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About this page ...

This acquisition mission area is governed by these primary sources:

The Weapons Systems page lists the major weapons systems in the US DoD current year's budget. Contents of this page are adapted from US DoD report, Program Acquisition Costs by Weapon System, published May 2009.

The Space Systems page describes current defense programs and specific acquisition policies that relate to operations in space. Contents of this page are adapted from the Space Acquisition community on the ACC and the article on Space Systems Acquisition Policy in the ACQuipedia.

The Information Technology page defines information technology and products, current defense information technology and automated information system programs, and information technology acquisition policies. Some of the text and links on this page are copied from the Information Technology community on the ACC and the article on Major Automated Information System (MAIS) in the ACQuipedia.

DAU offers training that helps the acquisition workforce understand how to “do business with the Department of Defense”. However, some of the workforce is busy acquiring systems that automate business. The Business Systems page discusses some of those DoD business systems programs. The systems mentioned on the Business Systems page are excerpted from the DAMIR table of ASD(NII) programs.

Although “infrastructure” can be any support system, here the word refers to those major information systems acquisition programs included in the DoD “infrastructure portfolio” The systems mentioned on this page are excerpted from the DAMIR table of ASD(NII) programs.

For information about other types of programs, policies, or practices, click any of the links in the Acquisition Mission Areas menu in the top-left corner of this page.
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Main Article

Information Technology and Automated Information Systems

Information Technology Community
Space Systems Community of Practice map. Rollover each map area for a description. Click each area to link to the CoP. Clinger-Cohen Act Information Technology Acquisition Functional Integrated Product Team Information Assurance Information Technology Portfolio Management Information Technology Maintenance Change Management and Continuous Process Improvement Information Technology Service Management Software Acquisition Management Spectrum Compliance Major Automated Information Systems Annual Reports e-Government Community of Practice Enterprise Software Initiative Discuss Information Technology (Community of Practice Listserv) Related Links Information Technology Guidance Training Center

Click the image to open the Community

Terms and Definitions

Automated Information System (AIS)

An AIS is a combination of computer hardware and computer software, data, and/or telecommunications that performs functions such as collecting, processing, storing, transmitting and displaying information.

Excluded are computer resources, both hardware and software, that are: an integral part of a weapons system; used for highly sensitive classified program as determined by the Secretary of Defense; used for other highly sensitive information technology programs as determined by the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks and Information Integration); determined by the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) or designee to be better overseen as a non-AIS program (e.g., a program with a low ratio of Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funding to total program acquisition costs or that requires significant hardware development). — DoDI 5000.02

Information Technology (IT)

Any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information by the executive agency. IT includes computers, ancillary equipment, software, firmware and similar procedures, services (including support services), and related resources, including National Security Systems (NSSs). It does not include any equipment that is acquired by a federal contractor incidental to a federal contract. — CJCSI 6212.01C

Major Automated Information System (MAIS)

An MAIS program (ACAT IA) is a DoD acquisition program for an AIS that is either designated by the MDA as a MAIS, or estimated to exceed:

  • $32 million (FY 2000 constant dollars), for all increments, regardless of appropriation or fund source, directly related to the AIS definition, design, development, and deployment, and incurred in any single fiscal year; or
  • $126 million (FY 2000 constant dollars), for all expenditures, for all increments, regardless of appropriation or fund source, directly related to the AIS definition, design, development, and deployment, and incurred from the beginning of the Materiel Solution Analysis (MSA) Phase through deployment at all sites; or
  • $378 million (FY 2000 constant dollars) for all expenditures, for all increments, regardless of appropriation or fund source, directly related to the AIS definition, design, development, deployment, operations and maintenance, and incurred from the beginning of the MSA phase through sustainment for the estimated useful life of the system.

AIS do not include computer resources that are an integral part of a weapon or weapon system; used for highly sensitive classified programs (as determined by the SECDEF); used for other highly sensitive information technology programs (as determined by the ASD(NII)/DoD CIO); or determined by the USD(AT&L) or designee to better overseen as a non-AIS program.

