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This Community is a resource to help prepare the DoD Workforce to plan for and execute the unique considerations of international acquisition within the Defense Acquisition System by providing information and engagement to enhance workforce performance and productivity in International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E). To reach DAU-International Center directly for assistance or questions, please contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.
Leveraging Our Most Valuable Strategic Asset: Allies and Partners
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The 2022 National Security Strategy emphasizes the importance of prioritizing U.S. Alliances and Partnerships. Mr. Michael Vaccaro, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls, joins us to discuss the benefits to U.S. national security that our allies and partners provide and what changes are being made to deepen our international cooperation, increase interoperability, and streamline our export processes.
Who Should Attend: Individuals involved in defense acquisition who want to learn how leveraging our most valuable strategic asset and win.
Competing to Win Series: Attending these sessions will help you relate the work you do in defense acquisition to the Great Power Competition (to learn more click here) shaping our national security environment. Learn ways to meet the challenge and help the US maintain its competitive advantage! Session format is curated conversation with thought leaders from across DoD, industry, academia, and the acquisition workforce, followed by live Q&A.
International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E) Overview
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The IA&E Overview document provides an overview of DoD's International Acquisition & Exportability (IA&E) conceptual organization, terminology, and key elements.
INTERNATIONAL ACQUISITON & EXPORTABILITY (IA&E) ELEMENTS
There are six key IA&E elements. The first, IA&E Planning & Analysis, provides the overall framework for the other five elements:
There is no shortage of policy and guidance for DoD Program Managers (PMs) in the International Acquisition & Exportability (IA&E) area. PMs, PEOs and DoD acquisition Milestone Decision Authorities (MDAs) must follow the DoD 5000 series guidance that addresses compliance with a number of Executive Orders, Federal Regulations, and DoD Directives, Instructions, and Manuals that implement the IA&E-related provisions of U.S. statutes in Title 10, Title 22, and other legislation.
DoDD 5000.01, "The Defense Acquisition System" requires PMs to:
Plan for Coalition Partners. To enable allies and partners to enhance U.S. military capability, collaboration opportunities, potential partnerships, and international acquisition and exportability features and limitations will be considered in the early design and development phase of acquisition programs.
Deploy Interoperable Systems. Joint concepts, standardization, and integrated architectures will be used to the maximum extent possible to characterize the exchange of data, information, materiel, and services to and from systems, units, and platforms to assure all systems effectively and securely interoperate with other U.S. forces and coalition partner systems.
DoDI 5000.02, "The Operation of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF)" requires that PMs consider acquisition strategies that leverage international acquisition and supportability planning to improve economies of scale, strengthen the defense industrial base, and enhance coalition partner capabilities.
The CJSCI 5123.01I and the JCIDS Manual establish IA&E capability requirements policy that applies to all of these areas, with particular emphasis on coalition interoperability and building defense exportability into new and modified DOD systems and equipment.
The International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E) Job Support Tools (JSTs) were specifically designed to assist workforce members in planning and implementing International Cooperative Programs (ICPs) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) at the Program Management Office (PMO) level throughout the acquisition life cycle.
Our International Cooperative Program (ICP) JST provides practical advice to PMOs/IPTs on how to identify, formulate, discuss, negotiate, and implement several types of ICP international agreements.
Our FMS - Systems Acquisition JST provides practical advice on how to integrate FMS-related acquisition activities at the PMO/IPT level
Our International Business Planning JST addresses PMO-level Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Production and Deployment (P&D), and Operations and Support (O&S) IA&E considerations for programs with substantial international involvement.
Our JST on Defense Exportability Integration provides an overview of the various aspects of this complex area as well as best practice insights on how to assess and implement program-level defense exportability solutions throughout the acquisition life cycle.
JST FEEDBACK: We are actively seeking feedback from JST users in DoD, Government, and industry. Please send any thoughts you have on potential JST improvements to [email protected]. Thanks!
Discussions /
International Acquisition Management
How to establish co-production program is a good idea. I've worked on several programs that have licensed production agreements between US and partner industry. I'd like to know the difference between an official cooperative production arrangement and licensed production.
Leveraging Our Most Valuable Strategic Asset: Allies and Partners
View Event
The 2022 National Security Strategy emphasizes the importance of prioritizing U.S. Alliances and Partnerships. Mr. Michael Vaccaro, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls, joins us to discuss the benefits to U.S. national security that our allies and partners provide and what changes are being made to deepen our international cooperation, increase interoperability, and streamline our export processes.
