Trends in Department of Defense Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Usage

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 agreements, 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 DoD to provide insights into what DoD is using OTAs for, how they are spending under an OTA, and to whom the majority OTA obligations go.