Process & Organization

Description: Ensure ASD(R&E) investments traceable to DoD Strategic Objectives

• Review strategic guidance and identify operational challenges corresponding to SECDEF, CJCS, AT&L priorities
• Establish focus areas to inform DASD(EC&P) investments

Process Organization: DEPSECDEF, CJCS, OSD(AT&L), DASD(EC&P) , Department of Defense Leadership and Guidance

Input:

• Official DoD guidance (CGA, QDR, 7 Hard Problems, SPRs, etc.)
• Relevant studies (DSBs, JASONs, etc.), assessments, TTXs, other senior-level guidance

Approach:

• Review of official Department guidance, studies, assessments, etc.
• Identify proposed focus areas likely to produce impactful solutions traceable to strategic guidance and aligned with Services & CCMD needs
• Conduct Round Table to review and finalize DASD(EC&P) focus areas & inform ASD(R&E)

Output: DASD(EC&P) issues Letter to Operational and Technical communities identifying DASD(EC&P) focus areas, intent to conduct operational and technical deep dives with relevant communities.

Description: Identification, review, and detailed definition of operational problem(s) relevant to the published focus areas

Process Organization: DASD(EC&P), CCMDs snd JS

Input: DASD(EC&P) published focus areas traceable to Department priorities

Approach:

• Leverage expertise in the Operational Community and Intelligence Community to expand operational context within the focus areas
  • Identify operational objectives, requirements, and constraints
  • Identify key operational gaps/problem areas and impact of their resolution
• Convene panel composed of participants that are operationally impacted to review focus areas and support the development of contextual detail for use by the ASD(R&E) Enterprise

Output: Detailed problem statement(s), operational context (objs, reqs, const) and key gaps/problem areas

Description: Identification and assessment of technical concepts to address key gaps/problem areas emphasized by operational problem decomposition

Process Organization: DASD(EC&P), Services, DoD/DoE Labs, DARPA, JS, J8, Laboratories, FFRDCs, Academia, and Acquisition Community Concept Development

Input: Detailed operational problem statement(s), operational context (objs, reqs, const) and key gaps/problem areas

Approach:

• Leverage R&E Enterprise to:
  • Identify potential technical concepts to resolve key gaps identified by operational community
  • Assess feasibility via assessment constructs – analytical results, Heilmeier catechism, proven capability in a different capacity, etc.
• Convene panel composed of Subject Matter Experts (organic and external) to assess and prioritize technical concepts that have decisive impact and potential technology offset

Output: Prioritized list of technical concepts that address capability gaps/capture opportunities that will decisively impact capability and/or change the way we fight

Description: Review technical concepts for suitability as DASD(EC&P) program

Process Organization: DASD(EC&P) & Directors Review

Input: Prioritized list of technical concepts that address capability gaps/capture opportunities that will decisively impact capability and/or the way we fight

Approach: DASD(EC&P) Round Table review to assess technical concepts for DASD(EC&P) suitability, strategic traceablity, decisive impact, and feasibility of execution based on estimates of cost and schedule

Output: Finalized set of concepts, with operational and technical context, ROM on schedule and cost, recommended DASD(EC&P) program type (ECTD, JCTD, study, exercise, etc), identification of lead executing agent to work with OSD, CCMDs for program development, selection and execution. To be reviewed by ASD(R&E).

Description: Develop program plan suitable to withstand OSD(AT&L) review

Process Organization: Services, Defense & Interagency, Industry, and Academia Project Development

Input: Set of technical concepts and supporting operational and technical contextual information

Approach:

• Establish appropriate team of DASD(EC&P) staff, lead executing agency, and impacted stakeholders to develop program plan and execution strategy to address highest priority DASD(EC&P) concepts.
• Include relevant operational and technical analyses to support strategic alignment, operational impact and technical feasibility
• Include relevant cost/trade-off and business case analyses
• Clearly identify program dependencies
• Define key decision points suitable for progress review and use as go no-go gates.
• Identify resources required to complete program, develop POA&M and Execution Schedule

Output: Program suitable for DASD(EC&P) approval and funding

Description: Review and approve programs to address Department’s highest priorities

Process Organization: ASD(R&E), DASD(EC&P), JS, Services, CCMDs

Input: Program proposals developed by teams composed of DASD(EC&P), Services, CCMDs, and partners.

Approach:

• Convene panel to review program development and proposed execution strategy
• Assess for strategic alignment, operational impact, & executability

Output: Decision on proposed program execution

• Approval to initiate program
• Recommendation for additional program development
• Rejection of program development

Description: Execute program according to approved execution strategy with defined decision points and conduct reviews to assess progress

Process Organization: DASD(EC&P), JS, Program Team

Input: Periodic program reporting and review briefs providing technical and financial status to date and identifying items of concern (current or anticipated).

Approach:

• ASD(R&E), DASD(EC&P) and JS to review overall progress of the program
• Program team presents information supporting decision point review criteria to support leadership decision on program execution status

Output: Decision regarding program execution

• Continue program as schedule
• Re-baseline program based on leadership direction
• Cease program