Who Should Attend: Individuals involved in defense acquisition who want to learn how leveraging our most valuable strategic asset and win.
Competing to Win Series: Attending these sessions will help you relate the work you do in defense acquisition to the Great Power Competition (to learn more click here) shaping our national security environment. Learn ways to meet the challenge and help the US maintain its competitive advantage! Session format is curated conversation with thought leaders from across DoD, industry, academia, and the acquisition workforce, followed by live Q&A.
The third annual Security Cooperation (SC) Conference, organized by the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU), aims to address the pressing need to deepen alliances and partnerships to support better security cooperation outcomes.
How International Programs Impact the Defense Acquisition System
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U.S. origin weapons systems are used by numerous countries. You may have heard about Foreign Military Sales, Direct Commercial Sales and International Cooperative Programs. But do you know how these programs operate and how they impact - and are impacted by - the Defense Acquisition System? Link to presentation and discussion on International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E) is below.
What the Warfighter wants from Defense Acquisition
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The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command is responsible for protecting and defending U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific. How can Defense Acquisition better help them in responding to contingencies, deterring aggression, and, when necessary, fighting to win? Hear from those in the Combatant Command responsible for the development of USINDOPACOM requirements and converting those requirements into material solutions through advocacy, science and technology, and innovation and experimentation.
In response to the FMS Tiger Team findings, on 24 June 2024, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment issued a memorandum with the subject "Steps to Improve Acquisition and Contracting Support to Foreign Military Sales" that addresses the steps to improve acquisition and contracting support to Foreign Military Sales (FMS).
The memorandum lists eight recommendations, such as revising checklists to better define FMS requirements, adopting tools and processes to enhance prioritization of FMS requirements, providing contract order period information, including FMS case identifiers in contracts, leveraging training and tools for DoD personnel, developing priced options in contracts, using undefinitized contract actions for urgent FMS requirements, and expanding the use of data and analytics tools in Advana.
Furthermore, this memorandum outlines the Department of Defense's comprehensive recommendations to strengthen FMS, which include six pressure points, such as accelerating acquisition and contracting support, streamlining the FMS process, enhancing the role of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, improving coordination with the Department of State, increasing transparency and accountability, and modernizing the FMS information technology infrastructure.
Change to Policy on Sharing CUI with Foreign Entities
View Announcement
On February 15, 2024, OUSD for Intelligence & Security published a memorandum "Revised Policy on Sharing CUI with Foreign Entities". The memorandum states, "DoD personnel may provide CUI to foreign entities in order to conduct official business for DoD and the United States government if there is a lawful government purpose to do so, unless the CUI document is expressly marked as not releasable to foreign nationals ("NOFORN") by the originator."
International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E) Overview
The IA&E Overview document provides an overview of DoD's International Acquisition & Exportability (IA&E) conceptual organization, terminology, and key elements.
INTERNATIONAL ACQUISITON & EXPORTABILITY (IA&E) ELEMENTS
There are six key IA&E elements. The first, IA&E Planning & Analysis, provides the overall framework for the other five elements:
There is no shortage of policy and guidance for DoD Program Managers (PMs) in the International Acquisition & Exportability (IA&E) area. PMs, PEOs and DoD acquisition Milestone Decision Authorities (MDAs) must follow the DoD 5000 series guidance that addresses compliance with a number of Executive Orders, Federal Regulations, and DoD Directives, Instructions, and Manuals that implement the IA&E-related provisions of U.S. statutes in Title 10, Title 22, and other legislation.
DoDD 5000.01, "The Defense Acquisition System" requires PMs to:
Plan for Coalition Partners. To enable allies and partners to enhance U.S. military capability, collaboration opportunities, potential partnerships, and international acquisition and exportability features and limitations will be considered in the early design and development phase of acquisition programs.
Deploy Interoperable Systems. Joint concepts, standardization, and integrated architectures will be used to the maximum extent possible to characterize the exchange of data, information, materiel, and services to and from systems, units, and platforms to assure all systems effectively and securely interoperate with other U.S. forces and coalition partner systems.
DoDI 5000.02, "The Operation of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF)" requires that PMs consider acquisition strategies that leverage international acquisition and supportability planning to improve economies of scale, strengthen the defense industrial base, and enhance coalition partner capabilities.
