1996 US Code
Title 10 - ARMED FORCES
Subtitle A - General Military Law
PART I - ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL MILITARY POWERS
CHAPTER 4 - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Sec. 139 - Director of Operational Test and Evaluation

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§139. Director of Operational Test and Evaluation

(a)(1) There is a Director of Operational Test and Evaluation in the Department of Defense, appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director shall be appointed without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the office of Director. The Director may be removed from office by the President. The President shall communicate the reasons for any such removal to both Houses of Congress.

(2) In this section:

(A) The term “operational test and evaluation” means—

(i) the field test, under realistic combat conditions, of any item of (or key component of) weapons, equipment, or munitions for the purpose of determining the effectiveness and suitability of the weapons, equipment, or munitions for use in combat by typical military users; and

(ii) the evaluation of the results of such test.

(B) The term “major defense acquisition program” means a Department of Defense acquisition program that is a major defense acquisition program for purposes of section 2430 of this title or that is designated as such a program by the Director for purposes of this section.

(b) The Director is the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology on operational test and evaluation in the Department of Defense and the principal operational test and evaluation official within the senior management of the Department of Defense. The Director shall—

(1) prescribe, by authority of the Secretary of Defense, policies and procedures for the conduct of operational test and evaluation in the Department of Defense;

(2) provide guidance to and consult with the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology and the Secretaries of the military departments with respect to operational test and evaluation in the Department of Defense in general and with respect to specific operational test and evaluation to be conducted in connection with a major defense acquisition program;

(3) monitor and review all operational test and evaluation in the Department of Defense;

(4) coordinate operational testing conducted jointly by more than one military department or defense agency;

(5) review and make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on all budgetary and financial matters relating to operational test and evaluation, including operational test facilities and equipment, in the Department of Defense; and

(6) monitor and review the live fire testing activities of the Department of Defense provided for under section 2366 of this title.

(c) The Director may communicate views on matters within the responsibility of the Director directly to the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense without obtaining the approval or concurrence of any other official within the Department of Defense. The Director shall consult closely with, but the Director and the Director's staff are independent of, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology and all other officers and entities of the Department of Defense responsible for acquisition.

(d) The Director may not be assigned any responsibility for developmental test and evaluation, other than the provision of advice to officials responsible for such testing.

(e)(1) The Secretary of a military department shall report promptly to the Director the results of all operational test and evaluation conducted by the military department and of all studies conducted by the military department in connection with operational test and evaluation in the military department.

(2) The Director may require that such observers as he designates be present during the preparation for and the conduct of the test part of any operational test and evaluation conducted in the Department of Defense.

(3) The Director shall have access to all records and data in the Department of Defense (including the records and data of each military department) that the Director considers necessary to review in order to carry out his duties under this section.

(f) The Director shall prepare an annual report summarizing the operational test and evaluation activities (including live fire testing activities) of the Department of Defense during the preceding fiscal year. Each such report shall be submitted concurrently to the Secretary of Defense, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, and the Congress not later than 10 days after the transmission of the budget for the next fiscal year under section 1105 of title 31. If the Director submits the report to Congress in a classified form, the Director shall concurrently submit an unclassified version of the report to Congress. The report shall include such comments and recommendations as the Director considers appropriate, including comments and recommendations on resources and facilities available for operational test and evaluation and levels of funding made available for operational test and evaluation activities. The Secretary may comment on any report of the Director to Congress under this subsection.

(g) The Director shall comply with requests from Congress (or any committee of either House of Congress) for information relating to operational test and evaluation in the Department of Defense.

(h) The President shall include in the Budget transmitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31 for each fiscal year a separate statement of estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations for that fiscal year for the activities of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Director under this section.

(i) The Director shall have sufficient professional staff of military and civilian personnel to enable the Director to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the Director prescribed by law.

(Added Pub. L. 98–94, title XII, §1211(a)(1), Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 684, §136a; amended Pub. L. 99–348, title V, §501(c), July 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 708; renumbered §138 and amended Pub. L. 99–433, title I, §§101(a)(7), 110(d)(10), (g)(1), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 995, 1003, 1004; Pub. L. 99–500, §101(c) [title X, §§903(c), 910(c)], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–82, 1783–132, 1783–145, and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(c) [title X, §§903(c), 910(c)], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–82, 3341–132, 3341–145; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title IX, formerly title IV, §§903(c), 910(c), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3912, 3924, renumbered title IX, Pub. L. 100–26, §3(5), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 273; Pub. L. 100–26, §7(a)(1), (c)(2), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 275, 280; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title VIII, §801, Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1123; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title VIII, §802(b), title XVI, §1622(e)(1), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1486, 1605; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIV, §1484(k)(1), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1719; renumbered §139 and amended Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title IX, §§901(a)(1), 904(d)(1), 907, Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1726, 1728, 1730; Pub. L. 103–355, title III, §§3011–3013, Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3331, 3332.)

Codification

Pub. L. 99–591 is a corrected version of Pub. L. 99–500.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 139 was renumbered section 140 of this title.

Another prior section 139 was renumbered section 2431 of this title.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 103–355, §3012(a), added par. (6).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–355, §3011, inserted “The Director may communicate views on matters within the responsibility of the Director directly to the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense without obtaining the approval or concurrence of any other official within the Department of Defense.” after “(c)”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 103–355, §§3012(b), 3013, in first sentence inserted “(including live fire testing activities)” after “operational test and evaluation activities” and after second sentence inserted “If the Director submits the report to Congress in a classified form, the Director shall concurrently submit an unclassified version of the report to Congress.”

