Urgent Capability Acquisition (UCA)

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Types of Urgent Operational Needs (UONs)

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Authorities
Types of UONs
JUON and JEON
Component-Specific UONs
Flow of JUONs and JEONs
Other Quick Reaction Capabilities
What’s Changed?

Authorities

Reference Source: DoDI 5000.81 Section 3.1

Approval authorities may be delegated to a level that promotes expeditious fielding of capabilities.

“In order for an urgent operational need to be successful, you have to power down authority and responsibility to the lowest levels, simply because you don’t have the time to go off and check on every single thing.”

DAU Powerful Examples Team

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Types of UONs

Reference Source: CJCS Instruction 5123.01H

Urgent Operational Need (UON) — Capability requirements identified as impacting an ongoing or anticipated contingency operation. If left unfulfilled, UONs result in capability gaps potentially resulting in loss of life or critical mission failure. When validated by a single DoD component, these are known as DoD component UONs. DoD components, in their own terminology, may use a different name for a UON.

Joint Emergent Operational Need (JEON) — UONs that are identified by a CCMD, CJCS, or VCJCS as inherently joint and impacting an anticipated contingency operation.

Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) — UONs that are identified by a CCMD, CJCS, or VCJCS as inherently joint and impacting an ongoing contingency operation.

Reference Source: DoDI 5000.81 Section 3.2

JUONs and JEONs

These types of UONs are defined in CJCS Instruction 5123.01H.

For JUONs and JEONs, the validation approval will be by the Joint Staff in accordance with the Joint Capability Integration Development System detailed in CJCS Instruction 5123.01H.

Program execution for JUONs and JEONs will be assigned in accordance with DoDD 5000.71.

The milestone decision authority (MDA) for JUONs and JEONs will be determined at the DoD Component level except in very rare cases when the MDA will be designated in an acquisition decision memorandum (ADM) by the DAE. The flow of JUONs and JEONs is depicted in Figure 2.

Reference Source: DoDI 5000.81 Section 3.2

DoD Component-specific UON

These types of UONs are defined in CJCS Instruction 5123.01H and further discussed in DoDD 5000.71.

Approval authorities for DoD Component UONs, including their validation, program execution, and the designation of the MDA, will be at the DoD Component level.

Flow of JUONs and JEONs

Reference Source: DoDI 5000.81 Section 3, Figure 2

Adapted from policy for Rapid Deployment Training, March 2020

This figure illustrates the flow of JUONs & JEONs thru the JCIDS process, Pre-Development, Development, Production and Deployment, Operations and Support, and Disposition.

JCIDS activities are explained in the JCIDS Manual (DoD CAC Required).

Acquisition activities are explained in DoDI 5000.81 and are summarized in the hyperlinks above.

Other Quick Reaction Capabilities (QRCs)

Reference Source: DoDI 5000.81 Section 3.3

A Warfighter Senior Integration Group (SIG) Identified Urgent Issue

The co-chairs of the Warfighter SIG will approve an urgent warfighter issue statement and provide instructions to DoD Components on program execution and management.

A Secretary of Defense (SecDef) or DepSecDef Rapid Acquisition Authority (RAA) Determination

RAA should be considered when, within certain limitations, a waiver of a law, policy, directive, or regulation will greatly accelerate the delivery of effective capability to the warfighter pursuant to Section 806(c) of Public Law (P.L.) 107-314.

RAA authorizes DoD to use funds for certain higher priority requirements without undertaking a reprogramming action or with use of a transfer authority. DoD Manual 5000.78 provides instructions on submitting RAA requests.

What's Changed?

New/revised text from DoDI 5000.02, Enclosure 13, January 2015, is highlighted in red; deletions are shown as strikethrough text.

Authorities

Approval authorities may be delegated to a level that promotes expeditious fielding of capabilities.

Type of UONs

Joint Urgent Operational Needs (JUON) and Joint Emergent Operational Needs (JEON)

These are either an urgent need identified by a Combatant Commander, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), or the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS) involved in an ongoing contingency operation (i.e., a JUON) or an emergent need identified by a Combatant Commander, CJCS, or VCJCS for an anticipated or pending contingency operation (i.e., a JEON).

Program execution for JUONs and JEONs will be assigned in accordance with DoDD 5000.71.
These types of UONs are defined in CJCS Instruction 5123.01H.
For JUONs and JEONs, the validation approval will be by the Joint Staff in accordance with the Joint Capability Integration Development System detailed in CJCS Instruction ~~3170.01I~~ 5123.01H.
Program execution for JUONs and JEONs will be assigned in accordance with DoDD 5000.71.
MDA for JUONs and JEONs will be determined at DoD Component level, except in rare cases when the MDA may be designated in an ADM signed by the DAE

Component-specific UONs

These types of UONs are defined in CJCS Instruction ~~3170.01I~~ 5123.01H and further discussed in DoDD 5000.71. Approval authorities for DoD Component ~~specific~~ UONs, including their validation, program execution, and the designation of the MDA, will be at the DoD Component level.

Other Quick Reaction Capability (QRC)s

Warfighter Senior Integration Group (SIG) Identified Urgent Issue

This is a critical warfighter issue, e.g., materiel support to a coalition partner, identified by the Co-Chairs of the Warfighter SIG in accordance with DoD Directive 5000.71.* Co-chairs of the Warfighter SIG ~~will~~ approve ~~a critical~~ an urgent warfighter issue statement and provide instructions to DoD Components on program execution and management.

Secretary of Defense (SecDef) or DepSecDef Rapid Acquisition Authority (RAA) Determination

This is a Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense signed determination that is made in response to a documented deficiency following consultation with the Joint Staff.* RAA should be considered when, within certain limitations, a waiver of a law, policy, directive, or regulation will greatly accelerate the delivery of effective capability to the warfighter ~~in accordance with~~ pursuant to Section 806(c) of Public Law (P.L.) 107-314.
RAA authorizes DoD to use funds for certain higher priority requirements without undertaking a reprogramming action or with use of a transfer authority. DoD Manual 5000.78 provides instructions on submitting RAA requests.