Capability Requirements Document (CRD)
A current-practice collection of operational requirements addressing the needs of exactly one developmental spiral or increment. Contrast with its predecessor, the ORD.
DoD Directive 5000.1R (Acquisition System)
The granddaddy document for how the Department of Defense is supposed to acquire systems, forming the formal context for most of our System Engineering efforts.
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
The body of regulations governing the procurement of materiel and services by the Federal Government. See http://www.acquisition.gov/far. Not to be confused with FAR.
Handbook
In the system of DoD development documentation, a publication of guidance. The DoD Handbook cannot (in theory) be referenced by contractual document as “required”, but I haven’t noticed that fact actually stops anybody from trying.
Incremental Development
A developmental strategy in which an end-goal set of requirements are allocated to a CI, but no set sequence of development steps is defined. In effect, motion toward a pre-determined goal in the hopes that there is a road out there, somewhere, just waiting to be found. Contrast with spiral development. In incremental development, knowing... read more
Interface Control Document (ICD)
A formal document characterizing an interface. As a formal document, the ICD typically exists only when two legally distinct organizations must coordinate on the development of items that must coexist to some degree of interest to a contractual customer shared by both organizations.
Level (1|2|3) Drawing
Three “levels” of Engineering Drawing were defined by the now-defunct DOD-D-1000 “Drawings, Engineering and Associated Lists”. Even though the standard is no longer in use, and has not (to my knowledge) been functionally replaced by an industry standard, the “levels” concept is of some use in establishing a mental organization of how design progresses. It... read more
MIL-HDBK-245
Handbook for Preparation of Statement of Work (SOW).
MIL-STD-499
A now-canceled standard for System Engineering Management.
On Being Determined
Several pages were released today, all of which were spawned from an on-going example of requirements compilation. They include Things I Think I Know about Solicitation, Pricing Instructions, Selection Criteria, and related Requests for Information, Quote, and Proposal. With any luck, these will be followed (eventually) by some supporting exegeses. It might seem strange that... read more
Operational Requirements Document (ORD)
A legacy-practice collection of operational requirements, typically addressing the entirety of all developmental spirals and increments in a single document. Contrast with CRD.
Operations Research and System Analyst (ORSA)
Craig Naudain (SAIC) once described the difference between a System Engineer (SE) and an Operations Research and System Analyst (ORSA) as follows: an SE is the guy who tells the General he’ll go figure out an answer to the General’s problem. An ORSA is the guy who tells the General he’ll go figure out a... read more
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
An OEM makes a part that is sold to for End Use in some other guise (possibly in addition to being offered commercially by the OEM itself). In our context, the original part might (for example) be part of some next-higher assembly, or might be designated for our purpose as an interchangeable part by a... read more
Pricing Instructions
A set of field-leveling rules supplied to respondents in an RFQ or RFP. The PI can be an important, and complicated, part of a solicitation. It can include (but is not limited to) directions for handling different types and instances of TBD, for use of inflation data, or for handling of uncertainties. It usually requires... read more
Product
The stuff that actually gets turned over to an Acquisition Customer in exchange for cold, hard cash. Contrast with Service (meaning 2).
Product Line
A group1 of related Products. The relationship may be one of design derivation or evolution, similarity in technology, collocation of fabrication facilities, or any other factor causing a particular organization to designate them for collective management. Footnotes Which might be temporally sequential[↩]
Program Executive Office (PEO)
In DoD Acquistion practice, the office with procurement authority over a broadly defined class of system, generally covering more than a single Program. Superior to a PMO.
Program Management Office (PMO)
In DoD Acquisition practice, the office with procurement authority over a single Program. Subordinate to a PEO.
Request for Information
A solicitation for information from potential suppliers of a product or service. The responses are non-binding, so should usually be taken “with a grain of salt”. They are used, in part, to manage expectations within the procuring customer. They also notify the potential technical base of emerging interest in specific materiel or services. There are... read more
Request for Proposal
An RFP solicits formal, binding information on the cost, technical, and schedule characteristics of material or services to be procured. By definition, the procurement will be the focus of management. An RFP usually includes comprehensive draft requirements, insofar as they are known at the time of procurement. The use of “TBD” (of various types) is... read more
Request for Quote
A request for cost data from one or more potential suppliers during a procurement process. The results are usually non-binding, so should be taken “with a grain of salt”. An RFQ can also include the request for schedule data, because there is often a trade-off between cost and schedule. RFQ’s are used, in part, to... read more
Segment
A first-layer partition of a system. In legacy DoD Acquisition practice, a partition to be managed by a Governmental Agent (e.g., a PEO or Government Laboratory), as opposed to one for which management authority was delegated to a contractor (e.g., a Prime). Because the management was not delegated across a contractual boundary, the associated specification... read more
Selection Criteria
A list of factors to be considered when evaluating proposals. The list almost always includes the relative importance of each criterion. It should always be included in requests for proposal, to create a level playing field among all bidders. See the exegesis on mitigating biases.
Service
In software usage, a process executing without any specific login and, therefore, available to execute commands at the behest of other processes. In the Linux world, also called a “daemon”. In the early (non-multi-tasking) days of DOS, also referred to as “fork off and die”, which immediately leads to an unfortunate recommendation made to certain... read more
Solicitation
A solicitation is a procurement action where information is sought by a solicitor. Types include (but are not limited to) RFI, RFQ, and RFP. A solicitor might be acting on their own behalf, or might be acting as the agent for some other entity (e.g., an Acquisition Customer).
Spiral Development
A developmental strategy in which each iteration of specification, design and verification will be taken based on the results of the prior step. In effect, a voyage of discovery lived “in the moment”, taking whichever fork in the road makes sense at the time. Contrast with incremental development. In spiral development, knowing where we want... read more
Subcontract
A contract that is contractually and financially subordinate to some other contract (e.g., a Prime Contract) that governs its objectives, practices, and disbursement of funds.