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GAO-25-107688 1 (June 12, 2025)

handle is hein.gao/dfnpnact0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Why This Matters The Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950 is a key tool that delegated federal agencies can use to ensure the supply and timely delivery of products, materials, and services critical to national defense in times of peace as well as national emergencies. For example, agencies used the DPA to secure access to personal protective equipment like gloves and masks during the COVID-19 response and to replenish U.S. supplies of ammunition sent to Ukraine. The various DPA authorities enable the domestic industrial base-which includes companies in the U.S. and certain allied nations-to maintain or increase production of key defense resources. Currently, the DPA provides the President three broad authorities-Titles I, Ill, and VII. Title I authority allows agencies and other entities delegated authority by the President to place priority ratings on certain contracts and orders and allocate materials to support national defense. Title Ill allows agencies delegated by the President to provide financial incentives-through either investments or loans- to the domestic industrial base to add new or increase existing capacity. Title VII allows agencies delegated by the President to survey the industrial base for vulnerabilities, establish voluntary agreements with industry to foster collaboration, and create an executive reserve to include private sector personnel to aid federal agencies in times of national emergency, among other things. In 2018, Congress reauthorized the DPA through September 30, 2025, at which point most of the DPA's provisions are set to expire unless action is taken by Congress. We were asked to review agencies' use of the DPA authorities since the last reauthorization, including challenges and areas for improvement. This report describes how selected federal agencies have used each of the DPA authorities from fiscal years 2018 to 2024 as well as examples of outcomes of its use. It also examines challenges experienced and actions agencies can take to more effectively use the DPA authorities. For this review, we selected the seven federal agencies delegated responsibility for implementing the expiring DPA authorities identified in Executive Order 13603-the Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Commerce, Defense (DOD), Energy (DOE), Homeland Security (DHS), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Transportation. Key Takeaways From fiscal years 2018 to 2024, the selected agencies placed over 2.5 million Title I priority ratings on contracts or orders, which require the receiving companies to preference the delivery of goods or services needed to support national defense. For example, DOD uses priority ratings to support the production of military aircraft and ships, among others. The selected agencies made 222 Title Ill investments valued at approximately $3.2 billion from fiscal years 2018 to 2024 to bolster the domestic industrial base. DOD made 208 of these investments to respond to COVID-19 and increase production of strategic and critical materials used in weapon systems, among others. Page 1 GAO-25-107688 Defense Production Act

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