The Defense Department wants to expand its use of Special Emergency Procurement Authority to include "gray zone" missions abroad, according to a new legislative proposal sent to Congress. The proposal would extend SEPA to include humanitarian or peacekeeping operations to support requests for combatant commanders. “These operations generally involve spur-of-the-moment contracting support, often in austere environments,” the proposal states. Currently, SEPA is limited to contingency operations, operations supporting emergencies or major disasters, international disaster assistance, and response from certain attacks...