PRIME Act

The PRIME Act would modify the procurement rules for experimental purposes used by the Department of Defense. It broadens the kinds of items that can be procured during experiments—from a previously listed set of categories to a wider range including demonstrations, prototypes, products, supplies, parts, accessories, auxiliary services, and design for defense-related articles. It also updates language to allow procurements that are “modified” and to explicitly include prototyping as part of experimental efforts. Most notably, the bill adds a new allowance for follow-on production contracts or transactions to occur without competitive procedures or further justification, if a combatant command provides a written determination that the item successfully completed the experiment and intends to field it. In short, the Act aims to speed up the transition from experimental concepts to fielded equipment, potentially reducing time and administrative steps between testing and production. These changes could significantly shorten timelines for bringing new or improved military technologies into service, but they also raise questions about competition, transparency, and risk management in the rapid fielding process.