---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 4204"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "4204"
heading: "Milestone decision authority"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/4204"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part V — Acquisition"
  - "Subpart F — Major Systems, Major Defense Acquisition Programs, and Weapon Systems Development"
  - "Chapter 321 — General Matters"
---

# §4204. Milestone decision authority

- (a) **Service Acquisition Executive.—** The milestone decision authority for a [major defense acquisition program](/usc/10/4201.md?p=a) reaching Milestone A after October 1, 2016, shall be the [service acquisition executive](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-10) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) that is managing the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1), unless the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense designates, under [subsection (b)](#b), another official to serve as the milestone decision authority.
- (b) **Designation of Alternate Milestone Decision Authority.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may designate an alternate milestone decision authority for a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) with respect to which any of the following applies:
  - (1) Subject to subsection (f), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines that the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) is addressing a joint requirement.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines that the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) is best managed by a [Defense Agency](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-11).
  - (3) The [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) has incurred a unit cost increase greater than the significant cost threshold or critical cost threshold under sections [4371](/usc/10/4371.md) through [4375](/usc/10/4375.md) of this title.
  - (4) The [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) is critical to a major interagency requirement or technology development effort, or has significant international partner involvement.
  - (5) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines that an alternate official serving as the milestone decision authority will best provide for the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) to achieve desired cost, schedule, and performance outcomes.
- (c) **Reversion to Service Acquisition Executive.—**
  - (1) After designating an alternate milestone decision authority under [subsection (b)](#b) for a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may revert the position of milestone decision authority for the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) back to the [service acquisition executive](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-10) upon request of the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned. A decision on the request shall be made within 180 days after receipt of the request from the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned.
  - (2) If the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense denies the request for reversion of the milestone decision authority back to the [service acquisition executive](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-10), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall report to the [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16) on the basis of the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3)’s decision that an alternate official serving as milestone decision authority will best provide for the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) to achieve desired cost, schedule, and performance outcomes. No such reversion is authorized after a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) has incurred a unit cost increase greater than the significant cost threshold or critical cost threshold under sections [4371](/usc/10/4371.md) through [4375](/usc/10/4375.md) of this title, except in exceptional circumstances.
- (d) **Certifications relating to program requirements and funding.—** For each [major defense acquisition program](/usc/10/4201.md?p=a), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned and the Chief of the armed force concerned shall, in each Selected Acquisition Report required under [section 4351 of this title](/usc/10/4351.md)—
  - (1) certify that [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) requirements are stable and funding is adequate to meet cost, schedule, and performance objectives for the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1); and
  - (2) identify and report to the [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16) on any increased risk to the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) since the last report.
- (e) **Documentation and Oversight.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall review the acquisition oversight process for [major defense acquisition programs](/usc/10/4201.md?p=a) and shall—
  - (1) limit outside requirements for documentation to an absolute minimum on those [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) where the [service acquisition executive](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-10) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) that is managing the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) is the milestone decision authority; and
  - (2) ensure that any policies, procedures, and activities related to oversight efforts conducted outside of the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8) with regard to [major defense acquisition programs](/usc/10/4201.md?p=a) shall be implemented in a manner that does not unnecessarily increase [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) costs or impede [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) schedules.

## Source credit

(Added and amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1846(b), (f)(1)–(7), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4248, 4250, 4251; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(b)(15)(A), (o)(6)(B)(i), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2134, 2147; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title VIII, § 811(c), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1979.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

The text of subsec. (d) of section 2430 of this title, which was transferred to this section, redesignated as subsecs. (a) to (f) and amended by Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(1), (5)(B), was based on Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title VIII, § 825(a), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 907; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2261.

### Amendments

2024—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–159 struck out subsec. (f). Text read as follows: “The authority of the Secretary of Defense to designate an alternative milestone decision authority for a program with respect to which the Secretary determines that the program is addressing a joint requirement, as set forth in subsection (b)(1), shall apply only for a major defense acquisition program that reaches Milestone A after October 1, 2016, and before October 1, 2019.”

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(1), transferred subsec. (d) of section 2430 of this title to this section, struck out subsec. designation, and redesignated pars. (1) to (5) as subsecs. (a) to (d), and (f), respectively.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(2), inserted subsec. heading and substituted “under subsection (b)” for “under paragraph (2)”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(3)(A)–(C), inserted subsec. heading, substituted “to which any of the following applies:” for “to which—” in introductory provisions, and redesignated subpars. (A) to (E) as pars. (1) to (5), respectively.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(3)(D), (G), substituted “Subject to subsection (f)” for “subject to paragraph (5)” and period for semimcolon at end.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(3)(F), (G), substituted “The Secretary” for “the Secretary” and period for semicolon at end.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(3)(E)–(G), substituted “The program” for “the program”, “sections 4371 through 4375” for “section 2433” and period for semicolon at end.

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(3)(F), (H), substituted “The program” for “the program” and period at end for “; or”.

Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(3)(F), substituted “The Secretary” for “the Secretary”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(4), inserted subsec. heading, redesignated subpars. (A) and (B) as pars. (1) and (2), respectively, realigned margins, and substituted “under subsection (b)” for “under paragraph (2)” in par. (1) and “sections 4371 through 4375” for “section 2433” in par. (2).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(5), as amended by Pub. L. 117–81, § 1701(o)(6)(B)(i), inserted subsec. heading, struck out subpar. (A) designation before “For each”, substituted “under section 4351 of this title—” for “under section 2432 of this title,”, inserted par. (1) designation before “certify that”, substituted “the program; and” for “the program and”, inserted par. (2) designation before “identify and report”, and redesignated subpar. (B) as subsec. (e).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(6), as amended by Pub. L. 117–81, § 1701(b)(15)(A), inserted subsec. heading, substituted “programs and shall—” for “programs and shall”, inserted par. (1) designation before “limit outside requirements”, substituted “decision authority; and” for “decision authority and”, and inserted par. (2) designation before “ensure that”.

Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(5)(B), redesignated subpar. (B) of subsec. (d) as subsec. (e).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1846(f)(7), inserted subsec. heading and substituted “in subsection (b)(1)” for “in paragraph (2)(A)”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283 as enacted, see section 1701(a)(2) of Pub. L. 117–81, set out in a note preceding section 3001 of this title and Effective Date note below.

### Effective Date

Section and 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 an Effective Date of 2021 note preceding section 3001 of this title.