This office is responsible for approving the adequacy of plans for operational test and evaluation and for reporting the operational test results for all major defense acquisition programs to the Secretary of Defense, USD(AT&L), Service Secretaries, and the Congress. For DOT&E oversight purposes, major defense acquisition programs were defined in the law to mean those programs meeting the criteria for reporting under section 2430, title 10, United States Code (Selected Acquisition Reports (SARs)). The law (sec.139(a)(2)(B)) also stipulates that DOT&E may designate any other programs for the purpose of his oversight, review, and reporting. With the addition of such "non-major" programs, DOT&E was responsible for oversight of 219 acquisition programs during FY01.

Non-major programs are selected for DOT&E oversight after careful consideration of the relative importance of the individual program. In selecting non-SAR systems for oversight, consideration is given to one or more of the following essential elements:

• Congress or OSD agencies have expressed a high level of interest in the program.
• Congress has directed that DOT&E assess or report on the program as a condition for progress or production.
• The program requires joint or multi-Service testing (the law (sec. 139(b)(4)) requires the DOT&E to coordinate "testing conducted jointly by more than one military department or defense agency").
• The program exceeds or has the potential to exceed the dollar threshold definition of a major program according to DoD 5000.1, but does not appear on the current SAR list (e.g., highly classified systems).
• The program has a close relationship to or is a key component of a major program.
• The program is an existing system undergoing major modification.
• The program was previously a SAR program and OT is not yet complete.

This office is also responsible for the oversight of LFT&E programs, in accordance with 10 USC 139. DoD regulation uses the term "covered system" to include all categories of systems or programs identified in 10 USC 2366 as requiring live fire test and evaluation. In addition, systems or programs that do not have acquisition points referenced in 10 USC 2366, but otherwise meet the statutory criteria, are considered "covered systems" for the purpose of DOT&E oversight.

A covered system, for the purpose of oversight for LFT&E, has been determined by DOT&E to meet one or more of the following criteria:

• A major system within the meaning of that term in 10 USC 2302(5) that is:
• user-occupied and designed to provide some degree of protection to the system or its occupants in combat.
• a conventional munitions program or missile program.

• A conventional munitions program for which more than 1,000,000 rounds are planned to be acquired.
• A modification to a covered system that is likely to affect significantly the survivability or lethality of such a system.

The DOT&E was responsible for the oversight of 96 LFT&E acquisition programs during FY01.