System Requirements Review (SRR)

A System Requirements Review (SRR) is a formal review conducted to ensure that system requirements have been completely and properly identified and that a mutual understanding exists between the government and the contractor. It ensures that the system under review can proceed into initial systems development and that all system and performance requirements derived from the Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) or draft Capability Development Document (CDD) are defined and testable, and are consistent with cost, schedule, risk, technology readiness, and other system constraints.

Definition: The System Requirements Review (SRR) is a multi-disciplined technical review to ensure that the developer understands the system requirements and is ready to proceed with the initial system design.

Purpose of System Requirements Review (SRR)

The purpose of an SRR is to assess the system requirements captured in the system specification and ensure the developer is prepared to move forward with the initial system design. This ensures that the system requirements are consistent with the approved materiel solution, Initial Capabilities Document (ICD), enabling concepts, technology maturation, maturity of interdependent systems, and available technologies identified in the Materiel Solutions Analysis (MSA) phase. An SRR is important in understanding the system performance, cost, and scheduling impacts the defined requirements will have on a system.

Goals of the System Requirements Review (SRR)

The main goal of the SRR is to determine whether the system performance specification (System Requirements) are:

Consistent with the approved material solution.
Consistent with technology maturation plans.
Adequately consider the maturity of interdependent systems.
And the contractor is prepared to move on to the initial system design.

When to Conduct a System Requirements Review (SRR)

Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) require a Milestone A before approving the release of the final Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase. In order to ensure that performance requirements are traceable to capability requirements and to assess the readiness and risks of the technical content of the draft RFP(s) prior to Milestone A, it is recommended that the program office conduct a review akin to an SRR.

System Requirements Document (SRD) in the System Requirements Review (SRR)

A contractor’s System Requirements Document (SRD) (sometimes called Weapons System Specifications) captures most system performance specifications. The SRD is the main focus of the SRR. The SRD defines system-level functional and performance requirements for a system and is derived from the Capability Development Document (CDD), Concept of Operations (CONOPS), system-level performance metrics, mission threads/use cases, and usage environment.

System Requirements Review (SRD) Checklist

The following checklist and questions provide the user with a great place to ensure all aspects of an SRR are covered within a program. Using the checklist/questions will ensure a successful review is conducted.

Checklist: SRR Risk Assessment Checklist Pre-Award

Checklist: System Requirements Review (SRR) Checklist

Questions: System Requirements Review (SRR) Exit Questions

Completion of the System Requirements Review (SRR) should provide the following:

The Technical Review Chair determines when the review is complete. Once the products have been reviewed and approved in SRR, they provide a sound technical basis for proceeding with the system’s functional definition and preliminary design. The following should be provided:

An approved system performance specification with sufficiently conservative requirements to provide for design trade space for the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) phase,
A preliminary allocation of system requirements to hardware, human, and software subsystems,
A preliminary Identification of all software components (tactical, support, deliverable, non-deliverable, etc.),
A comprehensive risk assessment for EMD,
An approved EMD phase Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) that addresses cost and critical path drivers, and
An approved Life-Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP) defines the product support plan and sustainment concepts with the corresponding metrics.

System Requirements Review (SRR) Review Items

The system-level SRR review should not begin until the criteria identified by the Chief Engineer and documented in the Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) are met. Any prior technical reviews are complete and closed. All relevant documentation should be reviewed, including:

Feasibility Analysis (results of technology assessments and trade studies to justify system design approach)
System Operational Requirements
System Maintenance Concept
Functional Analysis (top-level block diagrams)
Significant system design criteria (reliability, maintainability, logistics requirements, etc.)
Draft System Specification and any initial draft Performance Item Specifications
Systems Engineering Planning
Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP)
Draft top-level Technical Performance Measurements (TPM)
Human Systems Integration (HSI) and sustainment requirements
System design documentation (layout drawings, conceptual design drawings, selected supplier components data, etc.)
Integrated Master Schedule (IMS)
Product Support Plan (PSP)
Technical risks are identified, and mitigation plans are in place
Preliminary Cost Analysis Requirements Description (CARD) is consistent with the approved system performance specification
Preliminary software development estimates established with effort, schedule, and cost analysis
Updated cost estimate fits within the existing budget

System of System (SoS) in the System Requirement Review (SRR)

This review also ensures that the system satisfies the requirements for the system of systems (SoS), which include logical and physical interfaces and intended performance outcomes, and that these requirements align with the ICD and/or draft CDD. According to the Systems Engineering Plan (SEP), these needs are managed through technological interfaces and external communication, as stated in the system performance specification.

System Requirements Review (SRR) Standards

IEEE 5288.2 “Standard for Technical Reviews and Audits on Defense Programs” is the standard for technical reviews and audits to be performed throughout the acquisition life cycle for the US Department of Defense (DoD) and other defense agencies. This standard guides the DoD and contractor on what is required during an SRR.

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Systems Requirements Review (SRR) Roles and Responsibilities

Program Manager (PM) responsibilities associated with an SRR include: [1]

Approving, funding, and staffing the SRR as planned in the Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) developed by the Systems Engineer.
Managing and approving changes to the system performance specification.
Establishing the plan for System Functional Review (SFR) in applicable contract documents, including the SEP, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), and Integrated Master Plan (IMP).
Ensuring the plan includes subject matter experts to participate in each review.

Systems Engineer responsibilities associated with an SRR include: [1]

Ensuring all performance requirements, both explicit and derived, are defined and traceable (both directions) between requirements in the draft Capabilities Development Document (CDD) including Key Performance Parameters (KPPs), Key System Attributes (KSAs), other system attributes, and the system performance specification.
Ensuring verification methods are identified for all system requirements.
Ensuring risk items associated with system requirements are identified and analyzed, and mitigation plans are in place.
Ensuring adequate plans are in place to complete the technical activities to proceed from SRR to the SFR.
Ensuring plans to proceed to SFR allow for contingencies.
Ensuring all interfaces are documented for the SoS and included in the performance specification

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Updated: 2/8/2024

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