[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2907-S2908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 5849. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2027 for
[[Page S2908]]
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEFENSE DIGITAL ENGINEERING
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR MODEL-BASED
ACQUISITION, SECURE DATA TRANSFER, AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall,
acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research
and Engineering and in coordination with the Secretary of the
Navy, establish a center of excellence at an accredited
institution of higher education located within an established
defense innovation corridor that maintains--
(A) active defense research programs across not fewer than
two military departments;
(B) an operational digital engineering hub or equivalent
facility;
(C) a planned or existing facility of not less than 200,000
gross square feet with the capability to achieve sensitive
compartmented information facility (SCIF) accreditation; and
(D) demonstrated capability in model-based systems
engineering, additive manufacturing for defense applications,
and cybersecurity.
(2) Designation.--The center of exellence established under
paragraph (1) shall be known as the ``Defense Digital
Engineering Center of Excellence'' (in this section the
``Center'').
(b) Mission.--The Center shall serve as a nationally
designated hub for the following three interconnected defense
digital engineering pillars:
(1) Secure data transfer and digital engineering
demilitarized zone (dmz).--(A) The Center shall establish and
maintain an accredited secure data transfer capability to
serve as a trusted intermediary for the exchange of model-
based digital engineering artifacts between military
laboratories, shipyards, operational platforms, government
agencies, and industry partners.
(B) Such capability shall support both large-scale digital
engineering programs, including programs of record, and
smaller-scale initiatives such as additive manufacturing
digital thread applications for equipment obsolescence
management.
(C) The Center shall develop and maintain interoperability
standards for digital artifact exchange that are compatible
with existing and emerging Department of Defense data
architectures.
(2) Model-based acquisition pilot program.--(A) The
Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Center, shall
establish a pilot program to develop and test model-based
technical data packages for not fewer than one naval
acquisition program of record.
(B) The pilot program shall demonstrate a continuous
digital thread from requirements development through design,
construction, and sustainment, with the objective of
eliminating duplicative data recreation by government and
industry stakeholders.
(C) The Center shall develop reference architectures, data
exchange standards, and interoperability protocols for model-
based Technical Data Packages in coordination with the Naval
Sea Systems Command, relevant Program Executive Offices, and
industry partners.
(D) Not later than two years after the establishment of the
pilot program, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report evaluating the cost
savings, schedule improvements, and technical quality
improvements achieved relative to static, document-centric
acquisition processes.
(3) Tip of a spear training (toast) workforce development
program.--(A) The Center shall develop and deliver role-
specific digital engineering training programs, to be known
as ``Tip of a Spear Training'' or ``TOAST'' programs, for
Department of Defense and Department of the Navy leadership
and management personnel.
(B) TOAST programs shall be designed at not fewer than
three proficiency levels--
(i) executive level, for flag and general officers, Senior
Executive Service personnel, and program executive officers;
(ii) program management level, for program managers, ship
design managers, and design integration managers; and
(iii) working level, for systems engineers, requirements
management personnel, and technical warrant holders.
(C) The Center may award certificates of completion and
shall coordinate with the Defense Acquisition University to
ensure TOAST programs satisfy continuing education and
certification requirements under chapter 87 of title 10,
United States Code.
(D) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Center shall enroll not fewer than 50
Department of Defense personnel in TOAST programs, with a
target of 200 personnel per year by the third year of
operation.
(c) Coordination.--The Center shall coordinate with--
(1) the Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive
Offices, and relevant systems commands;
(2) the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the
Department of Defense;
(3) the Defense Acquisition University;
(4) the Defense Innovation Unit;
(5) relevant Federally funded research and development
centers; and
(6) private sector industry partners, including
shipbuilders, defense contractors, and technology firms.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense to carry out
this section, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, of which--
(1) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the
establishment and initial accreditation of the Secure Data
Transfer and Digital Engineering DMZ capability under
subsection (c)(1);
(2) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the Model-Based
Acquisition Pilot Program under subsection (c)(2); and
(3) not more than $5,000,000 shall be for the development
and initial delivery of TOAST workforce development programs
under subsection (c)(3).
(e) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5
years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report on the activities,
outcomes, and expenditures of the Center, including an
assessment of the feasibility and advisability of designating
additional institutions of higher education as affiliated
nodes in a national defense digital engineering network.
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