((a)) ** .—** The Secretary of Defense shall establish and carry out an acquisition fellowship program in accordance with this section in order to enhance the ability of the Department of Defense to recruit employees who are highly qualified in fields of acquisition.

((b)) ** .—** The Secretary of Defense may designate up to 25 prospective employees of the Department of Defense as acquisition fellows.

((c)) ** .—** In order to be eligible for designation as an acquisition fellow, an employee—

((1)) must complete at least 2 years of Federal Government service as an employee in an acquisition position in the Department of Defense; and

((2)) must be serving in an acquisition position in the Department of Defense that involves the performance of duties likely to result in significant restrictions under law on the employment activities of that employee after leaving Government service.

((d)) ** .—** Under the fellowship program, the Secretary of Defense shall pay designated acquisition fellows to engage in research or teaching for a 2-year period in a field related to Federal Government acquisition policy. Such research or teaching may be conducted in the defense acquisition university structure of the Department of Defense, any other institution of professional education of the Federal Government, or a nonprofit institution of higher education. Each fellow shall be paid at a rate equal to the rate of pay payable for the level of the position in which the fellow served in the Department of Defense before undertaking such research or teaching.