--- kind: "section" citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1721" title: "10" title_heading: "Armed Forces" number: "1721" heading: "Designation of acquisition positions and acquisition workforce career fields" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1721" units: - "Subtitle A — General Military Law" - "Part II — Personnel" - "Chapter 87 — Defense Acquisition Workforce" - "Subchapter II — Acquisition Positions and Acquisition Workforce Career Fields" --- # §1721. Designation of acquisition positions and acquisition workforce career fields - (a) **Designation.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall designate in regulations those positions in the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense that are acquisition positions for purposes of this chapter. The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall also designate in regulations those career fields in the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense that are [acquisition workforce](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-18) career fields for purposes of this chapter. - (b) **Required Positions.—** In designating the positions under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall include, at a minimum, all acquisition-related positions in the following areas: - (1) [Program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) management. - (2) Systems planning, research, development, engineering, and testing. - (3) [Procurement](/usc/10/3011.md?p=1), including contracting. - (4) Industrial property management. - (5) Logistics. - (6) Quality control and assurance. - (7) Manufacturing and production. - (8) Business, cost estimating, financial management, and auditing. - (9) Education, [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9), and career development. - (10) Construction. - (11) Security cooperation. - (12) Intellectual property. - (13) Other positions, as necessary. - (c) **Management Headquarters Activities.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) also shall designate as acquisition positions under [subsection (a)](#a) those acquisition-related positions which are in management headquarters activities and in management headquarters support activities. For purposes of this subsection, the terms “management headquarters activities” and “management headquarters support activities” have the meanings given those terms in [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense Directive 5100.73, entitled “[Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense Management Headquarters and Headquarters Support Activities”, dated November 12, 1996. ## Source credit (Added Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XII, § 1202(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1640; amended Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 701(j)(1), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 116; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title IX, § 912(f), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1862; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VIII, § 802(b), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1451; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title VIII, § 861(d), (f)(1), (2)(A), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1517.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Amendments 2019—Pub. L. 116–92, § 861(f)(2)(A), substituted “Designation of acquisition positions and acquisition workforce career fields” for “Designation of acquisition positions” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–92, § 861(f)(1), inserted at end “The Secretary shall also designate in regulations those career fields in the Department of Defense that are acquisition workforce career fields for purposes of this chapter.” Subsec. (b)(11). Pub. L. 116–92, § 861(d)(1), amended par. (11) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (11) read as follows: “Joint development and production with other government agencies and foreign countries.” Subsec. (b)(13). Pub. L. 116–92, § 861(d)(2), added par. (13). 2017—Subsec. (b)(12). Pub. L. 115–91 added par. (12). 1997—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–85 substituted “November 12, 1996” for “November 25, 1988”. 1991—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–25 substituted “Activities’, dated” for “Activities,’ dated” in last sentence. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Deadline for Designation of Career Fields Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title VIII, § 861(f)(4), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1518, provided that: “Not later than the end of the six-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019], the Secretary of Defense shall carry out the requirements of the second sentence of section 1721(a) of title 10, United States Code (as added by paragraph (1)).” ### Twenty Percent Reduction in Defense Acquisition Workforce Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title IX, § 905, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1621, required Secretary of Defense to reduce number of employees in Department of Defense acquisition workforce on last day of each of fiscal years 1991 through 1995 below number of employees in such workforce on last day of preceding fiscal year by not less than number equal to 4 percent of number of employees in such workforce on Sept. 30, 1990, and which defined “Department of Defense acquisition workforce”, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title IX, § 904, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1451. ### Deadline for Designation of Acquisition Positions Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XII, § 1209(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1666, as amended by Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 704(b)(3)(B), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 119; Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title IX, § 904(f), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1729, provided that the designation of acquisition positions required by this section was to be made by the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, not later than Oct. 1, 1991.