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DefenseAcquisitionGuidebook

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Executive Summary

This document serves as an official manual for the U.S. Department of Defense on how to manage the development and purchase of military technologies. It provides step-by-step guidance for program managers to ensure new equipment is affordable, technically sound, and delivered on schedule.
Analysis Confidence: High
ST_CODE: 1068C6

System Metadata

Source ID

DOC-DOD_DEFE

Process Date

2/3/2026

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SHA256-audk4hdgxdg...

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COMPLETE

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INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS

Layman's Executive Summary

This document serves as an official manual for the U.S. Department of Defense on how to manage the development and purchase of military technologies. It provides step-by-step guidance for program managers to ensure new equipment is affordable, technically sound, and delivered on schedule.

Document Origin

The Department of Defense (DoD), specifically compiled from the Defense Acquisition Guidebook (DAG) website managed by the Defense Acquisition University (DAU).

Research Purpose

The document was created to provide the acquisition workforce with discretionary best practices and procedural guidance to supplement mandatory policies (DoDD 5000.01 and DoDI 5000.02) for managing national security investments.

Relevancy Analysis

" While administrative in nature, this guidebook defines the 'rules of engagement' for entities like DARPA and Sandia when moving experimental technologies (such as fusion or advanced aerospace systems) into the procurement pipeline. Specifically, Chapter 8 (Intelligence Analysis Support) and Chapter 4 (Systems Engineering) outline the protocols for managing the risk and technical integrity of sensitive programs. Understanding these milestones is critical for identifying how 'black programs' are masked within the standard acquisition lifecycle. "

Extracted Verifiable Claims

  • The guidebook is designed to complement DoD Directive 5000.01 and DoD Instruction 5000.02.
  • Chapter 8 of the manual is titled 'Intelligence Analysis Support to Acquisition' and focuses on using data to reduce risk to cost and schedule.
  • The production date of this version is 16-September-2013.
  • Chapter 7 addresses the acquisition of Information Technology and National Security Systems in compliance with the Clinger-Cohen Act.
  • The primary objective of the Defense Acquisition System is to satisfy user needs with measurable improvements to mission capability at a fair and reasonable price.

Technical Contribution

This document provides the specific administrative and regulatory framework that governs how advanced technology programs are transitioned from conceptual research to formal military acquisition programs.

