# § 1706. Government performance of certain acquisition functions
**(a)** **Goal.—** It shall be the goal of the Department of Defense and each of the military departments to ensure that, for each major defense acquisition program (as defined in section 4201 of this title), each acquisition program that is estimated by the Secretary of Defense to require an eventual total expenditure greater than the amount described in section 4201(a)(2) of this title, and any other acquisition program identified by the Secretary, each of the following positions is performed by a properly qualified member of the armed forces or full-time employee of the Department of Defense:
**(1)** Portfolio acquisition executive.
**(2)** Deputy portfolio acquisition executive.
**(3)** Program manager.
**(4)** Deputy program manager.
**(5)** Senior contracting official.
**(6)** Chief developmental tester.
**(7)** Program lead product support manager.
**(8)** Program lead systems engineer.
**(9)** Program lead cost estimator.
**(10)** Program lead contracting officer.
**(11)** Program lead business financial manager.
**(12)** Program lead production, quality, and manufacturing.
**(13)** Program lead information technology.
**(14)** Program lead software.
**(b)** **Plan of Action.—** The Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a plan of action for recruiting, training, and ensuring appropriate career development of military and civilian personnel to achieve the objective established in subsection (a).
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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title VIII, § 824(a)(1), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1832; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title VIII, § 812, title XVIII, § 1846(i)(3), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3749, 4252; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1846(j), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(b)(15)(C), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2134; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(b)(15)(B), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2134; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title XVIII, § 1802(b)(1)(A), (B), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1227.)
## Editorial Notes
### Prior Provisions
A prior section 1706, added , , , which related to acquisition career program boards, was repealed by , , .
### Amendments
2025—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “Portfolio acquisition executive” for “Program executive officer”.
Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “portfolio acquisition executive” for “program executive officer”.
2021—Subsec. (a). , as added by , substituted “section 4201(a)(2)” for “section 2430(a)(1)(B)” in introductory provisions.
, as amended by , substituted “section 4201” for “section 2430” in introductory provisions.
, substituted “(as defined in ), each acquisition program that is estimated by the Secretary of Defense to require an eventual total expenditure greater than the amount described in , and any other acquisition program identified by the Secretary” for “and each major automated information system program” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (a)(14). , added par. (14).
Subsec. (c). , struck out subsec. (c) which defined “major defense acquisition program” and “major automated information system program”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment
Amendment by applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of as enacted, see , set out in a note preceding and note below.
Amendment by effective , with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see , set out as a note preceding .
### Similar Provisions
Provisions similar to this section were contained in , which was set out as a note under prior to repeal by , , .