Definition General Info Policies Guides Communities Training Related
DEFINITION
The purpose of the Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) is to help programs develop their systems engineering (SE) approach, providing a firm and well-documented technical foundation for the program.
GENERAL INFORMATION/NARRATIVE
The SEP is a living document in which periodic updates capture the program's current status and evolving SE implementation and its relationship with the overall program management effort.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) suggests programs organize the SEP according to five critical focus areas:
- Program Requirements: The SEP should define how the program will manage all requirements (statutory, regulatory, derived, certification).
- Technical Staffing and Organization Planning: The SEP should show how the program will structure and organize the program team to satisfy requirements.
- Technical Baseline Management: The SEP should establish a technical baseline approach.
- Technical Review Planning: The SEP should show how the program will manage the technical effort, including the technical baselines, through event-based technical reviews.
- Integration with Overall Management of the Program: The SEP should link SE to other management efforts, including the Acquisition Strategy, test planning, sustainment planning, configuration management, risk management, and life-cycle management.
Although the detailed content of each SEP is tailorable according to the particulars of a program and each update may vary depending on the program's acquisition phase, using a common framework encourages sound technical planning throughout the program's life cycle. The emphasis should be on the rigor of the technical planning as captured in the SEP, not on the SEP itself.
The SEP also serves as a common reference to achieve shared stakeholder insight regarding a program's planned technical approach. It provides a documented understanding of how the program will accommodate cost, schedule, performance, and sustainment trades; the expected products of the SE effort; and how these products will contribute to program decision making. Modeling and simulation (M&S) is a key enabler throughout the acquisition life cycle; therefore, the strategy for using M&S to support the program should be documented in the SEP rather than in a separate stand-alone document.
POLICIES, DIRECTIVES, REGULATIONS, LAWS
- February 20, 2004, USD(AT&L) Memorandum, "Policy for Systems Engineering in DoD,"
October 18, 2007, Systems Engineering Plan Preparation Guide Version 2.0
- October 22, 2004, USD(AT&L) Memorandum, "Policy Addendum for Systems Engineering."
- April 27, 2006, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) ASN(RD&A) Memorandum, "Revised Policy for DoN Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) Review and Approval"
- June 13, 2005, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology ASA(ALT) Memorandum, "Army Systems Engineering Policy"
- October 7, 2005, Secretary of the Air Force-Acquisition SAF/AQ Memorandum, "Air Force Systems Engineering Policy", Attachment 1 and Attachment 2
SYSPARS : The Systems Planning and Requirements Software (SYSPARS) is a government owned tool that uses expert system technology to foster a planning process and create planning documentation. It can guide the planning office through a though provoking, repeatable process to create a Systems Engineering Plan. For more information please visit https://www.logsa.army.mil/lec/syspars
BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED, STORIES, GUIDES, HANDBOOKS, TEMPLATES, EXAMPLES, TOOLS
Required For: System engineering policies direct that a SEP shall be approved by the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) in conjunction with each milestone review and integrated with the Acquisition Strategy. The SEP shall detail the timing, conduct, and success criteria for technical reviews.
When Required: Programs should develop an initial SEP as early as possible during the Concept Refinement phase. The technical approach documented in the SEP should then contribute to the formulation and update of the Acquisition Strategy and be included as part of each RFP. After contract award (i.e., development, production, or sustainment), the government program team and the contractor(s) should work jointly to update the SEP throughout the program's life cycle; Draft SEP Submittal The program should prepare the draft SEP (initial or update) with the assistance of an SE WIPT. Program managers for ACAT ID, IAM, and Special Interest Programs should submit the draft SEP to ODUSD (A&T) SSE/AS for informal review and comment no later than 120 days before the applicable milestone decision. Best practice is to submit the draft SEP no later than 120 days before the anticipated approval date of the Acquisition Strategy. Upon adjudication of comments (normally within 45 days), the program should submit the final SEP for formal approval.
Final SEP Submittal The appropriate CAE should submit the final SEP to ODUSD(A&T)SSE/AS (or designated representative) for MDA approval no later than 30 days before the milestone decision. Best practice is to submit the SEP no later than 30 days before the anticipated approval date of the Acquisition Strategy. Upon adjudication of SEP comments, SSE/AS will forward the SEP to the appropriate Overarching Integrated Product Team (OIPT) leader for endorsement to the MDA.
SEP Update Procedures Formal SEP updates signed by the MDA are required for acquisition milestone decisions, program restructures, and/or program deviations. Updates will be submitted to ODUSD(A&T)SSE/AS following the above submittal instructions. Informal SEP updates should be approved by the lead/chief systems engineer and program manager before each technical review.
For Joint or multiservice programs, the program will coordinate the SEP with the respective service or agency chief systems engineer before submittal to ODUSD(A&T)SSE/AS.
ODUSD (A&T) Systems and Software Engineering/Enterprise Development ATL-ED@osd.mil
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
TRAINING RESOURCES
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Definition General Info Policies Guides Communities Training Related