EconDefense
ACQ-13 / Research, innovation and experimentation

Share underused laboratory capabilities and undertake public-private work

STRL partnership centers can permit private use of underused capabilities, perform cooperative work, leverage private recapitalization and credit receipts to cost-bearing funds.

Action briefPDF dossier · original 168Download record
Authority / instrument · ACQ-13

Laboratory partnerships

Research, innovation and experimentation

Statute & instrument
Authority holder

Secretary of Defense, authorized Center/STRL directors

What this does not authorize / hard limit

No authorization for otherwise-prohibited conversion of government work to contractors.

Recorded executor

Laboratory ORTA, counsel and authorized agreement official

Continue to actor →

Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.

Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedReimbursement to appropriation, working-capital or revolving fund incurring costs; alternative statutory reinvestment conditions. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument.
Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent.
EngagementProgram unverifiedThe legal access mechanism is documented, but a current section-specific public intake was not verified. Program check: 2026-10-04; see each route for intake status.

Public evidence describes the institution and instrument; it is not approval of an individual transaction.

At a glance

Possible toolACQ-13 · Other statutory tools
Legal basis10 U.S.C. §4124

Authority holder: Secretary of Defense, authorized Center/STRL directors

Other statutory tools

Mechanism tags describe the source text; they do not expand the authority.

Availability and verification

Express statutory pathway; award-specific appropriations, available balances, delegations, implementation and approvals not independently verified.

Program process and intake

Checked 2026-10-04 · implementation not verified. Program evidence is separate from legal authority, available funds and transaction approval.

The legal access mechanism is documented, but a current section-specific public intake was not verified.

STRL capability-sharing inquiry — exact implementation not verified

Who this route serves
Entities seeking to use eligible underutilized laboratory capabilities
Administering office / routing lead
Relevant laboratory director and technology-transfer office; current assignment must be verified
Unverified

Section 4124 concerns designated laboratory centers; it is distinct from general CRADAs and other commercial-service authorities.

What this evidence label means
Implementation not verified for section 4124

The statute is sourced; this research did not verify a current, public section-4124-specific application or service catalog.

Status reference date: 2026-10-04 · research checked 2026-10-04

10 USC 4124 · Subsections (b)–(d); preliminary text dated September 29, 2026statute · Evidence record

Program eligibility

  • The capability must belong to a designated center and be compatible with defense needs; unused capacity is not a right to access.

    10 USC 4124 · Subsections (b)–(d); preliminary text dated September 29, 2026statute · Evidence record

Steps and preparation

  • For DAF organizations, the T3 office provides agreement guidance and ORTA support where no local office exists. Ask it to identify the correct local mechanism; this is an editorial routing suggestion, not proof of a 4124 intake.

    DAF Technology Transfer program office · Overview; institutional contact detailsofficial program guidance · Evidence record
Funding, limits and authority relationship

Funding and financial terms

  • Reimbursable access · Arrangement-specific

    The statutory arrangement requires the prescribed reimbursement and indemnification; laboratory access is not a cash award.

    10 USC 4124 · Subsections (b)–(d); preliminary text dated September 29, 2026statute · Evidence record

Exclusions and limits

  • Do not substitute a CRADA or commercial-services page as proof that a section 4124 partnership is offered by that laboratory.

    10 USC 4124 · Subsections (b)–(d); preliminary text dated September 29, 2026statute · Evidence record

Authority relationship source

10 USC 4124 · Subsections (b)–(d); preliminary text dated September 29, 2026statute · Evidence record

DAF laboratory-routing information →

institutional inquiry: Guidance only; section 4124 implementation and assignment are unverified.

Source access and verification notes
  • 10 USC 4124 · Subsections (b)–(d); preliminary text dated September 29, 2026statute · Evidence record

    Automated direct retrieval did not complete on October 4, 2026. This access check does not establish current legal effect or invalidate independently reviewed indexed evidence; see the cited location and this dossier’s access qualifications.

Research scope and sources checked

The first program-depth pass checked the cited program pages, notices and legal framework. Evidence is limited to the named routes and source-access notes; it does not establish every implementation of the statute.

What remains unverified

  • Named participating facility, spare capacity, request form, rates and current signatory are not established by this research.

A dated source check is not continuing monitoring. Recheck the linked official notice before preparing a submission. Browse program research →

Requirements and limits

Eligibility & prerequisites

  • Use supports statutory partnership objectives and does not significantly impair laboratory mission.
  • Private partner agrees to required direct/indirect cost reimbursement and indemnification.

Limits & exclusions

  • No authorization for otherwise-prohibited conversion of government work to contractors.
  • War/emergency can suspend access; unused capability is not a blanket disposal of public assets.

Funding conditions

  • Reimbursement to appropriation, working-capital or revolving fund incurring costs; alternative statutory reinvestment conditions.

Read the funding and execution guide

Who contributes what

Need & planning

  • Laboratory scientific lead and Office of Research and Technology Applications

Resources

  • Laboratory director and sponsoring component budget owner

Approval

  • Laboratory director and agency approver as statute/delegation requires

Execution

  • Laboratory ORTA, counsel and authorized agreement official

Partners & review

  • Industry, universities, nonprofit and government collaborators within eligibility limits

Office links are editorial matches to the original role text, not verified delegations. Composite labels and unmatched actors are preserved.

Coordination pathway

Lab director/ORTA identifies spare capability → mission-impact and reimbursement determination → partner agreement → lab comptroller credits authorized receipts.

Actor and execution-role sources

Legal basis

What this research establishes

Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedReimbursement to appropriation, working-capital or revolving fund incurring costs; alternative statutory reinvestment conditions. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument.
Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent.
EngagementProgram unverifiedThe legal access mechanism is documented, but a current section-specific public intake was not verified. Program check: 2026-10-04; see each route for intake status.

Confidence: High on express authority and cited conditions; execution assignment is illustrative unless statute expressly names it.

Currentness: GovInfo 2024 Code (includes FY2025 NDAA, P.L. 118-159) read in full for cited provision; targeted FY2026 NDAA P.L. 119-60 amendment/repeal sweep. No claim of complete legislative currency through 2026-10-02; remaining 2026 delta needs counsel validation.

Review scope: Original research target October 2, 2026; no record-specific last-review date supplied. Publication is not legal-currentness certification.

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