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News, announcements, training, search functions, Ask-a-Professor, and similar services with direct links supporting DoD acquisition.
Acquisition Process
Three processes cooperate to deliver capabilities needed by warfighters: the requirements process (JCIDS); the acquisition process (DAS); and the program and budget development process (PPBE). Includes links to DoD and Service policies, guidance, tools, and resources:
Workforce
Information on career management, the DoD Human Capital Initiative, career planning, leadership training, overarching planning and guidance documents, and relevant professional organizations.
Policy
Encyclopedic source of acquisition policy that follows a hierarchy of policy issuance (i.e., executive, legislative, federal, etc.) and filtered according to organization, career field, and special topics.
Communitiesof Practice
Links to communities of practice and special interest areas, the latest contribution and discussion posts for open ACC communities, community highlights, and links to related communities.
Training andContinuous Learning
Information on training and continuous learning that supports DoD acquisition, information that helps manage professional training portfolios, and information on training available from DAU and DoD and Services activities.
Industry
Information on DoD industry partners that helps the participation and execution of DoD processes; including industry support pages, news, information, and links to private sector acquisition contractors.
Displays tabs for additional AT&L Special Topics:
And popular AT&L Functional Gateways:
Portals
Functional Gateways
Fifteen functional knowledge gateways, one for each of the defense acquisition career fields.
Special Topics
Spcial Topics:
Better Buying Power Mission Areas MDID ACAT I/IA Support
Better Buying Power
News, policy, and media that support greater value and efficiency in defense acquisition.
Production, Quality & Manufacturing
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Manufacturing as a discipline has undergone dramatic changes in the last ten years. There is no end in sight to this change. Past concerns about quality and productivity have given way to the assumption that Six Sigma Quality and Lean techniques will become the absolute minimum for surviving enterprises. The global definition of quality in the industrialized world moves toward including environmentally compatible manufacturing. The lean focus on right thing, right amount, right place, right time, with zero waste is now commonly accepted, if imperfectly implemented.
Today's manufacturing enterprises are global in scale and competition. Technology acceleration continues in both products and processes. Clock speeds increase and all advantages are temporary. Regardless of product or process, "creative destruction" has become a way of life for all global manufacturers - improve or die. E-commerce, digital data exchange, process simulation and modeling, and the Internet now make the concept of "design-anywhere, build-anywhere" a daily reality for most of our larger corporations. Today's paradigm is the distributed, agile enterprise.
Acquisition reform has given program managers more freedom to make intelligent decisions. However, the 5000 holds the PM responsible for ensuring that production preparations, producibility and cost targets are met, while providing very little practical guidance. This can present a major management challenge.
[References] MIL-STD-1916, DOD Preferred Methods for Acceptance of Product
[Tools & Forms] PRR Checklist (DoD)
[Response] Reference the MRL Deskbook dated July 2011, it does supersede the older Deskbook.
[Question] I am writing a SOW for Transition to Production. I want the Contractor to conduct a MRA. There are two instructions out there - -MRL Deskbook V2.01 of July 2011, and MRA deskbook verison 7.1 (draft) of 2 May 2009. I want the Contractor to conduct a MRA. Do I need to reference both documents, or does the MRA Deskbook supersede the MRL Deskbook?
[Tools & Forms] MRL 7 Checklist
[Community Event] DMSMS & Standardization 2012
[Community Event] AeroDef Manufacturing Conference
[Community Event] DMC 2012
[References] MRL Matrix
[Response] I recommend you take a look at the MRL Matrix which is available on the DAU PQM Community of Practice. If you have achieved a Milestone C decision, then you assess at an MRL 9, if you have not yet achieved an MS C decision then assess at an MRL 8. If the contractor is still working on a technology or component, then you should request a Cost and Schedule Status Report on that item to ensure they are making progress. I would want a report on any open engineering changes (number of changes, especially any major changes, expected closure dates) to ensure that the design is beginning to mature. I would want a report on manufacturing cost (est vs actuals) to ensure that production cost will be coming in as estimated and that you are moving toward FRP cost goals. I would want a report on any materials or supply chain issues (shortages, late deliveries, work arounds, etc.). I would want quality reports on yields, scrap, rework and repair cost (COQ), first article inspections, customer satisfaction, etc., especially on key/critical processes and characteristics. I would want a manpower report on critical skills, manpower shortages, training/certification needs, and potential work stoppages (strikes, etc.). You should understand any facility/tooling requirements and especially those that are long lead, and are yet to be developed, delivered or demonstrated. And you should know the status of any manufacturing planning and demonstrations of those plans. Especially new and unproven manuacturing processes. These do not all have to be CDRLs, but you and your contractor counterpart should be discussing these on a regular basis. I am attaching an MRL Matrix, it has the latest changes, these changes have not been approved yet, but should be shortly.
[Question] When a program starts into LRIP, are there key manufacturing measures, processes and/or functions that should be part of the quarterly IPR, or CDRL requirements?
[Question] PCA Checklist
[Question] Reference is dated
[Tools & Forms] TRL and MRL Maturity Planning Worksheet
[Related Websites] DOD MRL website
[References] MRL Deskbook V2.0
[Lessons Learned] GAO Assessments of Selected Acquisition Programs
[References] Work Breakdown Sturcture Mil Std
[Lessons Learned] GAO Report of Space and Missile Defense Acquisitions
[Case Studies] Manufacturing Insecurity
[Articles and Papers] Best Plants
[Related Websites] Industry Week
[Related Websites] Lean Maintenance
[Related Websites] Aviation/Space & Defense Division of ASQ
[Related Websites] International Society for Agile Manufacturing
[Related Websites] Air Force Center for Systems Engineering
[Related Websites] DCMA Communities of Practice
[Related Websites] U. S. Army Center for Lessons Learned
[Related Websites] Air Force Center of Excellence
[Case Studies] Next Generation Manufacturing Study
[Lessons Learned] JSF Lessons Learned
[References] Increased Focus on Requirements and Oversight Needed
[Related Websites] Key Performance Parameters
[References] Integrating Business and Engineering Strtegy Through Modular Open Systems Approach
[References] Modular Design and Technology Insertion (CNO)
[References] Open Systems Design (Defense Acquisition Guide)
[Announcement] Army Science Conference
[Regulatory] MRLs now required by Law
[References] National Defense Authorization Act 2011
[Articles and Papers] Strengthening the U.S. Manufacturing Sector
[References] Review of Program Managers
[References] TRA Deskbook
[Regulatory] Roles and Responsibilities of Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Overarching
[Regulatory] Reliability Analysis, Planning, Tracking, and Reporting
[Related Websites] SEBok, Guide to Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge
[Related Websites] INCOSE Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge
[Tools & Forms] Automated Requirments Roadmap Tool (ARRT)
[References] Manufacturing Development Guide
[Related Websites] Manufacturing is Cool
[Learning Materials] Preventing Counterfeit Parts from Entering DoD Supply System
[Learning Materials] Lead Free Electronics Impact on DoD Programs
[Related Websites] Manufactuirng Body of Knowledge
[Related Websites] Tutor2U Manufacturing Topics