Defence

DSAC is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) i.e. a body which has a role in the process of national government but is not a government department or part of one, and which accordingly operates to a greater or lesser extent at arm's length from Ministers. It is an Advisory NDPB in that it advises Ministers and does not employ staff or incurs expenditure on its own account.

DSAC is established to provide independent advice to the Secretary of State for Defence on matters of concern to the Ministry of Defence in the fields of science, engineering & technology.

Its terms of reference are:

• To review the scientific and technological aspects of research and development programmes being undertaken in, and on behalf of, the MoD to meet the needs of the armed forces cost effectively.
• To advise on the most effective uses of scientific resources within the defence research programme.
• To advise on changes to the scope and balance of the defence research programme in MoD.
• To advise on the quality and value for money of research carried out for the MoD.
• To advise on scientific and technological developments from outside the Ministry of Defence, including emerging new threats and opportunities for beneficial international collaboration.
• To advise on problems referred to it.

In performing these tasks it will take account of relevant advances in the civil field including opportunities for technology transfer in both directions between MoD and the civil sector."

The Chairman of DSAC reports annually to the Secretary of State.

Most of DSAC's work involves the review and scrutiny of the content and the management of MOD's research programmes on behalf of the Secretary of State. DSAC's primary role is not to provide scientific or technical advice to suppliers of research.