S. 4553 would extend through 2024 the authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to waive requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the procedures that guide federal procurement actions, for certain research and development and prototype projects. The authority, known as “Other Transaction Authority,” helps DHS work with organizations that have not previously contracted with the federal government. The agency uses the authority to participate in research that broadens its knowledge base and to develop prototypes of emerging technologies. Under current law, the authority expires at the end of fiscal year 2022.
The authority is a contracting tool which affects DHS’s procurement process for certain research and development projects, but it does not impact DHS spending on those activities. Based on that information, CBO estimates that implementing S. 4553 would have no effect on spending over the 2022-2027 period.
S. 4553 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
