1. Acquisition Planning NCMA
Laurie Carpentier
ESC Acquisition Center of Excellence
Date: 10 Mar 10

2. Overview Acquisition Strategy Planning Defense Acquisition Framework
Overarching Acquisition Considerations
Tailoring Acquisition Considerations to Specific Program Needs
Acquisition Consideration Issues
Acquisition Strategy Panels / Approvals
Challenges to Acquisition Strategy
Keys to Successful Acquisition Planning
Acquisition Planning References

3. Acquisition Strategy Planning – Why?
An acquisition strategy (AS) is a high-level business and technical management approach designed to achieve program objectives within specified resource constraints. It is the framework for planning, organizing, staffing, controlling, and leading a program. (DSMC Acq Strategy Guide)
AS encompasses entire life cycle of a program (DoDI framework)
AS required for entry to Milestone B and subsequent entry milestones
Tailored to program, documented via LCMP, AS / requirements conveyed in contract instruments
“Agencies shall perform acquisition planning… the purpose of this planning is to ensure that the Government meets its needs in the most effective, economical, and timely manner.” (FAR 7.102)

4. Acquisition Strategy Planning – What?
RESULT of extensive planning and preparation and thorough understanding of
Specific acquisition program AND
General defense / agency acquisition environments
REQUIRES collaboration between
Senior Acquisition Official (SAE), Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) (or MDA-equivalent for non-ACAT programs) and program manager and functional communities engaged in and supporting the acquisition
NO COOKIE-CUTTER
APPROACH
LEARN WHERE
TO GO FOR HELP
GENERAL DEFENSE / AGENCY ACQUISITION REFERENCES
DoD Directive Defense Acquisition System
DoD Instruction Operation of the Defense Acquisition System
Defense Acquisition Guidebook
FAR-- Part 7, DFARS-- Part 207, AFFARS and IG , AFMCFARS and IG 4

5. Defense Acquisition Management Framework
(DoD Instruction )
User Needs
Technology Opportunities & Resources A C B
IOC
FOC
Materiel
Solution
Analysis
Technology Development
Engineering and
Manufacturing Development
Production & Deployment
Operations &
Support
ICD
CDD
CPD
Materiel Development
Decision
Post PDR
Assessment
FRP
Decision
Review
Post CDR
Assessment
AoA
PDR
PDR
CDR
Pre-Systems Acquisition or
Systems Acquisition
Sustainment
Acq Strategy
Required Here
and subsequent entry milestones
GET TO KNOW THE ACQUISITION LIFE CYCLE

6. Overarching Acquisition Strategy Considerations …
… RESEARCH AND KNOW ….
Overarching Acquisition Strategy Considerations
… Consistent with statute and regulation, the program manager should tailor the
acquisition strategy and required information to the specific program needs.
Acquisition Approach
Modular Open Systems Approach
Best Practices
Business Considerations
Product Support
Capability Needs Summary
Program Structure
Environment, Safety, Occupational Health
Relief, Exemption, and Waiver
Human Systems Integration
Research and Technology Protection
Information Assurance
Information Technology
Resource Management
Integrated Test and Evaluation
Risk Management
Systems Engineering
Interoperability
USE ALL
AVAILABLE
RESOURCES
Excerpts from
Acquisition Deskbook 6

7. … Tailored to Program-Specific Needs
Acquisition Strategy Foundations
INPUTS
…Iterative process to determine SOUND strategy for specific program…
Robust Sys Eng
Competitive or Sole Source?
Program Objectives
Collaborative
Requirements
Technology
Transition
Direction,Funding
FAR Part 12 or Part 15?
Develop Acq. Strategy
Early
Industry Involvement…
Market Research Findings
Contract Form and Type?
Evolutionary
Acq.
Risk Workshop Results
Expectation
Management
Incentives? 7

8. … Tailored to Program-Specific Needs (cont’d)
Development of an Acquisition Strategy can be very COMPLEX
Don’t get stuck going in circles…
Get the right people involved
early in the requirement
identification / definition stages
IPTs must adequately address all regulatory requirements and relevant acquisition considerations in developing SOUND Acquisition Strategies
Early Collaboration is Key

9. Acquisition Considerations - Issues
Teams bring programs forward for Acquisition Strategy Approval without well defined requirements or sound acquisition strategy
Acquisition strategy not well thought out
Briefer(s) can’t answer questions when asked
Technology maturity level – strategy doesn’t address
Schedule charts– teams don’t seem to understand schedule fully; can’t answer basic questions on realism or achievability
Future competition not addressed
Next increment / future increments poorly addressed

