GROUND TRUTH
LL_635: Revalidate early program assumptions and estimates for initial operational capability (IOC) and final operational capability (FOC) quantities before the milestone event.
Background For one program’s Milestone C review, the basis-of-issue plan was a key topic. Army programs use this requirements document to plan and manage the introduction and distribution of new equipment, ing
the planned quantity. IOC and
FOC quantities had been calculated and validated during the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System approval process. Because of changes in Army structure, priorities and funding over the two years since approval of the program’s capability production docu- ment (CPD), revalidation was requested to show that the IOC and FOC quanti- ties were in sync with current Army needs. Initial analysis by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command capability man- ager indicated a new lower FOC quantity.
Recommendation Confirm required quantities with user representative and program office
includ-
Background Te Army has compared the current defense acquisition system with that from the era of its now famous Big Five: the Abrams main battle tank, the Brad- ley Fighting Vehicle, the Apache attack helicopter, the Black Hawk utility heli- copter and the Patriot air defense missile system. Despite overcoming major chal- lenges, the Army views the Big Five as some of its most successful acquisition programs and would like to replicate that success within current acquisition pro- grams. However, the acquisition process has become more standardized, formal- ized and rigid since the Big Five were first conceived, developed and acquired. Te rigidity of the acquisition process requires locking in requirements when they are most unknowable and leaves little room to adjust these requirements as the scope of what is feasible becomes more defined.
esti-
mates. Update the acquisition program baseline to reflect changes in assump- tions and estimates. Tis will keep the program in sync with the latest Army strategy and priorities and reduce the potential to procure quantities that do not reflect current Army needs.
LL_893: Be proactive about creating mechanisms throughout the life cycle for user, engineering and scientific feedback that can create flexibility to overcome challenges and environmental changes.
Recommendation Put a premium on integrating users, engineers, operators and technologies throughout the life of a program, and continuously reevaluate assumptions and their implications. Successfully integrat- ing their feedback and remaining flexible will lead to continuously refining and tightening requirements, thereby making the weapon system both more capable and more useful.
RFP CONSIDERATIONS
LL_623: Establish tiered threshold requirements in the RFP to create a pre- negotiated trade space of requirements that will aid in source selection evalua- tion and program execution.
Background Te
strategy of modifying an off-the-
shelf system raised concerns about how the balance of redesign versus acceptance of “good enough“ performance would
48
Background One Army program did not have an approved CDD before the release of the
LL_636: The program office should obtain the Joint Requirements Office (JRO)-approved capability development document (CDD) before releasing an RFP. Complete a traceability matrix to use in drafting the RFP and contract.
be handled and how the PM could be sure that suppliers can actually meet the numerous threshold requirements identified. Te PM worked with the user community to tier the threshold requirements to allow for trade space. Tis
allowed the evaluation board to
evaluate the system’s performance with respect to the level of importance of each requirement.
In the source selection RFP, Section M identified a prenegotiated trade space of threshold values to be used in the evaluation:
• (T) Treshold requirements and spe- cific parameters are mandatory.
• (TT1) Treshold requirements are mandatory; specific parameters are highly desirable but not mandatory.
• (TT2) Treshold requirements are mandatory; specific parameters are desirable but not mandatory.
• (TT3) Treshold requirements are desired.
Recommendation Establish tiered threshold requirements in source selection RFP Section M similar to those above. Consider the same type of requirements structure for source selec- tions. Significant delays in evaluation can be avoided by discretely analyzing a reduced set of threshold criteria.
Army AL&T Magazine
July-September 2015
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