10 U.S.C. § 2451: Defense supply management

The Secretary of Defense shall develop a single catalog system and related program of standardizing supplies for the Department of Defense. In cataloging, the Secretary shall name, describe, classify, and number each item recurrently used, bought, stocked, or distributed by the Department of Defense, so that only one distinctive combination of letters or numerals, or both, identifies the same item throughout the Department of Defense. Only one identification may be used for each item for all supply functions from purchase to final disposal in the field or other area. The catalog may consist of a number of volumes, sections, or supplements. It shall include all items of supply and, for each item, information needed for supply operations, such as descriptive and performance data, size, weight, cubage, packaging and packing data, a standard quantitative unit of measurement, and other related data that the Secretary determines to be desirable. standardize items used throughout the Department of Defense by developing and using single specifications, eliminating overlapping and duplicate specifications, and reducing the number of sizes and kinds of items that are generally similar; standardize the methods of packing, packaging, and preserving such items; and make efficient use of the services and facilities for inspecting, testing, and accepting such items. The Secretary shall coordinate with the Administrator of General Services to enable the use of commercial identifiers for commercial products (as defined in section 103 of title 41 ) within the Federal cataloging system. In this section, the term ‘electronic mall system’ means an electronic system for displaying, ordering, and purchasing supplies and materiel available from sources within the Department of Defense and from the private sector. Using systems and technology available in the Department of Defense as of the date of the enactment of this Act [ Oct. 17, 1998 ], the Joint Electronic Commerce Program Office of the Department of Defense shall develop a single, defense-wide electronic mall system, which shall provide a single, defense-wide electronic point of entry and a single view, access, and ordering capability for all Department of Defense electronic catalogs. The Secretary of each military department and the head of each Defense Agency shall provide to the Joint Electronic Commerce Program Office the necessary and requested data to ensure compliance with this paragraph. The Defense Logistics Agency, under the direction of the Joint Electronic Commerce Program Office, shall be responsible for maintaining the defense-wide electronic mall system developed under paragraph (1). overseeing the elimination of duplication and overlap among Department of Defense electronic catalogs; and ensuring that such catalogs utilize technologies and formats compliant with the requirements of subsection (b). an inventory of all existing and planned electronic mall systems in the Department of Defense; and a schedule for ensuring that each such system is compliant with the requirements of subsection (b).”