10 U.S. Code § 2366a – MDAP: Certification Required before Milestone A Approval A 2366a Written Determination is issued by a Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) for a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) stating that it has met all regulatory requirements according to 10 U.S.C. 2366a. An MDAP may not receive Milestone A approval until the MDA certifies that: [1] …
The Rapid Acquisition Process (RAP) provides rapid transition funding for the development and fielding of highly successful competitive experiments and demonstrations. It addresses the approach, assessment, validation, sourcing, resourcing, and fielding of operationally driven urgent, execution-year combatant commander needs. It supports the specific DoD goal of significantly shortening the acquisition response time and acquisition cycle …
The In-Service Review (ISR) is an assessment of a system to determine if it’s operationally employed with well-understood and Managed Risks. It assesses the current status, operational health and corrective actions to satisfy user operational needs based on user feedback and performance metrics. The reviews should be conducted at defined intervals to identify needed revisions …
Market Research (FAR Part 10) is conducted to determine the availability of commercial products and services and to identify and evaluate market practices. It’s a continuous process of finding viable sources of goods and services to meet government requirements and is mandated for all acquisition programs. It’s conducted by key members of a program’s Integrated …
A Program Manager (PM) for any DoD program needs to know who the senior acquisition executives are that can influence their program. A PM needs to practice Social Engineering to keep these Stakeholders informed and advocates of their program. The main acquisition executives that a PM will/might have on a program are: Milestone Decision Authority …
A Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) (Title 10 U.S.C. § 2366b) is a formal, metrics-based process and accompanying report that assesses the maturity of critical hardware and software technologies called Critical Technology Elements (CTE) to be used in systems. It is conducted by an Independent Review Team (IRT) of subject matter experts (SMEs). All DoD acquisition …
The Analysis of Alternative (AoA) Study Guidance is developed and approved by the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (DCAPE) with the input of other DoD officials. Prior to the Materiel Development Decision (MDD) review, the DCAPE provides the AoA study guide to the DoD Component designated by the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA). Following …
A Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) is a comprehensive summary of a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) Acquisition Category (ACAT) I program that is required for periodic submission to Congress by the Secretary of Defense. It’s mandated by Title 10 USC § 2432 “Selected Acquisition Reports”. Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) Database The following website contains a …
A Flight Readiness Review (FRR) is a sub-set of the Test Readiness Review (TRR) and is applicable only to aviation programs. It assesses the readiness to initiate and conduct flight tests or flight operations. Typically, FRR approval requires the aviation system to be under Configuration Management (CM), have a flight clearance issued by the technical …
An Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) (FAR 34.202)is a joint assessment conducted by the government Program Manager (PM) and the contractor to establish a mutual understanding of the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB). This understanding provides for an agreement on a plan of action to evaluate the risks inherent in the PMB and the management processes that …
