INDEPENDENT STUDY OF MILITARY READINESS REPORTING SYSTEM.

SEC. 361. INDEPENDENT STUDY OF MILITARY READINESS REPORTING SYSTEM. (a) Independent Study Required.—(1) The Secretary of Defense shall provide for an independent study of requirements for a comprehensive readiness reporting system for the Department of Defense, as required by section 117 of title 10, United States Code. (2) The Secretary shall provide for the study to be conducted by an organization outside the Federal Government that the Secretary considers qualified to conduct the study. The amount of a contract for the study may not exceed $1,000,000. (3) The Secretary shall require that all components of the Department of Defense cooperate fully with the organization carrying out the study. (b) Matters to be Included in Study.—The Secretary shall require that the organization conducting the study under this section specifically consider the requirements for providing an objective, accurate, and timely readiness reporting system for the Department of Defense that has— (1) the characteristics and capabilities described in subsections (b) and (c) of section 117 of title 10, United States Code; and (2) any other characteristics and capabilities that the organization determines appropriate to measure the capability 113 STAT. 575of the Armed Forces to carry out the strategies and guidance described in subsection (a) of such section. (c) Report.—(1) The Secretary of Defense shall require the organization conducting the study under this section to submit to the Secretary a report on the study not later than March 1, 2000. The organization shall include in the report its findings and conclusions concerning each of the matters specified in subsection (b). (2) The Secretary shall submit the report under paragraph (1), together with the Secretary’s comments on the report, to Congress not later than April 1, 2000. (d) Revisions to DOD Readiness Reporting System.—(1) Section 117 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (A) in subsection (b)(2), by striking “with any change” and all that follows through “24 hours” and inserting “with (A) any change in the overall readiness status of a unit that is required to be reported as part of the readiness reporting system being reported within 24 hours of the event necessitating the change in readiness status, and (B) any change in the overall readiness status of an element of the training establishment or an element of defense infrastructure that is required to be reported as part of the readiness reporting system being reported within 72 hours”; and (B) in paragraphs (2), (3), and (5) of subsection (c), by striking “a quarterly” and inserting “an annual”. (2) Subsection (b) of section 373 of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (Public Law 105–261; 112 Stat. 1992) is amended by striking “January 15, 2000” and inserting “April 1, 2000”. (3) Subsection (d) of such section is repealed. (e) Revised Time for Implementation of Quarterly Readiness Reports.—Section 482(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking “30 days” and inserting “45 days”.