Led by the efforts of the Consortium Manager, this OT Agreement will accelerate Department of War (DoW) access to technologies typically reserved for commercial development. The consortium managed OT Agreement will enhance the Warfighting Investments, Resourcing, and Execution Office (WIRE) mission of addressing defense supply chain issues, developing the industrial workforce, sustaining critical production, commercializing Research and Development (R&D) efforts, and rapidly scaling emerging technologies to build a robust, resilient DIB.

The U.S. defense industrial base (DIB) faces significant supply chain vulnerabilities, including supply chain complexity, dependence on foreign source materials, constraints on domestic material processing capacity, and a shortage of skilled defense-critical labor. To mitigate related mission readiness risks, IBR’s Warfighting Investments, Resourcing, and Execution Office (WIRE) invests in major and sub-tier suppliers and oversees specific Defense Production Act (DPA) and Industrial Base Fund (IBF) authorities uniquely positioned to address DIB challenges and incentivize industry. The DPA and IBF are executed through the DIB Consortium (DIBC) and Cornerstone Other Transaction Authority (COTA), allowing for faster, collaborative, and innovative partnerships with industry.