The Air Force and Contract Management, 1961-1965 deals with the impact of a study project initiated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to improve the management of Department of Defense contracts. It briefly describes the Air Force's contract management organization and general approach to performing the function, the recommendations emerging from the study, and the decision by OSD to centralize contract management within a new Defense agency. USAF organizational changes that followed--including transfer of thousands of USAF contract management personnel and some 38,000 contracts to the new agency--are discussed. The Air Force's post-reorganization responsibilities for management of contracts for major weapon systems, and other support functions, are also examined.