The CJSCI 5123.01I and the JCIDS Manual establish IA&E capability requirements policy that applies to all of these areas, with particular emphasis on coalition interoperability and building defense exportability into new and modified DOD systems and equipment.
The International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E) Job Support Tools (JSTs) were specifically designed to assist workforce members in planning and implementing International Cooperative Programs (ICPs) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) at the Program Management Office (PMO) level throughout the acquisition life cycle.
Our International Cooperative Program (ICP) JST provides practical advice to PMOs/IPTs on how to identify, formulate, discuss, negotiate, and implement several types of ICP international agreements.
Our FMS - Systems Acquisition JST provides practical advice on how to integrate FMS-related acquisition activities at the PMO/IPT level
Our International Business Planning JST addresses PMO-level Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Production and Deployment (P&D), and Operations and Support (O&S) IA&E considerations for programs with substantial international involvement.
Our JST on Defense Exportability Integration provides an overview of the various aspects of this complex area as well as best practice insights on how to assess and implement program-level defense exportability solutions throughout the acquisition life cycle.
JST FEEDBACK: We are actively seeking feedback from JST users in DoD, Government, and industry. Please send any thoughts you have on potential JST improvements to [email protected]. Thanks!
International Cooperative Programs (ICPs) are the 2nd largest U.S. international acquisition transaction area by volume and value. ICPs are acquisition partnerships with allied & friendly nations and international defense organizations that are established through development, negotiation, and signature of DoD international agreements.
An ICP is a partnership that provides for international participation, full, or in part, in an acquisition project or program.
ICPs can be bilateral or multilateral and are always established through DoD international agreements.
ICPs may be used by DoD acquisition organizations to establish cooperative acquisition partnerships in any phase of the DoD acquisition lifecycle.
DoD achieves benefits from many different international acquisition mechanisms used to conduct business with allied and friendly nations, e.g., Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Building Partner Capacity, and Direct Commercial Sales.
ICPs have the potential to achieve the broadest spectrum of benefits for DoD and partner nations due to their inherent flexibility and useability in any DoD acquisition lifecycle phase.
DoD pursues Science & Technology (S&T) and Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) projects in areas of mutual interest with a wide range of allied and friendly nations (see examples).
Most S&T and RDT&E ICPs are established through negotiation and signature of Project Agreements/Arrangements (PAs) under existing Master RDT&E international agreements with partner nations.
DoD also pursues system-level cooperative programs in areas of mutual interest with key allied and friendly nations (see examples).
Most system-level ICPs are established through negotiation and signature of stand-alone DoD international agreements that cover specific, mutually agreed upon development phases or production, sustainment & follow-on development efforts.
DoD’s ICP process is led by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition & Sustainment) and is totally unrelated to FMS.
DoD Component acquisition organizations are responsible for identifying and establishing ICPs that achieve U.S. Government & DoD objectives.
Potential ICPs may be identified and pursued based on “bottom-up” proposals or “top-down” direction from USG and DoD senior leaders.
Upon request, DAU-International is also available to provide Mission Assistance support on a space-available basis to DoD Component International Program Organizations (IPOs) and PMOs/IPTs involved in ICP efforts. DAU does not charge DoD Components for faculty and staff time spent on Mission Assistance support efforts; it only asks that the organization requesting the assistance fund any travel or other incidental costs involved. Contact the DAU International Center at this email address (mailto:[email protected]) if your organization is interested in obtaining ICP-related Mission Assistance support.
Sales & Transfers is the largest U.S. international acquisition transaction area by volume and value. Specific U.S. legal mechanisms for the various types of Sales & Transfers include:
Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
Building Partner Capacity (BPC)
Direct Commercial Sales (DCS)
Hybrid FMS/DCS and ICP/FMS Programs
Acquisition & Cross Servicing Agreements (ACSAs)
**REMINDER: Sales & Transfers must be addressed in the program’s Acquisition Strategy – International Considerations section.
Foreign Military Sales
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) is the largest and among the most well-known of all Security Assistance programs. FMS is a non-appropriated DoD program through which eligible foreign governments, including eligible international organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), can purchase defense articles, services, and training from the U.S. Government.
Building Partner Capacity
BPC acquisition programs are used by the DoD and other U.S. Government agencies to improve the ability of other nations to achieve U.S national security and defense goals and objectives. A U.S. Code Requesting Authority initiates a BPC requirement submitting a Memorandum of Request (MOR) to the DoD Component Implementing Agency.
