---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 2492a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "2492a"
heading: "Limitation on Department of Defense entities competing with private sector in offering personal information services"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/2492a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part IV — Service, Supply, and Property"
  - "Chapter 147 — Commissaries and Exchanges and Other Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Activities"
  - "Subchapter III — Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs and Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities"
---

# §2492a. Limitation on Department of Defense entities competing with private sector in offering personal information services

- (a) **Limitation.—**
  - (1) Notwithstanding [section 2492 of this title](/usc/10/2492.md), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may not authorize a [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense entity to offer or provide personal information services directly to users using [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) resources, personnel, or equipment, or compete for contracts to provide such personal information services directly to users, if users will be charged a fee for the personal information services to recover the cost incurred to provide the services or to earn a profit.
  - (2) The limitation in [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall not be construed to prohibit or preclude the use of [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) resources, personnel, or equipment to administer or facilitate personal information services contracts with private contractors.
- (b) **Exceptions.—** The limitation in [subsection (a)](#a) shall not apply if the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense determines that—
  - (1) a private sector vendor is not available to provide the personal information services at specific locations;
  - (2) the interests of the user population would be best served by allowing the Government to provide such services; or
  - (3) circumstances (as specified by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) for purposes of this section) are such that the provision of such services by a [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) entity is in the best interest of the Government or [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) users in general.
- (c) **Personal Information Services Defined.—** In this section, the term “personal information services” means the provision of Internet, telephone, or television services to consumers.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title VI, § 651(a), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2368.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Savings Provision

Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title VI, § 651(c), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2369, provided that: “Section 2492a of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), does not affect the validity or terms of any contract for the provision of personal information services entered into before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 2009].”