text: Chapter 13
  standing authorities are narrowly defined and generally require significant advance coordination within the
  DOD and the Department of State. As such, they are of limited value to ongoing counterinsurgency
  operations.
  COMMANDER’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
  13-52. The Commanders’ Emergency Response Program is a statutory authorization to obligate funds
  from the DOD operation and maintenance appropriation for the primary purpose of authorizing U.S.
  military commanders to carry out small-scale projects designed to meet urgent humanitarian relief
  requirements or urgent reconstruction requirements within their areas of responsibility that provide an
  immediate and direct benefit to the people of Afghanistan. When authorized, Commanders’ Emergency
  Response Program authority is found in annual NDAAs. Notably, the authority to use Commanders’
  Emergency Response Program in Iraq was specifically repealed, eliminating the use of Commanders’
  Emergency Response Program in Iraq. The Commanders’ Emergency Response Program is one of the most
  important authorities commanders have in Afghanistan.
  13-53. Some NDAAs include waiver authority for certain contracting requirements for the Commanders’
  Emergency Response Program, enabling the use of streamlined contracting procedures. For example, one
  NDAA provided that, “[f]or purposes of the exercise of the authority provided by this section or any other
  provision of law making funding available for the [Commanders’ Emergency Response Program] ... the
  Secretary may waive any provision of law not contained in this section that would (but for the waiver)
  prohibit, restrict, limit, or otherwise constrain the exercise of that authority.” As a result, the Secretary of
  Defense has periodically waived the Competition in Contracting Act requirements for Commanders’
  Emergency Response Program-funded projects. Therefore, Commanders’ Emergency Response
  Program-funded projects did not need to follow the competition requirements of the Federal Acquisition
  Regulation.
  13-54. In addition to being authorized for certain types of projects to assist the civilian population affected
  by an insurgency, Commanders’ Emergency Response Program funds are often available for payment to
  host-nation civilians in certain specified situations. For example, under the Commanders’ Emergency
  Response Program for Afghanistan, appropriated funds may be used to repair property damage that results
  from U.S., multinational, or supporting military operations that are not otherwise compensable under the
  Foreign Claims Act. These funds can also be used for condolence payments to individual civilians for the
  death or physical injury resulting from U.S., multinational, or supporting military operations that are not
  compensable under the Foreign Claims Act. Such payments include payments to surviving spouse or kin of
  defense or police personnel killed because of U.S., multinational, or supporting military operations. On the
  other hand, Commanders’ Emergency Response Program for Afghanistan funds may not be used to pay
  rewards or fund any type of weapon buy-back program. Instead, a provision in U.S. Code authorizes a
  rewards problem.
  GLOBAL TRAIN AND EQUIP OR BUILDING PARTNER CAPACITY
  13-55. Other NDAA provisions have recently authorized DOD to build the capacity of foreign military
  forces in support of overseas contingency operations. Current NDAA Train and Equip authority allows
  DOD to build the capacity of a foreign country's national military forces in order for that country to—
  * Conduct counterterrorist operations.
  * Participate in or support military and stability operations in which the U.S forces are a
  participant.
  This authority includes building the capacity of maritime security forces conducting counterinsurgency
  operations.
  GLOBAL SECURITY CONTINGENCY FUND
  13-56. Congress has used the NDAA to authorize the Global Security Contingency Fund, which provides
  funds to the Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense to provide assistance to designated countries for the
  purposes of enhancing the country’s national military forces, and other national security forces that conduct