Defense Acquisition Challenge Program

Abstract

Authorized by Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 2395b, the Defense Acquisition Challenge Program (DACP) provides increased opportunities to insert innovative and cost-saving technologies into acquisition programs of the Department of Defense. DACP funds the test and evaluation of technologies and products with potential to improve performance, affordability, manufacturability, or operational capability of current acquisition programs at the subcomponent, component, or system level. Since the program inception in FY 2003, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has initiated 119 projects; 60 projects have been completed to date: 45 met Service or Agency testing requirements; and 35 led to procurements. To date, 30 projects have yielded technology currently in use by our warfighters in Iraq, Afghanistan, or at U.S. training facilities. The Defense Acquisition Challenge Program (DACP) increases opportunities for domestic vendors to enter the Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition process. Although business size is not an evaluation criterion, it is noteworthy that to date approximately 60 percent of the DACP projects awarded are with technology providers at the small or mid-sized enterprise level. DACP has the additional DoD/National Security benefit of expanding the industrial base for defense acquisition. Final selection of FY 2011 DACP new starts will be determined in September 2010. Congressional authority to execute Defense Acquisition Challenge Program currently ends September 30, 2012 (Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 2359b).

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2011
• Source ID: P051_0604051D8Z_5_0400_PB_2011

Tags

Readers

• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• Government Contracting/Procurement.
• Nuclear Civil Defense.