JCIDS Process

The Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate, J-8, was established in response to increased responsibilities and authority placed on the Chairman by the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. Since then, J-8 has provided resource and force structure analysis and advice to the Chairman and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). See JCIDS […]

An Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) or Capability Development Document (CDD) may be waived in cases where potential programs are best served by proceeding directly to Milestone B or C.  These include Government Off-the-Shelf (GOTS)/Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions, transitioning Joint Urgent Operational Needs (JUON) and successful Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD). The JCIDS Gatekeeper (Joint Staff Deputy

Interoperability is the capability of systems, units, or forces to provide data, information, material, and services to and accept the same from other systems, units, or forces and to use the data, information, materiel, and services so exchanged to enable them to operate effectively together. Information technology (IT) and National Security System (NSS) interoperability include

A Functional Needs Analysis (FNA) assesses current and future capabilities to meet the military objectives of the scenarios chosen in the Functional Area Analysis (FAA) and is an output of the Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA). Using military scenarios, the FNA assesses whether or not an inability to achieve a desired effect exists to determine if there

A Functional Solution Analysis (FSA) is the operationally based assessment of potential Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, and Facilities (DOTMLPF) approaches to solving (or mitigating) one or more of the capability gaps identified in the Functional Needs Analysis (FNA). It’s contained in the Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA).   The current CJCSI 3170.01

The Functional Area Analysis (FAA) identifies the operational tasks, conditions, and standards needed to achieve military objectives. The FAA uses the national strategies (National Military Strategy, National Defense Strategy, National Security Strategy), the Family of Joint Future Concepts, and other assigned missions to arrive at a prioritized list of capabilities and tasks that must be

A joint Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership, and Education, Personnel, Facilities and Policy (DOTMLP-P) Change Recommendation (DCR) is a recommendation for changes to existing joint resources when such changes are not associated with a new defense acquisition program. A Joint DCR is a Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) produced document that intends to

Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, Facilities, and Policy (DOTMLPF-P) is a decision-making analysis and is the first step in the Functional Solutions Analysis (FSA). It determines/recommends whether a non-material or material approach is required to fill a capability gap identified in the Functional Needs Analysis (FNA).  It includes the entire life cycle,

Cancelled 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. The purpose of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 3170.01 is to establish the policies for

Update: The CPD has been eliminated from the JCIDS process The Capability Production Document (CPD) captures the information necessary to support production, testing, and deployment of an affordable and supportable increment within an acquisition strategy. The CPD identifies, in threshold/objective format, the specific attributes that contribute most significantly to the desired operational capability. The CPD

  The Post-Independent Analysis is the final analysis in the Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA) which reviews the previous three functional analyses (Functional Area Analysis (FAA), Functional Needs Analysis (FNA), and Functional Solutions Analysis(FSA)) and selects an approach or approaches that best closes a capability gap(s). The sponsor then produces an Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) or

  A System Threat Assessment (STA) is obtained from the Intelligence community during the JCIDS shortfall identification process. It will be obtained primarily from the Capstone Threat Assessments (CTAs) and System Threat Assessment Report (STAR). The CTAs project foreign capabilities in particular warfare areas looking out 20 years. Once the JCIDS Process identifies a materiel

A Key System Attribute (KSA) is a system capability considered crucial in support of achieving a balanced solution/approach to a Key Performance Parameter (KPP) or some other key performance attribute deemed necessary by the sponsor. KSAs are listed in the Capability Development Document (CDD) and Capability Production Document (CPD) with threshold and objective values.  They

Key Performance Parameters (KPP) are key system capabilities that must be met for a system to meet its operational goals set by the user/customer. These key capabilities form the foundation of any system and are deemed vital to its performance, function, design, and operations. Any changes to the KPP would significantly impact the system’s performance

The Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) documents the need for a materiel approach or an approach that is a combination of materiel and non-materiel, to a specific capability gap.  A capability gap is derived from an initial analysis of materiel approaches executed by the operational user and, as required, an independent analysis of materiel alternatives. It

Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) examines the military utility and provides an assessment of new technology to clearly establish its operational utility and system integrity. The demonstration introduces operational concepts utilizing this new technology to solve important military problems and facilitates technology transition. A JCTD may be a substitute for a formal Capabilities Based Assessment

An Information Support Plan (ISP) describes a systems dependencies and interface requirements in sufficient detail to enable testing and verification of Information Technology (IT) and National Security Systems (NSS) interoperability and supportability requirements. The ISP is required for all Acquisition Category (ACAT) programs that connects in any way to the communications and information infrastructure including

The Capability Development Document (CDD) specifies the operational requirements for the system that will deliver the capability that meets the operational performance criteria specified in the Initial Capabilities Document (ICD). It outlines militarily useful increments of capability with its own set of attributes and development performance values (i.e., thresholds and objectives) in terms of Key

The Force Protection Key Performance Parameter (KPP) is mandatory for all manned systems and is designed to enhance personnel survivability in an asymmetric threat environment. The attributes for the Force Protection KPP are identified in the Capability Development Document (CDD) and Capability Production Document (CPD) and apply to all pre-Milestone C programs. Manual: JCIDS Manual

A Concept of Operations (CONOPS) is a document that describes a proposed system concept and how that concept would be operated in an intended environment.  The user community develops the CONOPS to communicate the vision for the operational system to the acquisition and developer community. A CONOPS can also be written by the buyer, developer,

The Capabilities-Based Assessment (CBA) is the analysis portion of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) process. The CBA provides recommendations to pursue material or non-material solutions to an identified capability gap that meets an established capability need. The result is that the CBA supports the development of operational capability requirements documents (Initial Capabilities

The Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) process is one of three (3) processes (Acquisition, Requirements, and Funding) that support the Defense Acquisition System.  It was created to support the statutory responsibility of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) to validate joint warfighting requirements. It plays a key role in identifying the capabilities required by