirement, guidance, policy, procedure, or departmental instruction that would affect the implementation of a method proposed under subsection (c)(1), unless such implementation would be prohibited by a provision of a Federal statute or common law.

"(e) Termination.—The pilot program shall terminate on September 30, 2027.

"(f) Report.—

"(1) In general.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 [Pub. L. 116–283; approved Jan. 1, 2021], the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a report on the status of the pilot program.

"(2) Contents.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:

"(A) Identification of the eligible centers participating in the pilot program.

"(B) Identification of the eligible centers whose applications to participate in the pilot program were disapproved under subsection (b), including justifications for such disapprovals.

"(C) A description of the methods implemented pursuant to subsection (c).

"(D) A description of the methods that were proposed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (c) but disapproved under paragraph (2) of such subsection.

"(E) An assessment of how methods implemented pursuant to subsection (c) have contributed to the objectives identified in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) of such subsection.

"(F) With respect to any military department not participating in the pilot program, an explanation for such nonparticipation, including identification of—

"(i) any issues that may be preventing such participation; and

"(ii) any offices or other elements of the Department of Defense that may be responsible for the delay in participation."

[Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title II, §216(b), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3460, provided in part that the amendment made to section 233(c)(2)(C)(ii) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out above, by section 216(b) of Pub. L. 116–283 is effective as of Dec. 23, 2016, and as if included in such section 233(c)(2)(C)(ii) as enacted.]

[Pub. L. 116–92, §1731(d), and Pub. L. 116–283, §216(b), made identical amendments to section 233(c)(2)(C)(ii) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out above, by substituting "Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology" for "Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics", both effective as of Dec. 23, 2016, and as if included in such section as enacted. However, the substitution reflects execution of the amendment made by Pub. L. 116–283 and not by Pub. L. 116–92, as the latter directed amendment of the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018", and Pub. L. 114–328 is known as the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017".]