10. Acquisition Considerations - Issues (cont’d)
Source selection evaluation criteria NOT tied to significant risks discovered
Identifying significant risk via risk assessment activities, but then NOT evaluating them during source selection to ensure offeror(s) has an adequate strategy to mitigate the risk during contract performance
Source selection evaluation criteria established that are NOT key discriminators in best-value decision
Source Selection– strategy does not adequately explain what team plans to do

11. Acquisition Considerations – Issues (cont’d)
Risks poorly addressed; teams don’t understand risk mitigation
Data Mgt and Technical Data Rights not addressed
Contract type not adequately addressed
Should fully address why the contract type is appropriate for the given strategy/risks
Incentives– strategy does not address what they are, or why they will work
Risk Management  Identification of Risk  Mitigation of Risk  Flow of biggest risks shape acquisition / business strategy to be adopted  these get conveyed in Section L, Instructions to Offerors  Section M, Evaluation Criteria

12. Acquisition Considerations – Issues (cont’d)
Acquisition Strategy documentation weak / missing
Roles of Players
Small Business Strategy
MOASP Requirement
Bundling / Consolidation Decision Justification
Performance based (SOO vs SOW)
Consideration of GFP / GFI
Reliability, maintainability, quality assurance
Baseline management – technical & product
Use of warranties
Specifications and configuration approach

13. Acquisition Considerations – Issues (cont’d)
Government vs Contractor Support Analysis
Need business case to support determination
Competition considerations: repairs and supply
Open Technology Consideration
Organizational conflict of interest (OCI) concerns

14. Acquisition Strategy Panels
AFFARS (a)-- ASPs
(1) ASPs should take place as early as possible in the acquisition planning process to develop a systematic and disciplined approach to achieve an efficient/effective acquisition. The ASP chairperson has the authority to waive the requirement for an ASP.
(2) The program manager, or the contracting officer if a program manager is not assigned, shall conduct an ASP for all ACAT programs, CSO acquisitions, and AFPEO/CM acquisitions.
(3) For Other Contracting acquisitions, Acquisition Strategy Panels (ASPs) shall be convened for all acquisitions requiring a formal/written Acquisition Plan (AP). The ASP chairperson may establish streamlined ASP procedures for acquisitions <$5.5M.

15. ASP Best Practices Ideal Entrance Criteria for ASP Firm Requirements
Official Direction
Approved Budget
Proposed Acquisition Strategy Defined
Program Schedule/Program Office Estimate complete
Coordinated acquisition strategy with cognizant small business specialist
Draft LCMP prepared ready or near ready

16. Solicitation Release
AFFARS (S-90) (a): - Solicitation Release
(1) For non-space related ACAT programs, unless otherwise authorized by the MDA, the contracting officer shall not release the formal solicitation until the MDA has approved the Acquisition Strategy/LCMP strategy in accordance with USD(AT&L) and Air Force guidance.
AFFARS (S-90) (c): - Independent Review
(c) Independent Review. The Clearance Approval Authority will conduct an independent review of the draft Acquisition Strategy Panel brief, or draft Acquisition Plan, or its equivalent in accordance with Mandatory Procedure MP (b), Clearance – Multi-functional Independent Review.

17. Challenges to Acquisition Strategy
Changes in the Law
Data Management and Technical Data Rights
New Changes in Services PEO Acquisitions
Changing Trends in Strategies
Types of Incentive Fee -- CPIF in lieu of CPAF
T&M to a minimum
Multiple Award vs Lead System Integrator (LSI)
DO / TO > $10M can be protested
Single Award ID/IQ requires approval

18. Keys to Successful Acquisition Strategy
Know your requirement
Form an IPT early on
All perspectives required to develop products
Defined needs for different disciplines
Strive for cohesive proactive team
Early Involvement of ACE Office
Help develop documentation
Risk Assessment workshops / guidance
Mentor throughout the process
Offer advice from previous experiences

19. Is generally very COMPLEX!
Summary
To this…
Acquisition and Business Strategy Considerations…
Is generally very COMPLEX!
From this…
Use all the available Acquisition Strategy
development resources
to derive a
SOUND strategy
meeting Warfighter needs! 19