§428a. Special emergency procurement authority

(a) Applicability

The authorities provided in this section apply with respect to any procurement of property or services by or for an executive agency that, as determined by the head of such executive agency, are to be used-

(1) in support of a contingency operation; or

(2) to facilitate the defense against or recovery from nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack against the United States.

(b) Increased thresholds

For a procurement to which this section applies under subsection (a) of this section-

(1) the amount specified in subsections (c), (d), and (f) of section 428 of this title shall be deemed to be-

(A) $15,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, inside the United States; and

(B) $25,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, outside the United States; and

(2) the term "simplified acquisition threshold" means-

(A) $250,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, inside the United States; and

(B) $1,000,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, outside the United States.

(c) Increased limitation on use of simplified acquisition procedures

For a procurement to which this section applies under subsection (a) of this section, the $5,000,000 limitation in the following provisions of law shall be deemed to be $10,000,000:

(1) Section 427(a)(2) of this title.

(2) Section 2304(g)(1)(B) of title 10.

(3) Section 253(g)(1)(B) of this title.

(d) Commercial items authority

(1) The head of an executive agency carrying out a procurement of property or a service to which this section applies under subsection (a)(2) of this section may treat such property or service as a commercial item for the purpose of carrying out such procurement.

(2) A contract in an amount greater than $15,000,000 that is awarded on a sole source basis for an item or service treated as a commercial item under paragraph (1) shall not be exempt from-

(A) cost accounting standards promulgated pursuant to section 422 of this title; or

(B) cost or pricing data requirements (commonly referred to as truth in negotiating) under section 2306a of title 10 and section 254b of this title.

(e) Contingency operation defined

In this section, the term "contingency operation" has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(13) of title 10.

(Pub. L. 93–400, §32A, as added Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title XIV, §1443(a)(1), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1675 ; amended Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title VIII, §822, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2016 .)

Amendments

2004-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–375, §822(1), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: "the amount specified in subsections (c), (d), and (f) of section 428 of this title shall be deemed to be $15,000; and".

Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 108–375, §822(2), substituted "$1,000,000" for "$500,000".

Authority to Enter Into Certain Transactions for Defense Against or Recovery From Terrorism or Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, or Radiological Attack

Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title XIV, §1441, Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1673 , provided that:

"(a) Authority.-

"(1) In general.-The head of an executive agency who engages in basic research, applied research, advanced research, and development projects that-

"(A) are necessary to the responsibilities of such official's executive agency in the field of research and development, and

"(B) have the potential to facilitate defense against or recovery from terrorism or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack,

may exercise the same authority (subject to the same restrictions and conditions) with respect to such research and projects as the Secretary of Defense may exercise under section 2371 of title 10, United States Code, except for subsections (b) and (f) of such section 2371.

"(2) Prototype projects.-The head of an executive agency may, under the authority of paragraph (1), carry out prototype projects that meet the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) in accordance with the requirements and conditions provided for carrying out prototype projects under section 845 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103–160; 10 U.S.C. 2371 note), including that, to the maximum extent practicable, competitive procedures shall be used when entering into agreements to carry out projects under subsection (a) of that section and that the period of authority to carry out projects under such subsection (a) terminates as provided in subsection (g) [now (i)] of that section.

"(3) Application of requirements and conditions.-In applying the requirements and conditions of section 845 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 under this subsection-

"(A) subsection (c) of that section shall apply with respect to prototype projects carried out under this paragraph; and

"(B) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall perform the functions of the Secretary of Defense under subsection (d) of that section.

"(4) Applicability to selected executive agencies.-

"(A) OMB authorization required.-The head of an executive agency may exercise authority under this subsection for a project only if authorized by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to use the authority for such project.

"(B) Relationship to authority of department of homeland security.-The authority under this subsection shall not apply to the Secretary of Homeland Security while section 831 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–296; 116 Stat. 2224) [6 U.S.C. 391] is in effect.

"(b) Annual Report.-The annual report of the head of an executive agency that is required under subsection (h) of section 2371 of title 10, United States Code, as applied to the head of the executive agency by subsection (a), shall be submitted to the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Government Reform [now Committee on Oversight and Government Reform] of the House of Representatives.

"(c) Regulations.-The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. No transaction may be conducted under the authority of this section before the date on which such regulations take effect.

"(d) Termination of Authority.-The authority to carry out transactions under subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2008."