Acquisition is a broad term that applies to more than just the purchase of an item or service; the acquisition process encompasses the design, engineering, construction, testing, deployment, sustainment, and disposal of weapons or related items purchased from a contractor.1 From a policy perspective, federal regulations and federal law generally use the terms acquisition and procurement interchangeably.2 The term procurement, when used within the context of acquisitions, is different from the budget definition of procurement that generally references the Procurement budget appropriations account—a funding stream that is distinct from Research and Development, Operations and Maintenance, and other budget categories.