[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6516. Mr. WARNER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2027 for 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 end of subtitle B of title VIII, add the following:

     SEC. 823. PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE EVALUATION AND TRANSITION 
                   OF UNSOLICITED DEFENSE CAPABILITY PROPOSALS.

       (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.--Not later than 180 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program to 
     improve the intake, evaluation, and disposition of 
     unsolicited proposals submitted to the Department of Defense.
       (b) Elements.--The pilot program required under subsection 
     (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following:
       (1) A common electronic means for submission of unsolicited 
     proposals to the Department of Defense.
       (2) Standardized guidance regarding the information 
     required for review of such proposals.
       (3) A requirement that the Department provide to an 
     offeror--
       (A) notice of whether the proposal is complete not later 
     than 30 days after receipt; and
       (B) a written disposition of the proposal, including a 
     brief explanation of the basis for rejection, referral, or 
     further consideration, not later than 90 days after the 
     proposal is determined to be complete.
       (4) Procedures to ensure that, when an unsolicited proposal 
     is not appropriate for award or negotiation under subpart 
     15.6 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the proposal is 
     considered for referral, as appropriate, to another 
     acquisition pathway, including--
       (A) a broad agency announcement;
       (B) a commercial solutions opening or similar competitive 
     solicitation;
       (C) a prize or challenge competition;
       (D) a Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business 
     Technology Transfer topic, where appropriate; or
       (E) market research or other consideration by a relevant 
     program office.
       (5) Procedures to protect proprietary data and restrict 
     disclosure consistent with applicable law and regulation.
       (c) Priority Consideration.--In carrying out the pilot 
     program, the Secretary shall provide priority consideration 
     to unsolicited proposals that the Secretary determines may 
     materially improve--
       (1) production capacity;
       (2) supply chain resilience;
       (3) repair, maintenance, or sustainment capability;
       (4) domestic manufacturing capability;
       (5) cyber resilience; or
       (6) cost or schedule performance for an existing or 
     anticipated defense requirement.
       (d) Briefing and Report.--
       (1) Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the 
     pilot program, the Secretary shall brief the congressional 
     defense committees on the implementation of the pilot 
     program.
       (2) Not later than 1 year after the date on which the pilot 
     program is established, and annually thereafter for three 
     years, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees a report on the pilot program, including--
       (A) the number of unsolicited proposals received;
       (B) the average time required for disposition;
       (C) the number of proposals rejected, referred, or advanced 
     for negotiation or award;
       (D) the number of proposals transitioned to another 
     acquisition pathway; and
       (E) participation data, to the extent practicable, 
     regarding small business concerns, nontraditional defense 
     contractors, and mid-tier contractors.
       (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to alter the requirements of subpart 15.6 of the 
     Federal Acquisition Regulation regarding the award of a 
     contract based on an unsolicited proposal or to authorize the 
     award of a sole-source contract in violation of otherwise 
     applicable law.
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