Test & Evaluation Management Guide - DAU

1 Test & Evaluation Management Guide Foreword This 6th edition of the Test and Evaluation Management Guide (TEMG) was updated with the cooperation and support of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Developmental Test and Evaluation (DASD(DT&E)), the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), the President of the Defense acquisition University (DAU), and the DoD Component test and Evaluation (T&E) representatives. The TEMG is one of many technical Management educational guides developed for use by DAU. Although some Service-specific processes are included as illustrative examples, the TEMG, like all DAU products, is written primarily from a Department of Defense (DoD) perspective, , non-Service specific. The TEMG is intended primarily for use in courses at DAU and secondarily as a generic desk reference for program and project Management , and T&E personnel.

2 It is written for current and potential acquisition Management personnel and assumes some familiarity with basic terms, definitions, and processes as employed by the DoD acquisition process. The TEMG is designed to assist Government and industry personnel in executing their Management responsibilities relative to the T&E support of defense systems and facilitate learning during DAU coursework. The objective of a well-managed T&E program is to provide timely and accurate information to decision makers and program managers (PMs). The TEMG was developed to assist the acquisition community in obtaining a better understanding of who the decision makers are and determining how and when to plan T&E events so that they are efficient and effective. Although the TEMG includes some references to DoD policies, it is not a policy document and should not be viewed as such.

3 The latest versions of the DoD 5000 series, as well as the Defense acquisition Guidebook (DAG) (Chapter 9, Test and Evaluation ), should be consulted for specific policies and DoD recommended practices. References to Military Handbooks (MIL-HDBKs) appear throughout the TEMG: however, these handbooks are for guidance only and cannot be cited as a requirement. For additional learning materials about DoD T&E, consult the DAU Website ( ), for reviewing T&E continuous learning modules and accessing T&E courses, and go to the DAU acquisition Community Connection, T&E Community of Practice (CoP) available at Comments, updates, changes, and/or comments to this Guide should be provided to Office of the DASD(DT&E) T&E Competency and Development Directorate and to DAU. Chapter 1 - T&E Policy Structure and Oversight Mechanisms Introduction This chapter provides an introduction to the policy and organizations that govern the conduct of T&E activities within the DoD and discusses congressional legislation of T&E activities for compliance by DoD.

4 It outlines the responsibilities of DoD test organizations at the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and Service levels and describes related T&E policy. Congress Congress requires the DoD to provide the following reports that include information on T&E: Selected acquisition Report (SAR). This report consists of cost, schedule, and performance data. The SAR describes acquisition Category (ACAT) I system characteristics required and outlines significant progress and problems encountered. It lists tests completed and issues identified during testing. The program manager (PM) uses the Consolidated acquisition Reporting System software to prepare the SAR. DOT&E Annual Report. This report is provided by the DOT&E to the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) and the committees on Armed Services, National Security, and Appropriations.

5 The report provides a narrative and resource summary of all operational test and Evaluation (OT&E) and related issues, initiatives, other interest areas, activities, and assessments in the previous fiscal year. When oversight of live-fire testing (LFT) was moved to DOT&E, this issue was added to the report. Beyond Low-Rate Initial Production (BLRIP) Report. Before proceeding to BLRIP for each major defense acquisition program (MDAP), the DOT&E must report to the SecDef, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense for acquisition , Technology and Logistics (USD(AT&L)), Secretaries of the Military Departments, and Congress. This report addresses the adequacy of the Service initial operational test & Evaluation (IOT&E) and whether the T&E results confirm that the tested item or component is effective, suitable, and survivable for combat.

6 When oversight of live-fire test & Evaluation (LFT&E) was moved to the DOT&E, the LFT Report was added to the BLRIP report content. Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) Report. The USD(AT&L) should notify Congress a minimum of 30 days prior to the commitment of funds for initiation of new FCT evaluations of equipment produced by select allied and friendly foreign countries. Joint DASD(DT&E) and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Engineering (DASD(SE)) Annual Report. This report is required by statute to be provided to the committees on Armed Services and Appropriations. The joint report includes the significant Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E) and systems engineering (SE) activities for the Department's MDAPs, major automated information systems (MAIS), and special interest programs.

7 The report evaluates the progress of weapon systems' performance for programs designated for OSD T&E oversight. OSD Oversight Structure The DoD organization for the oversight of T&E is illustrated in Figure 1-1. For the USD(AT&L), DT&E oversight is performed by the DASD(DT&E), within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)). The DOT&E provides OT&E oversight for the SecDef. The Management of MDAPs in OSD is performed by the Defense acquisition Executive (DAE), who uses the Defense acquisition Board (DAB) and Overarching Integrated Product Teams (OIPTs) to process information for decisions. Figure 1-1 DoD Test and Evaluation Organizations DAE The DAE position, established in September 1986, is held by the USD(AT&L). As the DAE, the USD(AT&L) uses the DAB and its OIPTs to provide the senior-level decision process for the acquisition of weapon systems.

8 DAE responsibilities include establishing policies for acquisition (including procurement, research and development (R&D), logistics, developmental testing (DT), and contracts administration) for all elements of DoD. The DAE's charter includes the authority over the Services and Defense Agencies on policy, procedure, and execution of the weapon systems acquisition process. DAB The DAB is the senior advisory board for the DoD acquisition system. The board includes the Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs, the service Secretaries, and a number of Undersecretaries of Defense. Members of the DAB are responsible for approving the MDAPs and serve as the most important executive review of the most expensive acquisition projects in the DoD. The DAB is also the principal review forum enabling the USD(AT&L) to fulfill 10 USC Chapter 144 responsibilities concerning ACAT ID MDAPs.

9 The USD (AT&L) is the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) for ACAT ID programs and ACAT IAM programs that have not been delegated. The USD(AT&L) conducts DAB Reviews for ACAT ID and IAM programs at major milestone decision points, at the Full-Rate Production Decision Review, at Interim Program Reviews, and at other times as necessary. DASD(DT&E) In accordance with DoD Instruction (DoDI) (Reference (a)), the DASD(DT&E) shall be the focal point for all policy, practice, procedures, and acquisition workforce issues relating to DT&E within DoD. The DASD(DT&E) is the principal advisor to the SecDef and the USD(AT&L) on DT&E in the DoD in accordance with section 139b of Title 10, United States Code ( ) (Reference (b)). See Figure 1-1. Responsibilities of the DASD(DT&E) Some of the key duties of the DASD(DT&E) include: Develops policies and guidance for the following: o The planning, execution, and reporting of DT&E in the DoD, including integration and DT&E of software; o The integration of developmental and operational tests in coordination with the DOT&E; o The planning, execution, and reporting of DT&E executed jointly by more than one Military Department or Defense Agency; o The use of DT&E planning principles and best practices; and o The development of test and Evaluation strategies (TESs) and test and Evaluation master plans (TEMPs) in conjunction with the DOT&E.

10 Provides guidance to defense acquisition programs for developing and documenting the program's Evaluation strategy and Management approach in the TES and TEMP throughout the program's life cycle. Reviews and approve DT&E portions in the TES and TEMP for each program on the OSD T&E oversight list. Monitor and review, beginning with the materiel development decision, the DT&E and development planning activities of the pre-MDAPs and pre-MAIS programs. Monitor and review the DT&E activities of all MDAPs and MAIS programs and special interest programs identified on the OSD T&E oversight list. In accordance with (IAW) DTM 09-027 (Reference (ac)), ensure access to all test data and program information relevant to the execution of testing and fulfillment of DASD(DT&E) responsibilities. Serves as the DoD functional leader for the T&E acquisition career field.