H.R. 1955: Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act

This bill, known as the Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act, aims to establish a pilot program within the Department of Defense focused on maintaining and increasing the workload at U.S. Army arsenals, which are government-owned factories that produce military materials. Below are the main components of the bill:

Findings

The bill begins with several findings that emphasize the following points:

• The U.S. has a significant history of manufacturing defense products.
• Government-operated Army arsenals are a vital part of the country's industrial base.
• A recent National Defense Industrial Strategy identified the need to better utilize these arsenals for competitive military advantages.
• Ensuring sufficient workload at these arsenals is crucial for cost efficiency, technical capability during peacetime, and quick response in national defense situations.

Establishment of Pilot Program

The bill mandates that within 90 days after it is enacted, the Secretary of Defense must initiate a pilot program called the "Arsenal Workload Sustainment Pilot Program." This program is designed to run for five years.

Procurement Preferences

As part of this pilot program, the bill outlines specific preferences for procurement actions:

• When selecting partners for procurement actions, preference will be given to non-public partners (private entities) that work with government arsenals.
• If a non-public partner does not utilize a government arsenal in their proposal, an additional 20% will be added to their price for the bidding process.
• Further, the Secretary of Defense will prioritize partners that utilize the Army's Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence and ensure at least 25% of work is done by Department of Defense employees.

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary of Defense is required to submit a report to the relevant congressional committees within one year of the bill's enactment. This report should include:

• A breakdown of the workload achieved at the government-operated arsenals in the previous fiscal year, including any results from public-private partnerships.
• An assessment of how these arsenals can meet future procurement needs.
• A forecast of expected workloads at these arsenals over the upcoming years.
• Details on the capital investments needed for these arsenals to maintain compliance and operational capabilities.

Definitions

The bill also defines key terms used throughout, including:

• The term "appropriate congressional committees" refers to specific committees in both the Senate and House of Representatives that oversee armed services and defense appropriations.
• "Non-public partner" is defined as any corporation, individual, university, or nonprofit organization that is not part of the U.S. government.

Relevant Companies

None found