Acq Notes

Maintenance Task Analysis (MTA) is the identification of the steps, spares, and materials, tools, support equipment, personnel skill levels, and facility issues that must be considered for a given repair task.  It also includes the elapse times required for the performance of each maintenance task. MTAs cover both corrective and preventative maintenance tasks and, when […]

Maintenance Concept The maintenance concept is a brief description of the maintenance considerations, constraints, and plans for operational support of the system/equipment under development.  It’s derived from the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and is a major driver in system design and support.  Maintenance concept requirements are translated into system design and support requirements. As the

An industrial capability is a skill, facility, process, or technology needed to design, develop, produce, repair or maintain products used by the Department of Defense (DoD). Defense industrial capabilities include private and public industrial activities. The DoD always needs a good understanding if the current and future industrial base can meet the needs for all

Maintainability Demonstration (M-Demo) is a formal process conducted by the product developer and the end customer to determine whether specific maintainability contractual requirements have been achieved (i.e., MTTR, MDT, MMH/OH, etc.) during fielded operation. The M-Demo would be implemented to verify by demonstrating the actual maintainability characteristics of a system, against the maintainability requirements or

ISO 9000 is a series of International Organization for Standards (ISO) that are being used by companies and organizations around the world to provide a basis for a quality system.  It assures customers that processes and procedures have been implemented that will help to guarantee the quality levels of products and services rendered. ISO 9000

Flexible Computer Integrated Manufacturing (FCIM) is a design and manufacturing tool. It integrates equipment, software, communication, human resources, and business practices within one computer-based tool that helps manufacture, repair, and deliver items on when requested. It also provides data for Continuous Process Improvements. FCIM is an extension of Computer Aided Design (CAD) / Computer Aided

The Final Product Baseline is the approved documentation describing all of the necessary functional and physical characteristics of the Configuration Item (CI); any required joint and combined operations; the selected functional and physical characteristics designated for production acceptance testing; and tests necessary for deployment/installation, support, training, and disposal of the CI. This baseline is finalized

A Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is a Risk Management tool that assesses the safety-critical functions within a system’s architecture and design. It analyzes high-level failures and identifies all lower-level (sub-system) failures that cause them. FTA is useful during the initial product design phase as a tool for driving the design through an evaluation of both

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) an analytical tool that is used in Risk Management to identify various ways in which systems elements can fail and what’s their overall impact (consequence) to other elements and/or the overall system.  The results are processed thru Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) in which each potential failure

Applying DoD policy to Environmental Safety and Health (ESH) and complying with Federal laws are important aspects of managing programs. It’s important to start this at the beginning of any program, to reduce the risk of liability, lower cost, and save time. Techniques used by Program Managers (PM) and Manufacturing Personnel to comply with ESH

The Defense Standardization Program (DSP) is in charge of standardization throughout the Department of Defense (DoD) to reduce costs and improve operational effectiveness and is governed by DoD Manual 4120.24. The program is run by the DoD Standardization Program Office (DSPO). The documents they develop include DoD or federal specifications or standards, military specifications, military standards,

Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) is the loss of resources and material needed to build, maintain and operate warfighting equipment.  DMSMS may endanger the life-cycle support and viability of the weapon system or equipment.  An obsolete device is part of a larger system that is no longer manufactured by the original manufacturer. Definition

The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) performs contract oversight for the DoD.  DCMA ensures that DoD, Federal, and allied government supplies and services are delivered on time, at projected cost, and meet all performance requirements set forth in a contract. It provides Systems Engineering, Auditing, Earn Value Management (EVM), and Quality Assurance (QA) oversight of

A Defense Industrial Capabilities Assessment is an assessment of an industry where there’s a known problem with the skills and knowledge, processes, facilities, and equipment needed to design, develop, manufacture, repair, and support DoD products. It’s done on a case-by-case basis for private or public industrial activities. The guidelines in DoD Instruction 5000.60 are used

Damage Mode and Effects Analysis (DMEA) is an analysis of a system or piece of equipment to determine the extent of damage sustained from a given level of hostile weapon damage. It examines the effect of that damage on the continued controlled operation and mission completion capabilities of the system or equipment. DMEA is the

Customer satisfaction, when quantified, is a valuable enterprise-level outcome metric. The Department of Defense (DoD) has recognized the importance of customer-satisfaction performance measures. Since the passage of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, all Federal Departments and Agencies have initiated procedures to record contractor performance on in-process contracts and to use past contractor performance

Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen. The Department of Defense (DoD) defines Corrosion as “The deterioration of a material or

Corrective Maintenance Time is the time that begins with the observance of a malfunction of an item and ends when the item is restored to a satisfactory operating condition. It may be subdivided into active maintenance time and non-active maintenance time. It does not necessarily contribute to equipment or system downtime in cases of alternate

A Control Chart shows how a process varies over time while identifying special causes of variation and changes in performance. Similar to a run chart, it includes statistically generated upper and lower control limits. This type of chart prevents changing a process that is varying randomly within the control limits (no special cause present). Variables

A Corrective Action Request (CAR) is sent to a supplier where an item, goods, service, or process is in nonconformity, and a remedy is required. The notification requests the supplier to explain the reason for and proposed solution for a nonconformity discovered. CARs are normally determined during quality assurance activities. Each organization will have its

Configuration Management (CM) is the application of sound program practices to establish and maintain consistency of a product’s or system’s attributes with its requirements and evolving technical baseline over its life. It involves interaction among government and contractor program functions such as systems engineering, hardware/software engineering, specialty engineering, logistics, contracting, and production in an Integrated

Condition Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+) is the application and integration of appropriate processes, technologies, and knowledge-based capabilities to improve the reliability and maintenance effectiveness of Department of Defense (DoD) systems and components. It’s established by DoD Instruction 4151.22 “CBM+ for Materiel Maintenance”.  At its core, CBM+ is maintenance performed based on evidence of need provided

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is a computer tool used for the development of design-drawings/documentation for manufacturing. It merges computer technology with mechanical drawing and includes three (3) main functions crucial for manufacturing: Line drawings that can be created and stored for future reference, Libraries of common symbols used to create line drawings that can be easily

Basis of Issue Plan (BOIP) is an Army requirements document that describes a new or improved system or component. It’s required before Milestone B approval and is used by Program Managers (PM) for concept studies, life-cycle cost estimates, and trade-off analyses during the research and development process. BOIPs include personnel changes caused by introducing new

Lean Manufacturing “Lean” is a production system consisting of manufacturing cells linked together with a functionally integrated system for inventory and production control that uses less of the key resources needed to make goods. The goal of Lean is to improve efficiency by eliminating waste in the manufacturing process and is centered on preserving value