Enclosure 2 -- 8. Operations and Support Phase

8. Operations and Support Phase

   a. Purpose. The purpose of the Operations and Support Phase is to execute a support program that meets materiel readiness and operational support performance requirements, and sustains the system in the most cost-effective manner over its total life cycle. Planning for this phase shall begin prior to program initiation and shall be documented in the LCSP. Operations and Support has two major efforts, Life-Cycle Sustainment and Disposal.

   b. Entrance Criteria. Entrance into the Operations and Support Phase depends on meeting the following criteria: an approved CPD; an approved LCSP; and a successful Full-Rate Production (FRP) Decision.

   c. Phase Description

1. Life-Cycle Sustainment. Life-cycle sustainment planning and execution seamlessly span a system's entire life cycle, from Materiel Solution Analysis to disposal. It translates force provider capability and performance requirements into tailored product support to achieve specified and evolving life-cycle product support availability, reliability, and affordability parameters.
   1. Life-cycle sustainment planning shall be considered during Materiel Solution Analysis, and shall mature throughout Technology Development. An LCSP shall be prepared for Milestone B. The planning shall be flexible and performance-oriented, reflect an evolutionary approach, and accommodate modifications, upgrades, and reprocurement. The LCSP shall be a part of the program's Acquisition Strategy and integrated with other key program planning documents. The LCSP shall be updated and executed during Production and Deployment and Operations and Support.
   2. Life-cycle sustainment considerations include supply; maintenance; transportation; sustaining engineering; data management; configuration management; HSI; environment, safety (including explosives safety), and occupational health; protection of critical program information and anti-tamper provisions; supportability; and interoperability.
   3. Effective sustainment of systems results from the design and development of reliable and maintainable systems through the continuous application of a robust systems engineering methodology. Accordingly, the PM shall:
      1. Design the maintenance program to minimize total life-cycle cost while achieving readiness and sustainability objectives (DoD Directive 4151.18 (Reference (s))). Maintenance program management shall begin at program initiation.
      2. Optimize operational readiness via:
         1. Human-factors engineering to design systems that require minimal manpower; provide effective training; can be operated and maintained by users; and are suitable (habitable and safe with minimal environmental and occupational health hazards) and survivable (for both the crew and equipment).
         2. Diagnostics, prognostics, and health management techniques in embedded and off-equipment applications when feasible and cost-effective (Reference (s));
         3. Embedded training and testing, with a preference for approved DoD Automatic Test Systems (ATS) Families to satisfy ATS requirements;
         4. Serialized item management techniques and the use of automatic identification technology (AIT), radio-frequency identification, and iterative technology refreshment. PMs shall ensure that data syntax and semantics for high-capacity AIT devices conform to International Organization for Standardization ISO 15418 and ISO 15434 (References (t) and (u)).
   4. The PM shall work with the user to document performance and sustainment requirements in performance agreements specifying objective outcomes, measures, resource commitments, and stakeholder responsibilities. The PM shall employ effective Performance-Based Life-Cycle Product Support (PBL) planning, development, implementation, and management. Performance-Based Life-Cycle Product Support represents the latest evolution of Performance-Based Logistics. Both can be referred to as "PBL." PBL offers the best strategic approach for delivering required life cycle readiness, reliability, and ownership costs. Sources of support may be organic, commercial, or a combination, with the primary focus optimizing customer support, weapon system availability, and reduced ownership costs. The DoD Components shall document sustainment procedures that ensure integrated combat support.
   5. DoD Components shall initiate system modifications, as necessary, to improve performance and reduce ownership costs, as constrained by section 2244a of Reference (k).
   6. The DoD Components, in conjunction with users, shall conduct continuing reviews of sustainment strategies comparing performance expectation, as defined in performance agreements, to actual performance results. PMs shall continuously identify deficiencies in these strategies, and adjust the LCSP as necessary to meet performance requirements.
2. Disposal. At the end of its useful life, a system shall be demilitarized and disposed of in accordance with all legal and regulatory requirements and policy relating to safety (including explosives safety), security, and the environment. During the design process, PMs shall document hazardous materials contained in the system in the Programmatic Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health Evaluation (PESHE) (see Section 6 in Enclosure 12), and shall estimate and plan for the system's demilitarization and safe disposal. The demilitarization of conventional ammunition (including any item containing propellants, explosives, or pyrotechnics) shall be considered during system design.