---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1746a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1746a"
heading: "Acquisition workforce educational partnerships"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1746a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 87 — Defense Acquisition Workforce"
  - "Subchapter IV — Education and Training"
---

# §1746a. Acquisition workforce educational partnerships

- (a) **Establishment.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, shall establish a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) within Defense Acquisition University to—
  - (1) facilitate the engagement of relevant experts, including with the acquisition research activities established under [section 4142 of this title](/usc/10/4142.md), with the faculty of the Defense Acquisition University to assess and modify the curriculum of the Defense Acquisition University, as appropriate, to enhance the capabilities of the Defense Acquisition University to support educational, [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9), and research activities in support of acquisition missions of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense;
  - (2) establish a cross-discipline, peer mentoring [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) for academic advising and to address critical retention concerns with respect to the [acquisition workforce](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-18);
  - (3) partner with extramural institutions and [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) functional leadership to offer [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) and on-the-job learning support to all members of the [acquisition workforce](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-18) addressing operational challenges that affect [procurement](/usc/10/3011.md?p=1) decisionmaking;
  - (4) support the partnerships between the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense and extramural institutions with missions relating to the [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) and continuous development of members of the [acquisition workforce](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-18);
  - (5) accelerate the adoption, appropriate design and customization, and use of flexible acquisition practices by the [acquisition workforce](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-18) by expanding the availability of [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) and on-the-job learning and guidance on such practices and incorporating such [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) into the curriculum of the Defense Acquisition University; and
  - (6) support and enhance the capabilities of the faculty of the Defense Acquisition University, and the currency and applicability of the knowledge possessed by such faculty, by—
    - (A) building partnerships between the faculty of the Defense Acquisition University and the director of, and individuals involved with, the activities established under [section 4142 of this title](/usc/10/4142.md);
    - (B) supporting the preparation and drafting of the reports required under subsection (f)(2); and
    - (C) instituting a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) under which each member of the faculty of the Defense Acquisition University shall be detailed to an operational acquisition position in a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) or [Defense Agency](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-11), or to an extramural institution, for not less than six months out of every five year period.
- (b) **Senior Official.—** Not later than 180 days after the enactment of this section, the President of the Defense Acquisition University shall designate a senior official to execute activities under this section.
- (c) **Support From Other Department of Defense Organizations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may direct other elements of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense to provide personnel, resources, and other support to the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) established under this section, as the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines appropriate.
- (d) **Funding.—** Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Under [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment may use amounts available in the Defense [Acquisition Workforce](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-18) and Development Account (as established under [section 1705 of this title](/usc/10/1705.md)) to carry out the requirements of this section.
- (e) **Annual Reports.—** Not later than September 30, 2022, and annually thereafter, the President of the Defense Acquisition University shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense and the [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16) a report describing the activities conducted under this section during the one-year period ending on the date on which such report is submitted.
- (f) **Exemption to Report Termination Requirements.—** Section 1080(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 1000; [10 U.S.C. 111](/usc/10/111.md) note), as amended by section 1061(j) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2405; [10 U.S.C. 111](/usc/10/111.md) note), does not apply with respect to the reports required to be submitted to Congress under this section.
- (g) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) **Acquisition workforce.—** The term “[acquisition workforce](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-18)” has the meaning given such term in [section 1705(g) of this title](/usc/10/1705.md?p=g).
  - (2) **Extramural institutions.—** The term “extramural institutions” means participants in an activity established under [section 4142 of this title](/usc/10/4142.md), public sector organizations, and nonprofit credentialing organizations.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title VIII, § 801(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1811; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1883(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4294.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (b), probably means the date of enactment of Pub. L. 117–81, which was approved Dec. 27, 2021.

### Amendments

2021—Subsecs. (a)(1), (6)(A), (g)(2). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “section 4142” for “section 2361a”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.