---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1733"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1733"
heading: "Product support manager"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1733"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 87 — Defense Acquisition Workforce"
  - "Subchapter III — Critical Acquisition Positions"
---

# §1733. Product support manager

- (a) **In General.—** A [product support](#e-2) manager is the individual responsible for managing [product support](#e-2) required to field and maintain the readiness and operational capability of a [covered system](#e-2) throughout the life cycle of the [covered system](#e-2).
- (b) **Designation.—** The Secretary of Defense shall designate a [product support](#e-2) manager for each [covered system](#e-2) who shall be coequal with the [program manager](/usc/10/1737.md?p=a-1) for such [covered system](#e-2) and report directly to the [portfolio acquisition executive](/usc/10/1737.md?p=a-4) responsible for such [covered system](#e-2).
- (c) **Objectives.—** The [product support](#e-2) manager shall seek to achieve the objectives of the defense acquisition system established pursuant to [section 3102 of this title](/usc/10/3102.md) and shall identify, develop, implement, incentivize, and measure quantifiable [best value](#e-1) outcome-based [product support](#e-2) that optimizes life-cycle cost, readiness, and operational capability of a [covered system](#e-2).
- (d) **Specific Responsibilities.—** A [product support](#e-2) manager shall be responsible for the following with respect to a [covered system](#e-2):
  - (1) Developing and executing the [product support](#e-2) strategy required under [section 4324 of this title](/usc/10/4324.md).
  - (2) Providing [product support](#e-2) and subject matter expertise to the relevant [program manager](/usc/10/1737.md?p=a-1) and [portfolio acquisition executive](/usc/10/1737.md?p=a-4).
  - (3) [^1] Collaborating with chief engineers and systems engineers—
    - (A) in developing the life-cycle sustainment plan and [product support](#e-2) strategy required under [section 4324 of this title](/usc/10/4324.md); and
    - (B) to analyze the operating and support costs to ensure cost-effective operation, management, and availability of the [covered system](#e-2).
  - (3) [^1] Adopting predictive analytics and simulation and modeling tools to improve materiel availability and reliability, increase operational availability [rates](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9), and reduce operation and sustainment costs.
  - (4) Conducting [product support](#e-2) business case analyses to provide a structured, iterative methodology to compare and assess the full impact of [product support](#e-2) alternatives and provide data-informed recommendations that balance requirements with affordability. Such analyses shall—
    - (A) enable the development of the [product support](#e-2) strategy as early as possible, but not later than [Milestone B approval](/usc/10/2275b.md?p=b-1) has been granted for the [covered system](#e-2); and
    - (B) inform proposed updates or changes in the [product support](#e-2) strategy as needed.
  - (5) Reviewing and recommending resource allocations across [product support integrators](#e-2) and [product support providers](#e-2) to meet performance requirements of the [product support](#e-2) strategy.
  - (6) Coordinating [product support arrangements](#e-2) between [product support integrators](#e-2) and [product support providers](#e-2) across materiel commands, depots, sustainment working capital [funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6), and commercial entities to execute the [product support](#e-2) strategy and maintain updated parts cataloging and provisioning.
  - (7) Seeking to resolve issues relating to diminishing manufacturing supply, material shortages, critical[^2] readiness items of supply.
  - (8) Managing the end-to-end coordination process related to qualification, certification, and testing of alternative sources of supply for [critical readiness items of supply](#e-2).
  - (9) Ensuring the evaluation and selection of [product support integrators](#e-2) and [product support providers](#e-2) that are best suited to execute the [product support](#e-2) strategy.
- (e) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “best value” has the meaning given in [section 3101 of this title](/usc/10/3101.md).
  - (2) The terms “covered system”, “critical readiness items of supply”, “product support”, “product support arrangement”, “product support integrator”, and “product support provider” have the meanings given, respectively, in [section 4324 of this title](/usc/10/4324.md).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. There are two pars. (3).
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be preceded by “and”.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title XVIII, § 1803(a)(1), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1227.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1733 was renumbered section 1731 of this title.