ACAT IA programs have two sub-categories:

  • ACAT IAM for which the MDA is the USD(AT&L). The USD(AT&L) may delegate MDA authority to the ASD(NII)/DoD CIO), or other designee. The "M" (in ACAT IAM) refers to MAIS.
  • ACAT IAC which the MDA (USD(AT&L), ASD(NII/DoD CIO, or other designee) has delegated to the Head of the DoD Component or, if delegated, the CAE. The "C" (in ACAT IAC) refers to Component.

— Glossary of Defense Acquisition Acronyms and Terms

Major Information Technology Programs (35 programs)

AHLTA — Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application. (OSD, IAM, Business)

AOC-WS — Air Operations Center - Weapon System.
(Air Force, IAM, C2)

BCS-F — Battle Control System - Fixed. (Air Force, IAC, C2)

BCS-M — Battle Control System - Mobile. (Air Force, IAC, C2)

Biometrics — (Army, IAM, Infrastructure)

CAC2S — Common Aviation Command and Control System.
(Navy, IAC)

CCIC2S — Combatant Commander Integrated Command and Control System. (Air Force, IAC, C2)

CEC — Cooperative Engagement Capability. (Navy, ID, Net Centric)

CITS — Combat Information Transport System.
(Air Force, IAC, Comm)

DCGS-AF — Distributed Common Ground System - Air Force.
(Air Force, IAM, Battlespace)

DCGS-Army — Distributed Common Ground System - Army.
(Army, IAM, Battlespace)

DCGS-N — Distributed Common Ground System - Navy.
(Navy, IAM, Battlespace)

DJC2 — Deployable Joint Command and Control System.
(Navy, IAM, C2)

DTS — Defense Travel System. (BTA, IAC, Business)

FAB-T — Family of Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals.
(Air Force, ID, Net Centric)

GBS — Global Broadcast Service. (Air Force, ID, Net Centric)

GCCS-A — Global Command and Control System - Army.
(Army, IAC, C2)

GCCS-J — Global Command and Control System - Joint. (DISA, IAM, C2)

GCCS-M — Global Command and Control System - Maritime.
(Navy, IAC, C2)

GCSS-CC/JTF — Global Combat Support System - Combatant Command and Joint Task Force commanders. (DISA, IAC, C2)

HPCM — High Performance Computing Modernization.
(Joint , ID, Battlespace)

ISPAN — Integrated Strategic Planning and Analysis Network.
(Air Force, IAM, C2)

KMI — Key Management Infrastructure. (NSA, IAM, Infrastructure)

MBCOTM — Mounted Battle Command on the Move. (Army, IAC)

MCS — Maneuver Control System. (Army, IAC, C2)

MNIS — Multi National Information Sharing. (DISA, IAM, C2)

MPS — Mission Planning System. (Air Force, ID, C2)

MPS — Mission Planning System. (Air Force, IAM, C2)

NAS — National Airspace System. (Air Force, IC, Battlespace)

NCES — Net-Centric Enterprise Services. (DISA, IAM, Infrastructure)

PKI — Public Key Infrastructure. (NSA, IAM, Infrastructure)

Space C2 — Space Command and Control. (Air Force, IAM)

TDC — Theater Deployable Communications. (Air Force, IAC, Comm)

Teleport — Teleport, Generation I / II. (DISA, IAM, Comm)

TMIP — Theater Medical Information Program. (OSD, IAM, Business)

Information Technology Policies, Directives, Regulations, and Laws (6 policies)

ACC IT CoP Guidance

Preparation Instructions for MAIS Annual Report, 27 January 2010

DAG, Chapter 2

Acquisition Program Baselines, Technology Development Strategies, and Acquisition Strategies, 4 December 2009

DAG, Chapter 10

Decisions, Assessments, and Periodic Reporting, 4 December 2009
DoD Instruction 5000.02

Operation of the Defense Acquisition System, 8 December 2008

USD(AT&L) Memo on MDA for MAIS PDF

Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) for Major Automated Information System (MAIS) Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs), 19 December 2007

OSD Memo on CCA Compliance PDF

Clinger-Cohen Act Compliance Policy, 8 March 2002