10 U.S.C. § 4204 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 10. Armed Forces § 4204. Milestone decision authority

(1) Subject to subsection (f), the Secretary determines that the program is addressing a joint requirement.

(2) The Secretary determines that the program is best managed by a Defense Agency.

(3) The program has incurred a unit cost increase greater than the significant cost threshold or critical cost threshold under sections 4371 through 4375 of this title.

(4) The program is critical to a major interagency requirement or technology development effort, or has significant international partner involvement.

(5) The Secretary determines that an alternate official serving as the milestone decision authority will best provide for the program to achieve desired cost, schedule, and performance outcomes.

(1) After designating an alternate milestone decision authority under subsection (b) for a program, the Secretary of Defense may revert the position of milestone decision authority for the program back to the service acquisition executive upon request of the Secretary of the military department concerned. A decision on the request shall be made within 180 days after receipt of the request from the Secretary of the military department concerned.

(2) If the Secretary of Defense denies the request for reversion of the milestone decision authority back to the service acquisition executive, the Secretary shall report to the congressional defense committees on the basis of the Secretary's decision that an alternate official serving as milestone decision authority will best provide for the program to achieve desired cost, schedule, and performance outcomes. No such reversion is authorized after a program has incurred a unit cost increase greater than the significant cost threshold or critical cost threshold under sections 4371 through 4375 of this title, except in exceptional circumstances.

(1) certify that program requirements are stable and funding is adequate to meet cost, schedule, and performance objectives for the program; and

(2) identify and report to the congressional defense committees on any increased risk to the program since the last report.

(1) limit outside requirements for documentation to an absolute minimum on those programs where the service acquisition executive of the military department that is managing the program is the milestone decision authority; and

(2) ensure that any policies, procedures, and activities related to oversight efforts conducted outside of the military departments with regard to major defense acquisition programs shall be implemented in a manner that does not unnecessarily increase program costs or impede program schedules.