FORENSIC_TRANSCRIPT_LOG

Transcript

Page 1 of 196

INTRODUCTION

Defense Acquisition Guidebook Production Date:16-September-2013 This document is an accurate representation of the content posted on the DAG website for this Chapter, as of the date of production listed on the cover. Please refer to the DAG website for the most up to date guidance at https://dag.dau.mil 2 DEFENSE ACQUISITION GUIDEBOOK - Foreword The Defense Acquisition System exists to manage the Nation's investments in technologies, programs, and product support necessary to achieve the National Security Strategy and support the United States Armed Forces. In that context, our objective is to acquire quality products that satisfy user needs with measurable improvements to mission capability at a fair and reasonable price. The fundamental principles and procedures that the Department follows in achieving those objectives are described in Do D Directive 5000.01 and Do D Instruction 5000.02 . The Defense Acquisition Guidebook is designed to complement those policy documents by providing the acquisition workforce with discretionary best practice that should be tailored to the needs of each program. Acquisition professionals should use this Guidebook as a reference source supporting their management responsibilities. As an "on-line" resource, the information is limited only by the users interest or need. Some chapters contain general content; they provide individual topic discussions and describe processes and considerations that will improve the effectiveness of program planning. Some chapters may provide a tutorial on the application of these topics to the acquisition framework. Depending on the subject matter, a chapter may contain general background information, tutorial discussions, and/or discussions of the detailed requirements for each milestone decision and phase. All chapters contain non-mandatory staff expectations for satisfying the mandatory requirements in Do D Instruction 5000.02. Each chapter is designed to improve understanding of the acquisition process and ensure adequate knowledge of the statutory and regulatory requirements associated with the process. Discussions, explanations, and electronic links to related information enable the "reader" to be efficient, effective, innovative, and disciplined, and to responsively provide warfighting capability. Each chapter lists potential ways the program manager or assigned manager can satisfy mandatory process requirements and meet staff expectations for other activities. Differences of view regarding discretionary practice will be resolved by the Milestone Decision Authority. The Guidebook is intended to be an electronic reference source rather than a "book." The "reader" "navigates" the information instead of "leafing" through hundreds of physical, collated pages. "Navigation" is electronic movement through the reference system. Chapter 1, Department of Defense Decision Support Systems , presents an overview of the Defense Department's decision support systems for strategic planning and resource allocation, the determination of capability needs, and the acquisition of systems. Chapter 2, Program Strategies , provides information and guidance needed to develop a Technology Development Strategy and to develop and maintain a program-level This document is an accurate representation of the content posted on the DAG website for this Chapter, as of the date of production listed on the cover. Please refer to the DAG website for the most up to date guidance at https://dag.dau.mil 3 Acquisition Strategy. Chapter 3, Affordability and Life-cycle Resource Estimates , addresses acquisition program affordability and resource estimation and describes the concept of program life-cycle cost and the processes for conducting Analysis of Alternatives. The chapter discusses specific milestone review procedures, expectations, and best practices for a variety of topics related to acquisition program affordability, cost, and manpower. The chapter further describes the role of both Do D Component cost estimates and independent cost estimates in support of the Do D acquisition system. Chapter 4, Systems Engineering , outlines Do D guidance on systems engineering, and explains expectations for completing the Systems Engineering Plan (SEP). The chapter describes standard systems engineering processes and how they apply to the Do D acquisition system. It addresses the systems engineering principles that a program manager should apply to achieve a balanced system solution. Chapter 5, Life-cycle Logistics , provides the associated guidance the Program Manager (PM), Product Support Manager (PSM), and Life-Cycle Logisticians can use in influencing the design and providing effective product support. Chapter 6, Human Systems Integration , addresses the human systems elements of the systems engineering process. It will help the program manager design and develop systems that effectively and affordably integrate with human capabilities and limitations; and it makes the program manager aware of the staff resources available to assist in this endeavor. Chapter 7, Acquiring Information Technology, Including National Security Systems , explains how the Department of Defense complies with statutory and regulatory requirements for acquiring Information Technology and National Security Systems and in using a network-centric strategy to transform Do D warfighting, business, and intelligence capabilities. The chapter also provides descriptions and explanations of the Clinger-Cohen Act and many other associated topics and concepts, and discusses many of the activities that enable the development of net-centric systems. Chapter 8, Intelligence Analysis Support to Acquisition , provides information to enable the program manager to use intelligence information and data to ensure maximum war- fighting capability at the minimum risk to cost and schedule. Chapter 9, Test and Evaluation , supplements direction and instruction in Do DD 5000.01 and Do DI 5000.02 with processes and procedures for planning and executing an effective and affordable T&E program in the Do D acquisition model. The chapter is designed to assist the program manager in the development of a robust, integrated, and effective test and evaluation strategy to assess operational effectiveness and suitability, and to support program decisions. Chapter 10, Decisions, Assessments, and Periodic Reporting , discusses major This document is an accurate representation of the content posted on the DAG website for this Chapter, as of the date of production listed on the cover. Please refer to the DAG website for the most up to date guidance at https://dag.dau.mil 4 program decisions and tailoring based on program type and acquisition category, executive-level decision forums and the tenets and processes of Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), program assessments, and periodic reporting. Additional chapter topics include exit criteria, independent assessments, Acquisition Baseline Plan development and management, and periodic reports for Major Acquisition Programs and Major Automated Information Systems programs. The chapter also addresses Should-Cost with a focus on controlling the cost of the actual work that the Department is doing and expects to do. Chapter 11, Program Management Activities , explains the additional activities and decisions required of the program manager, not otherwise discussed in other chapters of this Guidebook. Chapter 12, Business Capability Life Cycle , provides guidance for executing the Business Capability Lifecycle (BCL) and acquisition of defense business systems (DBS). BCL is the overarching framework for the planning, design, acquisition, deployment, operations, maintenance, and modernization of DBS. Chapter 13, Program Protection , provides guidance and expectations for the major activities associated with Program Protection. Chapter 14, Acquisition of Services , provides acquisition teams with a disciplined, three-phase, seven step process, for the acquisition of services. This document is an accurate representation of the content posted on the DAG website for this Chapter, as of the date of production listed on the cover. Please refer to the DAG website for the most up to date guidance at https://dag.dau.mil 5 DEFENSE ACQUISITION GUIDEBOOK Chapter 1 -- Department of Defense Decision Support Systems 1.0. Overview 1.1. Integration of the Do D Decision Support Systems 1.2. Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) Process 1.3. Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) 1.4. Defense Acquisition System 1.0. Overview 1.0.1. Purpose 1.0.2. Contents 1.0.1. Purpose This chapter provides background information about the environment in which the Department of Defense must operate to acquire new or modified materiel or services. 1.0.2. Contents