United States Code

"(a) Guidance and Instructions.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 28, 2008], the Secretary of Defense shall issue guidance, with detailed implementation instructions, for the Department of Defense to ensure the implementation and enforcement of requirements applicable to undefinitized contractual actions.

"(b) Elements.—The guidance and instructions issued pursuant to subsection (a) shall address, at a minimum—

"(1) the circumstances in which it is, and is not, appropriate for Department of Defense officials to use undefinitized contractual actions;

"(2) approval requirements (including thresholds) for the use of undefinitized contractual actions;

"(3) procedures for ensuring that timelines for the definitization of undefinitized contractual actions are met;

"(4) procedures for ensuring compliance with regulatory limitations on the obligation of funds pursuant to undefinitized contractual actions;

"(5) procedures for ensuring compliance with regulatory limitations on profit or fee with respect to costs incurred before the definitization of an undefinitized contractual action; and

"(6) reporting requirements for undefinitized contractual actions that fail to meet required timelines for definitization or fail to comply with regulatory limitations on the obligation of funds or on profit or fee.

"(c) Reports.—

"(1) Report on guidance and instructions.—Not later than 210 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 28, 2008], the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a report setting forth the guidance and instructions issued pursuant to subsection (a).

"(2) GAO report.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the extent to which the guidance and instructions issued pursuant to subsection (a) have resulted in improvements to—

"(A) the level of insight that senior Department of Defense officials have into the use of undefinitized contractual actions;

"(B) the appropriate use of undefinitized contractual actions;

"(C) the timely definitization of undefinitized contractual actions; and

"(D) the negotiation of appropriate profits and fees for undefinitized contractual actions."