Acq Notes

AcqNote Description Area

Financial Management

Funding – Program Management Administration (PMA)

Funding for Program Management Administration (PMA) is the cost of mission essential office operations in direct support of a program and its program management office (PMO).  It’s budgeted on an annual basis and reflected in the fiscal year during which the requirement is projected to execute. PMA costs are charged to the appropriation funding the […]

Financial Management

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Contracts & Legal

Competitive Range Determination (CRD)

Competitive Range Determination (CRD) is the range of proposals that have been identified by a contracting officer to be highly rated amount a group of proposals. These highly rated proposals will be continued into source selection.  CRD helps eliminate proposals that are not competitive before starting an official source selection and to strengthen those that

Contracts & Legal

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Information Technology

Business Enterprise Architecture (BEA)

The Department of Defense (DoD) Business Enterprise Architecture (BEA) is the enterprise architecture for the DoD Business Mission Area (BMA). The purpose of the BEA is to provide a blueprint for DoD business transformation that helps ensure the right capabilities, resources, and materiel are rapidly delivered to the military – what they need, when they

Information Technology

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Space Acquisitions

Geosynchronous Inclined Orbit (GIO)

  A geostationary orbit occurs when an object (satellite) is placed approximately 37,000 km (23,000 mi) above the Earth’s equator with the characteristic that, from a fixed observation point on the Earth’s surface, it appears motionless. A satellite is in an inclined orbit when its orbital plane is tipped some number of degrees from the horizontal

Space Acquisitions

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Space Acquisitions

10 U.S.C § 2273 – Policy Regarding Assured Access to Space

(a)  Policy.—  It is the policy of the United States for the President to undertake actions appropriate to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the United States has the capabilities necessary to launch and insert United States national security payloads into space whenever such payloads are needed in space. (b)  Included Actions.—  The appropriate

Space Acquisitions

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Contracts & Legal

Sole Soure – Justification and Approval

A sole source procurement (called an Other than Full & Open Competition) is when the government enters into a contract with a contractor without going through the typical competitive process as required by law because it deems that the contractor is the only source available to meet government requirements. A Justification and Approval (J&A) is

Contracts & Legal

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Earned Value Management

Integrated Program Management Data and Analysis Report (IPMDAR)

The Integrated Program Management Data and Analysis Report (IPMDAR) is a contractually required report prepared by the contractor, containing performance information derived from the contractor’s internal Earned Value Management System (EVMS). It provides the status of progress on the contract. [1] Update: The Integrated Program Management Report (IPMR) has been renamed to the Integrated Program

Earned Value Management

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JCIDS Process

JCIDS Manual of Operations

Note: The Manual for the Operations of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) has been replaced by CJCSI 5123.01H. Note: The new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 5123.01H “Charter Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) and Implementation of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS)” replaces the CJCSI 31070.01.  

JCIDS Process

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Space Acquisitions

Evolutionary Acquisition for Space Efficiency (EASE)

Evolutionary Acquisition for Space Efficiency (EASE) is a procurement approach that seeks stable production and strategic sub tier management through the block buy of two space vehicles employing fixed-priced contracting. In addition to block-buy procurement, EASE includes RDT&E funding for a Capability and Affordability Improvement Program (CAIP). CAIP seeks to improve manufacturability and lower recurring

Space Acquisitions

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Information Technology

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a recently evolved computing terminology or metaphor based on utility and consumption of computing resources. Cloud computing involves deploying groups of remote servers and software networks that allow centralized data storage and online access to computer services or resources. “Cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to

Information Technology

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Financial Management

Comprehensive Cost and Requirement System (CCaR)

The Comprehensive Cost and Requirement System (CCaR) is an enterprise program and financial management system that delivers real-time program information to government decision-makers. At the core of the CCaR System are automated reports and analysis tools which allow the program and financial managers to define program requirements, formulate program budgets, forecast program execution, and track

Financial Management

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Proposal Development

Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA)

Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection process (FAR 15.101-2) is where the government determines that the lowest price is awardable over the complaint technical offering of all proposals. LPTA is appropriate only when the government “expects” it can achieve best value from selecting the proposal that is technically acceptable and offers the lowest evaluated

Proposal Development

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Contracts & Legal

Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA)

Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection process (FAR 15.101-2) is where the government determines that the lowest price is awardable over the complaint technical offering of all proposals. LPTA is appropriate only when the government “expects” it can achieve the best value by selecting the technically acceptable proposal and offering the lowest evaluated price. 