Direct Commercial Sales
Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) involves the commercial export of defense articles, services, training, or technical data under the authority of Arms Export Control Act or Export Administration Act, depending on the nature of what is being exported. Such exports are made by the U.S. defense industry directly to a foreign entity.
Hybrid FMS/DCS and ICP/FMS Programs
FMS/DCS hybrid programs involve the use of both FMS and DCS transactions to deliver the required capability.
ICP/FMS Hybrid programs involve the use of both ICP and FMS transactions to deliver the required capability. ICP/FMS hybrid programs typically result from successful ICP programs between the U.S. and partner nations that develop exportable versions of a system that can also be sold via FMS to other interested allied and friendly nations.
Acquisition Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA)
The U.S. and partner nations routinely use Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreements (ACSAs) to acquire needed logistics support from each other during wartime, combined exercises, training, deployments, contingency operations, humanitarian or foreign disaster relief operations, certain peace operations under the UN Charter, or for unforeseen or exigent circumstances. ACSA authority is typically exercised by the Unified Combatant Commands (CCMDs) and their allied/friendly nation counterparts through establishment of ACSA Implementing Arrangements.
For more information on FMS and BPC transactions, please check out the training provided by the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) – www.dscu.edu
Technology Security and Foreign Disclosure (TSFD) and export control are major factors in any program with international aspects. The U.S. seeks to achieve a careful, deliberate balance between the risks of transferring controlled technology and information that provide U.S. warfighters an advantage in combat against the benefits of international participation and coalition warfare capability. TSFD activities focus on DoD Component program level navigation of the USG/DoD TSFD system, which involves engaging a semi-autonomous collection of various TSFD processes—colloquially referred to as the TSFD “Pipes”—that issue both broad and specific TSFD policy guidance applicable to all Under Secretary of Defense (USD) (Acquisition & Sustainment), USD(Policy), and DoD Component IA&E efforts. When navigating the applicable TSFD pipes (i.e., technology areas) the PMO/IPT, supported by its local foreign disclosure office and DoD Component International Program Organization, should use the following steps to obtain TSFD policy guidance and (if required) approvals pertaining to their system.
Comprehensive Defense Exportability planning and execution throughout the program life cycle leads to enhanced acquisition outcomes and security cooperation relationships that support U.S., allied, and friendly nation's warfighters. Failure to adequately address defense exportability considerations increases U.S. and foreign acquisition costs and reduces coalition mission effectiveness.
Defense Exportability Integration (DEI) is the process to identify, develop and integrate USG/DoD Technology Security & Foreign Disclosure and DoD Technology Protection features into U.S. defense systems early in the acquisition process to protect Critical Program Information (CPI), critical technologies, and leading-edge warfighting capabilities to enable these systems’ export to partners.
DoD's International Contracting engagement efforts, policies, and best practices are designed to facilitate DoD Component implementation of U.S. laws, regulations, and policies affecting the participation of foreign contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in the DoD contracting process, through the establishment and maintenance of constructive relationships with DoD counterpart organizations in allied and friendly nations and international organizations.
DoD international contracting efforts typically employ many of the same U.S. contracting policies and practices that are used for domestic programs.
DoD’s international contracting activities must also consider international acquisition-specific requirements, criteria, and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)/Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS) guidance and contract clauses.
Each PMO and Contracting Organization determines the mix of domestic and international FAR/DFARS and other DoD contract policy that applies to their program’s international contracting efforts.
Although not currently incorporated into existing policy, this OUSD(AT&L) document dated 18 Jul 2011 provides an outline, content, and formatting guidance for the Program Protection Plan (PPP) required by DoDI 5000.02 and DoDI 5200.39. The outline structure and tables are considered minimum content that may be tailored to meet individual program needs.
ASD(R&E) signed out a memo to the DoD acquisition enterprise on March 20, 2019 to provide guidance on "Actions for the Protection of Intellectual Property, Controlled Information, Key Personnel and Critical Technologies." The memo directs DoD Science and Technology (S&T) Grants Managers and other personnel supporting the award and administration of grants, cooperative agreements, Technology Investment Agreements, and other non-procurement transactions to implement several Critical Technology Information-related actions for all research and research-related educational activities supported by these types of DoD instruments.
Summary Statement of Intent (SSOI) Template (Jan 23)
SSOI Templates are disseminated by the Office of SecDef/Acquisition & Sustainment/ Int'l Cooperation Office for use in the DoD Int'l Agreement Streamlining process. Once filled out these documents become CUI or higher. They should NEVER be release to Foreign Nationals.
