The Operational Test Readiness Review (OTRR) assesses if a system should proceed into Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E). The review addresses and verifies system reliability, maintainability, and supportability performance and determines if the hazards and Environmental, Safety, Occupational, and Health (ESOH) residual risks are manageable within the planned testing operations.
Purpose of the Operational Test Readiness Review (OTRR)
The purpose of the OTRR is to determine if changes are required in planning, resources, or testing necessary to proceed with IOT&E. Of critical importance to this review is the understanding of available system performance to meet the Capability Production Document (CPD) performance threshold values.
When is the Operational Test Readiness Review (OTRR) Conducted
The OTRR may be conducted in multiple steps to ensure that the “production configuration” system (usually the Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) system) can proceed into Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) with a high probability of success.
DoD Oversight List Requirement
Programs on the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Test and Evaluation (T&E) oversight list is required by DoD policy to establish a Service process for determining and certifying a program’s readiness for IOT&E by the Service Component Acquisition Executive (CAE). The OTRR is only complete when the CAE evaluates and determines material system readiness for IOT&E. The OTRR may be conducted by the Program Manager (PM) or the Operational Test Agency, depending on the Service policy.
DoD specifies that the OTRR review shall include the following:
- Development T&E Results
- An assessment of the system’s progress against Critical Technical Parameters (CTP) documented in the Test & Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP)
- An analysis of identified technical risks to verify that those risks have been retired during developmental testing;
- Consideration of the impact of performance waivers and deviations
- Review of the IOT&E Entrance Criteria specified in the TEMP
Checklist: Operational Test Readiness Review (OTRR) Checklist
Defense Acquisition Guide (DAG) CH 8-3.9.2 Operational Test Readiness Reviews
The OTRR is the formal approval process for deciding if a system is ready to enter operational testing. OTRRs are conducted to:
- Verify required contractor and/or developmental testing is complete with satisfactory system performance.
- Ensure OT test plans are approved and OT preparations are complete.
- Ensure other requirements supporting OT—such as threat representation validation reports and OTA accreditation of threat representations, models, simulations, and other test instrumentation—are complete.
- Verify that T&E and system under test resources and capabilities are available and ready to proceed with the OT&E.
- Verify system-under-test is production representative.
- Determine if any changes are required in planning, resources, training, equipment, or schedule in order to successfully execute the test.
- Identify any problems that impact on the start or adequate execution of the test and subsequent evaluation or assessment of the system.
- Make decisions as appropriate to resolve problems or to change or confirm scheduled requirements.
- Safety planning.
AcqLinks and References:
- [1] Defense Acquisition Guidebook (DAG)
- Test and Evaluation Management Guide – Appendix B-13
- OTTR Checklist
- Test Readiness Review (TRR) Checklist
Updated: 6/29/2023
Rank: G1
