10 U.S. Code § 2505 - National technology and industrial base: periodic defense capability assessments

(a) Periodic Assessment.—

Each fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense shall prepare selected assessments of the capability of the national technology and industrial base to attain the national security objectives set forth in section 2501(a) of this title. The Secretary of Defense shall prepare such assessments in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Energy.

(b) Assessment Process.—

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that technology and industrial capability assessments—

(1) describe sectors or capabilities, their underlying infrastructure and processes;

(2) analyze present and projected financial performance of industries supporting the sectors or capabilities in the assessment;

(3) determine the extent to which the requirements associated with defense acquisition programs can be satisfied by the present and projected performance capacities of industries supporting the sectors or capabilities in the assessment, evaluate the reasons for any variance from applicable preceding determinations, and identify the extent to which those industries are comprised of only one potential source in the national technology and industrial base or have multiple potential sources;

(4) determine the extent to which the requirements associated with defense acquisition programs can be satisfied by the present and projected performance capacities of industries that do not actively support Department of Defense acquisition programs and identify the barriers to the participation of those industries;

(5) identify technological and industrial capabilities and processes for which there is potential for the national industrial and technology base not to be able to support the achievement of national security objectives; and

(6) consider the effects of the termination of major defense acquisition programs (as the term is defined in section 2430 of this title) or major automated information system programs (as defined in section 2445a [1] of this title) in the previous fiscal year on the sectors and capabilities in the assessment.

(c) Assessment of Extent of Dependency on Foreign Source Items.—

Each assessment under subsection (a) shall include a separate discussion and presentation regarding the extent to which the national technology and industrial base is dependent on items for which the source of supply, manufacture, or technology is outside of the United States and Canada and for which there is no immediately available source in the United States or Canada. The discussion and presentation regarding foreign dependency shall—

(1) identify cases that pose an unacceptable risk of foreign dependency, as determined by the Secretary; and

(2) present actions being taken or proposed to be taken to remedy the risk posed by the cases identified under paragraph (1), including efforts to develop a domestic source for the item in question.

(d) Assessment of Extent of Effects of Foreign Boycotts.—

Each assessment under subsection (a) shall include an examination of the extent to which the national technology and industrial base is affected by foreign boycotts. If it is determined that a foreign boycott (other than a boycott addressed in a previous assessment) is subjecting the national technology and industrial base to significant harm, the assessment shall include a separate discussion and presentation regarding that foreign boycott that shall, at a minimum—

(1) identify the sectors that are subject to such harm;

(2) describe the harm resulting from such boycott; and

(3) identify actions necessary to minimize the effects of such boycott on the national technology and industrial base.

(e) Integrated Process.—

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that consideration of the technology and industrial base assessments is integrated into the overall budget, acquisition, and logistics support decision processes of the Department of Defense.

(Added Pub. L. 102–484, div. D, title XLII, § 4215, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2667; amended Pub. L. 103–35, title II, § 201(g)(7), May 31, 1993, 107 Stat. 100; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title VIII, § 829(c)(1), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2612; Pub. L. 111–23, title III, § 303(b), May 22, 2009, 123 Stat. 1731; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title VIII, § 895(c), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4314; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title XVI, § 1602, Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2062; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title VIII, § 876, Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 941.)

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[1]  See References in Text note below.

References in Text

Section 2445a of this title, referred to in subsec. (b)(6), was repealed by Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, § 846(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2292, effective Sept. 30, 2017.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2505 was renumbered section 2532 of this title.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (b)(3) to (6). Pub. L. 114–92 added pars. (3) and (4) and redesignated former pars. (3) and (4) as (5) and (6), respectively.

2013—Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 112–239 added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e).

2011—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 111–383 inserted “or major automated information system programs (as defined in section 2445a of this title)” after “section 2430 of this title)”.

2009—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 111–23 added par. (4).

1996—Pub. L. 104–201 reenacted section catchline without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text consisted of subsecs. (a) to (d) providing for National Defense Technology and Industrial Base Council to prepare, at least annually through fiscal year 1997 and biennially thereafter, a comprehensive assessment of capability of the national technology and industrial base to attain national security objectives.

1993—Pub. L. 103–35 substituted “capability” for “capabilty” in section catchline.

Pilot Program on Strengthening Manufacturing in the Defense Industrial Base

Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title XVII, § 1711, Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1811, provided that:

“(a) Pilot Program Required.—

The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of increasing the capability of the defense industrial base to support—

“(1) production needs to meet military requirements; and

“(2) manufacturing and production of emerging defense and commercial technologies.

“(b) Authorities.—

The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program under the following:

“(1) Chapters 137 and 139 and sections 2371, 2371b, and 2373 of title 10, United States Code.

“(2) Such other legal authorities as the Secretary considers applicable to carrying out the pilot program.

“(c) Activities.—

Activities under the pilot program may include the following:

“(1) Use of contracts, grants, or other transaction authorities to support manufacturing and production capabilities in small- and medium-sized manufacturers.

“(2) Purchases of goods or equipment for testing and certification purposes.

“(3) Incentives, including purchase commitments and cost sharing with nongovernmental sources, for the private sector to develop manufacturing and production capabilities in areas of national security interest.

“(4) Issuing loans or providing loan guarantees to small- and medium-sized manufacturers to support manufacturing and production capabilities in areas of national security interest.

“(5) Giving awards to third party entities to support investments in small- and medium-sized manufacturers working in areas of national security interest, including debt and equity investments that would benefit missions of the Department of Defense.

“(6) Such other activities as the Secretary determines necessary.

“(d) Termination.—

The pilot program shall terminate on the date that is four years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 12, 2017].

“(e) Briefing Required.—

No later than January 31, 2022, the Secretary of Defense shall provide a briefing to the Committees on Armed Services in the Senate and the House of Representatives on the results of the pilot program.”

Study of Beryllium Industrial Base

Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title VIII, § 824, Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1547, required the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study of the adequacy of the industrial base of the United States to meet defense requirements of the United States for beryllium and to submit a report on the results of the study to Congress not later than Mar. 31, 2005.

Implementing Regulations Concerning National Technology and Industrial Base Periodic Assessment

Pub. L. 102–484, div. D, title XLII, § 4219, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2671, as amended by Pub. L. 103–35, title II, § 202(a)(14), May 31, 1993, 107 Stat. 101, set forth requirements for the initial regulations prescribed to implement this section, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title VIII, § 829(h), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2614.