{
  "id": "ACQ-08",
  "category": "Prizes & challenges",
  "capability": "Award cash, noncash, contract or agreement prizes for defense innovation",
  "summary": "Competitively reward research, technology, prototypes and transition-improving management practices; accept outside funds or nonmonetary prize contributions.",
  "legal_basis": [
    {
      "citation": "10 U.S.C. §4025",
      "url": "https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section4025&num=0&edition=prelim",
      "kind": "statute",
      "note": "Primary statutory text; primary GovInfo baseline and amendment audit identified in research narrative."
    },
    {
      "citation": "P.L. 119-60, §211",
      "url": "https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ60/html/PLAW-119publ60.htm",
      "kind": "statute",
      "note": "Enacted public law, not a pending bill."
    }
  ],
  "authority_holder": "Secretary of Defense acting through USD(R&E), USD(A&S), DIU Director and Service acquisition executives",
  "actor_chain": {
    "planner": [
      "USD(R&E) and Service science-and-technology executives",
      "DARPA or Service laboratory/program manager"
    ],
    "resource_owner": [
      "Sponsoring component RDT&E budget owner; component comptroller"
    ],
    "approver": [
      "Secretary of Defense or military-department Secretary; valid delegate must be confirmed"
    ],
    "executor": [
      "DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office",
      "Performing laboratory or external research performer"
    ],
    "partners": [
      "Operational customer / acquiring program",
      "Security, export-control, counsel and fiscal officials as applicable"
    ]
  },
  "actor_sources": [
    {
      "title": "DIU Work With Us — mission customer, liaison, funding and prototype execution",
      "url": "https://www.diu.mil/work-with-us"
    },
    {
      "title": "P.L. 119-60 §211 — revised officials and thresholds",
      "url": "https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ60/html/PLAW-119publ60.htm"
    }
  ],
  "requirements": [
    "Widely advertised competitive process; achievement must meet statutory defense/transition purpose."
  ],
  "limits": [
    "USD(R&E) approval above $20m total prize fair value, $2m cash, or $20k solely nonmonetary prize.",
    "No special consideration for private donors; award above $20m as contract/agreement triggers 15-day post-award congressional notice."
  ],
  "funding": [
    "Appropriations or funds/items lawfully accepted from federal, state/local and private contributors."
  ],
  "coordination_path": "Challenge sponsor → eligible prize official → counsel/valuation and approvals → advertised contest → award and applicable notice.",
  "availability": "Express statutory pathway; award-specific appropriations, available balances, delegations, implementation and approvals not independently verified.",
  "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.",
  "family": "Research, innovation and experimentation",
  "mechanisms": [
    "Contracts & purchases",
    "Prizes"
  ],
  "goal_ids": [
    "develop-technology"
  ],
  "office_links": [
    {
      "office_id": "usd-research-engineering",
      "role": "planner",
      "label": "USD(R&E) and Service science-and-technology executives"
    },
    {
      "office_id": "comptrollers",
      "role": "resource_owner",
      "label": "Sponsoring component RDT&E budget owner; component comptroller"
    },
    {
      "office_id": "secretary-deputy-secretary",
      "role": "approver",
      "label": "Secretary of Defense or military-department Secretary; valid delegate must be confirmed"
    },
    {
      "office_id": "counsel-award-officials",
      "role": "executor",
      "label": "DARPA Contracts Management Office or Service contracting/grants/agreements office"
    }
  ]
}