The Cyber and Information Systems team has program engagement and oversight responsibilities for more than 50 Major Defense Acquisition Programs, Major Automated Information Systems, and Special Interest programs across the DoD Services and Agencies. Program mission areas include tactical to strategic communications systems, C2 and intelligence systems, networks, ground-based radars, biometrics systems, defense business systems, and chemical demilitarization programs. The team is responsible to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Developmental Test & Evaluation) for monitoring and reviewing DT&E planning, execution, and results across the assigned program portfolio.

The Cyber and Information Systems team works with the Services/Agencies, PEOs and program offices early and throughout the acquisition lifecycle to assist in developing and documenting a DT&E strategy and plans that will provide sufficient information to support key program decisions. The team monitors the program during planning and execution, providing continuous feedback on performance and risk to program managers as well as periodic feedback to acquisition decision-makers through both formal and informal assessments.

Providing Engagement so Acquisition Programs Can Succeed:

• Support to programs and program offices
  • SMEs with hundreds of years experience
  • Highly focused on T&E
  • Deep knowledge of what works
• Improve acquisition outcomes by engaging with program offices to position them to succeed and execute Title 10 oversight responsibilities
• Ensure planning, execution, reporting, and resourcing are adequate to evaluate system capabilities and limitations
• Maximize discovery in EMD phase, such that IOT&E is confirmation
• Developing DT&E policy
• Advancing strategic T&E planning capability
• Improving Service DT&E competencies

Providing Enagement for Hot Topics:

• NDAA 2012 RTO and Chief, DT&E implementation
• NDAA 2010 Sec 804 IT acquisition reform
• Defense Business System T&E
• Business Capability Lifecycle; Agile system acquisition
• Evaluation framework
• Army's recurring Network Integration Evaluation
• Design for reliability and reliability growth (starting with MS A)
• Scientific Test and Analysis Techniques (STAT) Center of Excellence

What We Do

In its role, the division provides technical and programmatic evaluation, and functional oversight for Department of Defense acquisition programs in support of planned and ongoing acquisition programs.

• Engineering Assessment / Mentoring of Major Defense Programs
• PDR, CDR, Failure Review Boards (FRB), Technical and Program Management Reviews, Joint Reliability and Maintainability Evaluation Team (JRMET) Reviews
• OIPT / DAB / DAES / Combined Investment Review Board (C-IRB) Support
• Formulation and conduct of DT&E activities
• Developmental and Integrated Test and Evaluation Plans
• DT&E is the primary feedback to system engineering prior to OT&E
• Support to program ITT
• Author acquisition oversight reporting through DT&E/SE Annual Report

Successful Developmental Approaches

• Institute deliberate, rigorous, disciplined technical approaches
• Government direction, oversight, accountability, and decision making
• Critical feedback to system development and engineering
• Require technology maturation prior to inclusion in increments
• Ruthless control of configuration (can identify requirements creep)
• Series of rigorous reviews prior to missions
• Review panels leverage differing perspectives from the most expert, experienced talent from a variety of disciplines and organizations
• DT&E discipline and engagement with AT&L
• Emphasize integration with other existing and approved architectures and capabilities
• Include information assurance planning
• Evaluate integrated system capabilities for end-to-end operational functionality

Providing Information and Insight

• Early and continuous interaction toward common goal
• Help the PM develop and refine current operational and system architecture products
• Help the PM develop and refine operational workflow definitions to DT&E & OT&E communities for use in T&E development
• Focus appropriately on:
  • DT&E on technical requirements
  • OT&E on operational requirements in T&E concept development
• Evaluation framework and decision making

Providing Value

• Provide policy and implementation guidance to full spectrum of Cyber & Information Systems portfolio programs through ITT participation
• Attend Technical System Reviews, ensuring DT&E interests and equities adequately addressed in pre-contract award phase
• Implement DT&E Evaluation Framework
• Support TEMP development in conjunction with the ITT

Benefits and Outcome

• Identify T&E acquisition risk
• Improve acquisition, T&E strategies; incorporate into RFPs and contracts
• Advance best practices, especially T&E planning and analysis
• Accelerated system maturation discovery of failures and defects
• Increased efficiencies and effectiveness during the TEMP development
• Improve technical suitability and ROI
• Provide T&E assessment for MDA at critical decision points