Trends in Department of Defense Other Transaction Authority Usage: A Preliminary Look

Abstract

The federal government’s use of Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements has exploded in recent years, thanks in large part due to a surge in popularity within the Department of Defense (DoD). Neither a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement, OTAs are an acquisition approach that enable certain federal agencies to access goods and services outside of the traditional acquisition system. This research examines the trends in OTA usage across the DoD to provide insights into what the DoD is using OTAs for, how they are spending under an OTA, and to whom the majority of OTA obligations go.