DoD acquisition workforce members should use the new (Jan 23) SSOI template for all NEW International Cooperative Program (ICP) int'l agreements except for Section 65 Loans and Equipment & Material Agreements (which employ a separate template issued in May 22). The SSOI Template for AECA Section 65 agreements is also available on the International Community of Practice page.
These SSOI templates are used by DoD acquisition workforce personnel to submit Requests for Authority to Develop (RADs) and Requests for Final Approval (RFAs) in the OUSD(AT&L) International Agreement (IA) Streamlining process (see Section 1-6 of the IA&E Guidebook for IA procedures).
Consult your DoD Int'l Programs Organization (IPO) or Office of SecDef/A&S/Int'l Cooperation Office to obtain Controlled Unclassified Info (CUI) guidance on SSOI development and completion. You can also reach out to the DAU International Center for assistance at [email protected].
List of key International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E) laws, regulations, and policies reference documents (with hyperlinks to the actual documents in this Adobe Acrobat list). Provides DoD workforce and supporting industry with easy access to key IA&E reference documents.
In response to the FMS Tiger Team findings, on 24 June 2024, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment issued a memorandum that addresses the steps to improve acquisition and contracting support to Foreign Military Sales (FMS).
The memorandum lists eight recommendations, such as revising checklists to better define FMS requirements, adopting tools and processes to enhance prioritization of FMS requirements, providing contract order period information, including FMS case identifiers in contracts, leveraging training and tools for DoD personnel, developing priced options in contracts, using undefinitized contract actions for urgent FMS requirements, and expanding the use of data and analytics tools in Advana.
Furthermore, this memorandum outlines the Department of Defense's comprehensive recommendations to strengthen FMS, which include six pressure points, such as accelerating acquisition and contracting support, streamlining the FMS process, enhancing the role of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, improving coordination with the Department of State, increasing transparency and accountability, and modernizing the FMS information technology infrastructure.
Although not currently incorporated into existing policy, the Acquisition Strategy Template published in April 2011, by the Office of SecDef Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (AT&L), remains a valuable resource for individuals within the DoD acquisition workforce. Its purpose is to assist in both the initial formulation and regular revisions of Acquisition Strategies for DoD acquisition programs. Notably, the template includes a dedicated "International Considerations" section, facilitating the documentation of a program's International Acquisition and Exportability (IA&E) aspects.
A separate Coalition Interoperability Template was also developed by the Office of SecDef Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (AT&L) International Cooperation staff and is referenced in the Acquisition Strategy Template "International Considerations" section. DoD acquisition workforce personnel responsible for developing an "International Considerations" section in their program's Acquisition Strategy should use this Coalition Interoperability Template to assess and document any coalition interoperability aspects pertaining to their program.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 5123.01l provides policy guidance on the organization and operation of the DoD Joint Requirements Oversight Committee (JROC) and Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS), including the International Acquisition & Exportability aspects of JROC & JCIDS-related analysis and decision-making that impact DoD acquisition programs efforts
This paper focuses on the multifaceted nature of critical thinking, encompassing skills such as analyzing arguments, making inferences, and problem-solving. It emphasizes that background knowledge alone is insufficient for fostering critical thinking, which requires both cognitive skills and specific attitudes or habits of mind. The dispositions crucial for critical thinking include open- and fair-mindedness, inquisitiveness, flexibility, and a willingness to entertain diverse viewpoints. The author suggests that people start developing these skills pretty early in life and that anyone can learn to think critically with the right guidance. It advocates for explicit instruction in critical thinking, the use of collaborative learning methods, and constructivist approaches. The importance of assessments that go beyond rote memorization is highlighted, recommending tasks with open-ended, real-world problems, and ill-structured scenarios that require students to provide evidence or logical arguments, fostering a deeper understanding of critical thinking.
Community
There is no shortage of policy and guidance for DoD Program Managers (PMs) in the International Acquisition & Exportability (IA&E) area. PMs, PEOs and DoD acquisition Milestone Decision Authorities (MDAs) must follow the DoD 5000 series guidance that addresses compliance with a number of Executive Orders, Federal Regulations, and DoD Directives, Instructions, and Manuals that implement the IA&E-related provisions of U.S. statutes in Title 10, Title 22, and other legislation.
