9.1. OSD T&E Organization
The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) for operational test and evaluation (OT&E) and live fire test and evaluation (LFT&E), and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Developmental Test and Evaluation (DASD(DT&E)) within the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD(AT&L)) provide oversight and policy for T&E of certain acquisition programs within OSD. The DASD(DT&E) also serves as the Director, Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) and has responsibility for oversight of DoD T&E resources and infrastructure. By law, DASD(DT&E) closely coordinates with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Engineering (DASD(SE)), and routinely coordinates with other OSD organizations, such as Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE).
DOT&E and DASD(DT&E) share or coordinate on the following responsibilities:
- Prescribe policies and procedures for the T&E within the DoD
- Provide advice and make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense (SecDef),Deputy SecDef (DepSecDef), and USD(AT&L); as well as support Overarching Integrated Product Teams (OIPTs) and Defense Acquisition Boards/Information Technology Acquisition Boards for programs on the OSD T&E Oversight List
- Develop, in consultation with the DoD Components, the OSD T&E Oversight List
- Ensure the adequacy of T&E strategies and plans for programs on the OSD T&E Oversight List
- Ensure DoD Components do not terminate or substantially reduce participation in joint Acquisition Category (ACAT) ID or ACAT IAM programs without Requirements Authority review and USD(AT&L) approval
- Attend systems engineering technical reviews
- Monitor and review DT&E, OT&E, and LFT&E events of oversight programs
- Participate in the operational test readiness review (OTRR) process by providing recommendations concerning a system's readiness for operational testing
- Provide independent performance, schedule, and T&E assessments to the Defense Acquisition Executive Summary (DAES) process
- Provide representatives to the T&E working-level integrated product team (T&E WIPT) for oversight programs to assist program managers (PMs) in developing their strategy as well as preparing a TES/TEMP
9.1.1. OSD T&E Oversight List
The DOT&E and the DASD(DT&E), jointly, and in consultation with the DoD Component T&E executives and other offices as appropriate, publish an annual OSD T&E Oversight List. DOT&E and the DASD(DT&E) designate programs for DT&E, OT&E, and/or LFT&E oversight. They consider all programs for inclusion, regardless of ACAT level, and can add to or delete from the list at any time during the year. OSD considerations for inclusion on formal T&E oversight include:
- ACAT level
- Potential for Joint designation
- Potential for establishment as an acquisition program (such as Technology Projects identified in Enclosure 3 of DoDI 5000.02 or a pre-Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP))
- Stage of development or production
- Potential for DAES reporting
- Congressional and/or DoD interest
- Programmatic risk (cost, schedule, or performance)
- Past programmatic history of the developmental command
- Relationship with other systems as part of a system-of-systems (SoS)
- Technical complexity of system
9.1.2. Director of Operational Test and Evaluation
The DOT&E, a Principal Staff Assistant and advisor to the Secretary of Defense, has specific responsibilities as identified in DoDD 5141.02, "Director of Operational Test and Evaluation", dated February 2, 2009. Sections 139 and 2399 of title 10 USC prescribe the duties for OT&E and section 2366 of title 10 USC for LFT&E. For additional information on the DOT&E office, visit the DOT&E website. For purposes here, DOT&E:
- Prescribes policies and procedures for the conduct of OT&E and LFT&E for DoD.
- Assesses the adequacy of OT&E and LFT&E performed by the Services and operational test agencies (OTAs) for programs on the OSD T&E Oversight List, for their effectiveness and suitability for advising the USD(AT&L) as well as for reporting to the SecDef and Congress.
- Advises the DoD Executive Agent for Space and the acquiring Military Department on T&E of DoD Space MDAPs and other space programs designated for T&E oversight, in support of DoDD 3100.10 “Space Policy,” dated July 9, 1999.
- Manages:
- Provides support to the Director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), consistent with DoDD 2000.19E “Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO),” dated February 14, 2006.
- Assists the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) in efforts to ensure the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) documents, in terms verifiable through testing or analysis in support of CJCS Instruction 3170.01 “Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System,” dated March 1, 2009, provides the expected joint operational mission environment, mission level measures of effectiveness (MOEs), and key performance parameters (KPPs).
- Oversees and assesses operational capability demonstrations conducted by the Missile Defense Agency, consistent with DoDD 5134.09 “Missile Defense Agency (MDA),” dated September 17, 2009.
- Establishes policy on the verification, validation, and accreditation (VV&A) of models and simulations used in support of OT&E and LFT&E.
- Oversees the International T&E (IT&E) program for the SecDef.
- Oversees and prescribes policy, as appropriate, to ensure adequate usage and verification of protection of human subjects and adherence to ethical standards in OT&E and LFT&E; in support of DoDD 3216.02 “Protection of Human Subjects and Adherence to Ethical Standards in DoD-Supported Research,” dated November 8, 2011.
9.1.3. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Developmental Test and Evaluation
As an advisor to the USD(AT&L) for DT&E through ASD(R&E), the DASD(DT&E) has responsibilities and duties as prescribed in section 139b of title 10 USC. For additional information on DASD(DT&E), visit the ODASD(DT&E) website. For purposes here, the DASD(DT&E):
- Develops policies and guidance:
- For the conduct of DT&E in the DoD (including integration and developmental testing of software).
- In coordination with the DOT&E, for the integration of DT with OT.
- For the conduct of DT&E conducted jointly by more than one Component or Defense Agency.
- In coordination with DASD(SE), ensure the full integration of DT&E activities of the DoD into and consistent with the SE and developmental planning processes of the Department.
- Monitors and reviews the DT&E activities of the MDAPs, including approval of the TEMP and TES.
- Reviews and approves the DT&E plan within the TEMP for each DoD MDAP.
- Develops DT&E technical workforce, by providing advocacy, oversight, and guidance to elements of the acquisition workforce responsible for DT&E.
- Periodically reviews the organizations and capabilities of the Components and Defense Agencies with respect to DT&E; identifies needed changes or improvements to such organizations and capabilities; and provides input regarding needed changes or improvements to the strategic plan for DoD T&E resources.
Additionally, the DASD(DT&E) functions as Director, TRMC; a field activity reporting directly to the USD(AT&L). DoDD 5105.71, “Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center (TRMC),” dated March 8, 2004, states “TRMC shall plan for and assess the adequacy of the Major Range Test Facility Base (MRTFB) . . . to provide adequate testing in support of development, acquisition, fielding, and sustainment of defense systems; and, maintain awareness of other T&E facilities and resources, within and outside the Department, and their impacts on DoD requirements.” The above directive also provides the specific responsibilities of the TRMC.
TRMC provides reports and recommendations on current and projected MRTFB infrastructure issues to ensure adequate capabilities and resources exist to support testing of DoD acquisition programs in accordance with responsibilities found in DoDD 3200.11 “Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB),” December 27, 2007.
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