This appendix and Appendix B provide a somewhat-detailed candidate description of program phases and decision milestones for CHSS and SDCI programs, respectively. Rather than being explicitly prescriptive, these appendixes are meant to offer plausible potential ways in which the committee’s recommended changes might be incorporated that align with current acquisition methods. In several cases the program phases and decision milestones for CHSS programs are similar to those for SDCI programs, which are elaborated in Appendix B. There are, of course, other possible implementations of the committee’s recommendations.

The purpose of the Material Development Decision (MDD) and the responsibilities of the PM, PMT, and MDA for CHSS programs are the same as for SDCI programs.

The purpose of the Business Case Development Phase for CHSS programs is the same as for SDCI programs, though with much greater emphasis placed on aligning the business strategy and investment strategy with the technical incremental capability strategy as discussed in Appendix B. Correspondingly there should be much less emphasis on a concept of operations (CONOPS) for purely unmodified COTS hard-

ware, software, and services. As with SDCI programs, the Business Case Development Phase is carried out under the leadership and direction of the PMT for the proposed program.

The purpose of the Milestone A: Planning, Analysis, and Concept Demonstration Decision Phase and the responsibilities of the PM, PMT and MDA for this category of IT acquisition programs are conceptually similar to those for SDCI programs. The difference at this decision milestone and in the subsequent program phase is that concept demonstration should be undertaken if and only if there are clear issues or questions that must be resolved through demonstration that cannot be resolved in successive capability increments. This will frequently not be the case for the use of unmodified COTS products or services. As such, concept demonstration should be regarded as optional, with a bias to not performing it for most programs. The principal focus should be on the planning and analysis activities. Due to the nature of CHSS programs, this will substantially be market research-based analysis with planning extended into the Deployment Phase.

The purpose of the Planning, Analysis, and Concept Demonstration Phase for CHSS programs is similar that for SDCI programs with the exception of the change in emphasis discussed above. Further, requirements will typically focus on capability, capacity, and key nonfunctional requirements (e.g., operational availability and environmental qualification for hardware).

As with the software development and COTS software integration category of IT programs, the Planning, Analysis, and Concept Demonstration Phase for the first increment can readily be adapted to a multiple-award contract model with a subsequent competitive selection of a single provider coincident with the initial Milestone B decision if such additional competition is deemed appropriate in the program’s acquisition strategy.

For subsequent planning and analysis phases after the initial one leading to the initial Milestone B Program Initiation Decision, the above

process can be substantially abbreviated. The purpose of the Increment 2 and Beyond Planning, and Analysis Phases for CHSS programs is the same as that for the second increment in SDCI programs.

The purpose of the Milestone B: Program or Capability Increment Initiation Decision and the responsibilities of the PM, PMT, and MDA for CHSS programs are the same as those for SDCI programs.

As with SDCI programs, the purpose of the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) Phase for CHSS programs is to provide the next increment of capability. Since developmental efforts are not involved, however, the nature of the learning and communications cycle and the role of the end user and other stakeholders change, as does integrated test and evaluation. Since the focus is on COTS software configuration, hardware integration, or hardware ruggedization to meet environmental qualification requirements, and not on software development, time-boxed iterations can still play a role but are not as critical as they are for SDCI programs.

The purpose of the Milestone C: Capability Increment Deployment Decision and the responsibilities of the PM, PMT, and MDA are the same for CHSS programs as they are for SDCI programs, with one addition: validating the attainment of an environmentally qualified first article for COTS hardware programs targeted at deployable units. As SDCI programs, if there are subsequent increments, this Milestone C decision should ideally be conducted coincident with the Milestone B decision for the subsequent increment, since many of the factors affecting the deployment decision can also materially affect the composition of the next increment.

The purpose of the Deployment Phase is the same for CHSS programs as it is for SDCI programs.

The purpose of the Operations and Sustainment Phase for this category of IT acquisition programs is the same for CHSS programs as it is for SDCI programs.