Contracts & Legal

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Acquisition Process

Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell (JRAC)

The Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell (JRAC) was established to meet Joint Urgent Operational Needs (JUON) and Joint Emergent Operational Needs (JEON) in a quicker time frame than the standard Defense Acquisition Process approach. The JRAC rapidly assesses requirements and solutions, collaborating with the Joint Staff J-8 and the respective Combatant Commanders (COCOM), and facilitates the

Acquisition Process

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Logistics & Supply Management

Item Unique Identification Implementation (IUID) Plan

An Item Unique Identification Implementation (IUID) Plan is a plan on how a contractor will run their Item Unique Identifier program. The plan should be included in a contractor’s Systems Engineering Plan (SEP). Website: Item Unique Identification Implementation (IUID) REGULATORY: Design considerations related to unique identification are included in the Systems Engineering Plan (SEP). [1]

Logistics & Supply Management

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Intelligence & Security

Initial Threat Environment Assessment

The Initial Threat Environment Assessment provides capability developers and Program Managers (PM) the ability to assess mission needs and capability gaps against likely adversary threat capabilities at Initial Operational Capability (IOC). It forms the basis for the initial System Threat Assessment Report (STAR) at Milestone A, and is superseded by the Milestone A STAR. The

Intelligence & Security

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Logistics & Supply Management

Independent Logistics Assessment (ILA)

An Independent Logistics Assessment (ILA), also referred to as a Logistics Assessment (LA), is an analysis of a program’s supportability planning. Preferably, it is conducted by an independent and impartial team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) not directly associated with the program being assessed. An ILA is not a compliance audit, but an effective and

Logistics & Supply Management

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Science & Engineering

Frequency Allocation Application

Frequency Allocation Application (DD Form 1494) is currently used to submit systems information to the Military Communications-Electronics Board (MCEB) for frequency allocation approval. All major military RF systems, as defined in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management, are reviewed in parallel with the Joint

Science & Engineering

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Intelligence & Security

Cybersecurity Strategy

The cybersecurity strategy is a plan of action to maximize an organization’s computer network security and resiliency. The strategy is a required acquisition program document (per DoD Instruction 5000.02 and Clinger-Cohen Act) that details how a program will ensure that an Information Technology system can protect and defend itself from a cyber attack.  The Program

Intelligence & Security

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Science & Engineering

Spectrum Supportability Risk Assessment

  Spectrum Supportability Risk Assessments (SSRA) is used to determine and document if adequate spectrum is available to support system operation in DoD, Allied, and Coalition operations. It documents and assesses operational spectrum supportability (SS) and electromagnetic environmental effects (E3) risks and the steps that need to be taken to mitigate these risks. The SSRA

Science & Engineering

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Financial Management

Should Cost Management

Should Cost Management is a technique implemented by the DoD on their acquisition programs to understand the true cost of a program once all the unnecessary costs are eliminated.  It helps Program Managers (PM) identify and eliminate inefficient and non-productive tasks from their program. It’s designed to proactively target cost reduction and drive productivity improvement.

Financial Management

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Contracts & Legal

Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) – DoD Overview

The Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) of 1984 (41 U.S.C. 253) (H.R. 5184) (FAR Subpart 6.1″Full and Open Competition”) is a public law enacted for the purpose of encouraging competition for the award of all types of government contracts. The purpose was to increase the number of competitors and to increase savings through lower, more competitive

Contracts & Legal

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