1993—Pub. L. 103–160, §901(a)(1), renumbered section 138 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–160, §904(d)(1), substituted “Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology” for “Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition” in introductory provisions and in par. (2).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–160, §907, struck out “The Director reports directly, without intervening review or approval, to the Secretary of Defense personally.” after “(c)” and substituted “Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology” for “Director of Defense Research and Engineering” and “responsible for acquisition” for “responsible for research and development”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 103–160, §904(d)(1), substituted “Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology” for “Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition”.

1990—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 101–510, §1484(k)(1)(A), substituted “(A) The term ‘operational test and evaluation” for “(A) ‘Operational test and evaluation”.

Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 101–510, §1484(k)(1)(B), substituted “(B) The term ‘major defense acquisition program” for “(B) ‘Major defense acquisition program”.

1989—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 101–189, §1622(e)(1)(A), which directed amendment of subpar. (A) by substituting “(A) The term ‘operational’ ” for “(A) ‘Operational’ ”, could not be executed because a closing quotation mark did not follow “Operational”.

Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 101–189, §1622(e)(1)(B), which directed amendment of subpar. (B) by substituting “(B) The term ‘major’ ” for “(B) ‘Major’ ”, could not be executed because a closing quotation mark did not follow “Major”.

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 101–189, §802(b)(1)(A), inserted “and” after “defense agency;”.

Subsec. (b)(5), (6). Pub. L. 101–189, §802(b)(1)(B), (C), redesignated par. (6) as (5) and struck out former par. (5) which read as follows: “analyze the results of the operational test and evaluation conducted for each major defense acquisition program and, at the conclusion of such operational test and evaluation, report to the Secretary of Defense, to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, and to the Committees on Armed Services and on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives as provided in subsection (c) on—

“(A) whether the test and evaluation performed was adequate; and

“(B) whether the test and evaluation results confirm that the items or components actually tested are effective and suitable for combat; and”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–189, §802(b)(2), (3), redesignated subsec. (d)(1) as (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: “Each report of the Director required under subsection (b)(5) shall be submitted to the committees specified in that subsection in precisely the same form and with precisely the same content as the report originally was submitted to the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and shall be accompanied by such comments as the Secretary may wish to make on the report.”

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–189, §802(b)(4), redesignated former par. (2) of subsec. (d) as entire subsec. Former par. (1) of subsec. (d) redesignated subsec. (c).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–189, §802(b)(5)–(7), redesignated subsec. (g)(1) as (f), substituted “this subsection” for “this paragraph”, and struck out former subsec. (f) which read as follows:

“(1) Operational testing of a major defense acquisition program may not be conducted until the Director has approved in writing the adequacy of the plans (including the adequacy of projected levels of funding) for operational test and evaluation to be conducted in connection with that program.

“(2) A final decision within the Department of Defense to proceed with a major defense acquisition program beyond low-rate initial production may not be made until the Director has submitted to the Secretary of Defense the report with respect to that program required by subsection (b)(5) and the Committees on Armed Services and on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives have received that report.”

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101–189, §802(b)(6), (8), redesignated former par. (2) of subsec. (g) as entire subsec. (g), and redesignated former par. (1) of subsec. (g) as subsec. (f).

1987—Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 100–26, §7(c)(2), substituted “section 2430” for “section 2432(a)(1)”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–26, §7(a)(1), substituted “to the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and shall be accompanied by such comments as the Secretary may wish to make on the report.” for “to the Secretary, to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, and shall be accompanied by such comments as the Secretary of Defense may wish to make on such report.”

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–180 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

1986—Pub. L. 99–433, §§101(a)(7), 110(d)(10), renumbered section 136a of this title as this section, and struck out “: appointment; powers and duties” at end of section catchline.

Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 99–433, §110(g)(1), substituted “section 2432(a)(1)” for “section 139a(a)(1)”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–500 and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(c) [§903(c)(1)–(3)] and Pub. L. 99–661, §903(c)(1)–(3), amended subsec. (b) identically, in provisions preceding par. (1) and in par. (2), inserting “and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition” and, in par. (5), inserting “, to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–500 and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(c) [§903(c)(4)], and Pub. L. 99–661, §903(c)(4), amended subsec. (c) identically by directing the insertion of “, to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,” after “Secretary of Defense” the first place it appears which was executed by making the insertion after “the Secretary” the first place it appears as the probable intent of Congress.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–500 and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(c) [§903(c)(5)], and Pub. L. 99–661, §903(c)(5), amended subsec. (d) identically inserting “personally” after “Secretary of Defense”.

Pub. L. 99–348 substituted “Director of Defense Research and Engineering” for “Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering”.

Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 99–500 and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(c) [§§903(c)(6), 910(c)], and Pub. L. 99–661, §§903(c)(6), 910(c), amended par. (1) identically, inserting “, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,” and substituting “10 days after transmission of the budget for the next fiscal year under section 1105 of title 31” for “January 15 immediately following the end of the fiscal year for which the report is prepared”.

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 99–500 and Pub. L. 99–591, §101(c) [§903(c)(7)], and Pub. L. 99–661, §903(c)(7), amended section identically adding subsec. (i).

Effective Date

Section 1211(c) of Pub. L. 98–94 provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section and amending section 5315 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees] shall take effect on November 1, 1983.”

Order of Succession

For order of succession in event of death, disability, or resignation of Secretary, see Ex. Ord. No. 13000, Apr. 24, 1996, 61 F.R. 18483, set out as a note under section 3347 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 2399 of this title.