Justification

Justification

BIS is requesting an increase of 75,000 hours and 5,000 respondents to OMB Collection No. 0694-0119 “National Security and Critical Technology Assessments of the U.S. Industrial Base” in order to support a new request by the Department of Defense. A copy of the 3/18/11 letter from Deputy Secretary of Defense Lynn is included as a supporting document.

The 5,000 surveys of DOD contractors will be cut across six critical defense sectors (aircraft, ground, missiles, missile defense, services, and shipbuilding) and 29 distinct weapon systems. Deputy Secretary Lynn is concerned that proposed and projected future budget cuts may have a deleterious effect on key suppliers, particularly at the lower tiers of the defense industrial base. These surveys will give Defense insights into small and medium-sized companies, especially regarding production capabilities, research and development activities and workforce infrastructure, which could be jeopardized by cutbacks. Loss of any of these unique industrial base assets could have serious implications for U.S. national and economic security.