Guidelines for Requesting Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) Document Prioritization

1. Prioritization. Priority processing should only be requested if there is a compelling requirement to have a document placed into Offered status in less than the normal processing time. Each Military Department or Implementing Agency (IA) should identify a central office and/or point of contact for coordinating prioritization requests, and advise DSCA Operations Directorate, and the Case Writing Division (CWD).

2. Justification. Requests for priority processing must have sufficient justification as to why the document should be placed into prioritization status. Delays in preparing the case, is not, justification for prioritization. Information that must be provided with the priority request is as follows:

   • Desired offer date,
   • How long the document has been in development,
   • Any known reasons for delay, and
   • Any background information on political-military sensitivity or operational issues associated with the LOA document.

   Short Offer Expiration Dates (OEDs) should not be used as justification to prioritize the processing of an LOA document, or designate official USG requirements for purchaser acceptance of a document. Short OEDs should only be used when there is a USG requirement for a purchaser to accept an LOA in less than the normal OED period (e.g. internal funding or coordination requirements). Similarly, since BPC LOAs will be accepted by USG representatives within 72 hours after being placed in Offered status, BPC LOA document OEDs should follow similar guidelines. BPC LOAs should not be assigned OEDs less than 30 days unless there is a compelling USG need for it to be shorter.

   Absent external input, the CWD applies the following factors for internal prioritizations of documents:

   • Documents with a validated OED of less than 30 days;
   • Iraq, Afghanistan and most BPC LOAs funded with Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), 1206, Contingency Readiness Support Program (CRSP), Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund (PCF) or Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund (PCCF) funds;
   • Rework documents returned to CWD; or
   • LOAs in direct support of coalition forces in a combat zone.
3. Timing. Prioritization of documents is not limited to final phase processing of documents at the CWD. When an IA requests prioritization or DSCA designates prioritization of a document, DSCA expects the MILDEP or IA to expedite the document through its own internal processes. When prioritization is requested in support of final phase processing at the CWD, the requests for priority processing should be initiated 48 hours prior to document arrival at the CWD. This allows time for the priority request to be reviewed by the DSCA Operations Directorate. If the Principal or Principal Deputy, for Operations, approves the prioritization request, the document will be flagged for priority processing and review and expedited actions can be implemented immediately upon arrival. Late submission of the prioritization request (i.e. after the document has already been submitted to the CWD) may delay and potentially negate the need for prioritization. Major weapons system sales LOAs must be provided to the CWD at least 10 days prior to the desired offer date. Due to the complexity of these LOAs, DSCA requires adequate time to conduct thorough reviews which reduce the need for follow-on LOA documents (Amendments and/or Modifications) to correct mistakes.
4. Routing Priority Requests. Priority processing requests are forwarded to the DSCA Operations Directorate mailbox opscoordinators@dsca.mil with a copy to the DSCA Operations Country Program Director (CPD) and DSCA Operations Directorate Regional Deputy, as well as, the Chief and/or Deputy Chief of the CWD. Requests for priority processing should not be sent directly to CWD personnel. LOA documents will only be prioritized once approval notification is received from the Principal or Principal Deputy, for Operations. If approved, guidance will be forwarded to the appropriate CWD personnel, to initiate appropriate reporting actions (i.e. DSAMS etc.) for monitoring designated priority documents. All denials will be sent to the requesting IA with justification.
5. Priority Designation and Processing. The DSCAPRI milestone will be posted in DSAMS for all documents approved for priority processing. Priority processing designation will be placed on the review coordination package e-mail, and monitored by the corresponding DSCA CPD. The CWD will release a daily report by e-mail providing the status of documents designated for priority processing.

Guidance Concerning Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) Document Prioritization
(Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) Policy 13-08, SAMM E-Change 210)

The following section is added to Chapter 5 of the Security Assistance Management Manual (SAMM) immediately following Section C5.4.17.

C5.4.18. LOA Document Prioritization. Military Department (MILDEP) or Implementing Agency (IA) requests for prioritization of LOA documents must be sent through the DSCA Operations Directorate mailbox opscoordinators@dsca.mil for review within 48 hours after the LOA is determined by the MILDEP or IA to be a priority. Each request must provide justification why the LOA document should be prioritized "first-in, first-out." Each request will be approved by the Principal or Principal Deputy, for Operations on a case-by-case basis. The following information must be provided in the request:

• Desired offer date,
• How long the document has been in development,
• Any known reasons for delay, and
• Any background information on political-military sensitivity or operational issues associated with the LOA document.

Short Offer Expiration Dates (OEDs) should not be used as justification to prioritize the processing of an LOA document. Prioritization should only be requested if there is a compelling reason to have the LOA document offered in less than the normal processing time. Building Partnership Capacity (BPC) LOA OEDs should follow similar guidelines.