AUTHORITY OF THE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY TO CARRY OUT CERTAIN PROTOTYPE PROJECTS.

SEC. 845. AUTHORITY OF THE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY TO CARRY OUT CERTAIN PROTOTYPE PROJECTS. (a) Authority.—The Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency may, under the authority of section 2371 of title 10, United States Code, carry out prototype projects that are directly 107 STAT. 1722relevant to weapons or weapon systems proposed to be acquired or developed by the Department of Defense. (b) Exercise of Authority.—(1) Subsections (c)(2) and (c)(3) of such section 2371, as redesignated by section 827(b)(1)(B), shall not apply to projects carried out under subsection (a). (2) The Director shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use competitive procedures when entering into agreements to carry out projects under subsection (a). (c) Period of Authority.—The authority of the Director to carry out projects under subsection (a) shall terminate 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.