Acquisition Category
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Reason for ACAT Designation
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Decision Authority
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ACAT I
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- MDAP (section 2430 of Reference (k))
- Dollar value: estimated by the USD(AT&L) to require an eventual total expenditure for research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) of more than $365 million in fiscal year (FY) 2000 constant dollars or, for procurement, of more than $2.190 billion in FY 2000 constant dollars
- MDA designation
- MDA designation as special interest
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ACAT ID: USD(AT&L)
ACAT IC: Head of the DoD Component or, if delegated, the CAE (not further delegable)
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ACAT IA1, 2
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- MAIS (Chapter 144A of Reference (k)): A DoD acquisition program for an Automated Information System3 (either as a product or a service) that is either:
- Designated by the MDA as a MAIS; or
- Estimated to exceed:
- $32 million in FY 2000 constant dollars for all expenditures, for all increments, regardless of the appropriation or fund source, directly related to the AIS definition, design, development, and deployment, and incurred in any single fiscal year; or
- $126 million in FY 2000 constant dollars for all expenditures, for all increments, regardless of the appropriation or fund source, directly related to the AIS definition, design, development, and deployment, and incurred from the beginning of the Materiel Solution Analysis Phase through deployment at all sites; or
- $378 million in FY 2000 constant dollars for all expenditures, for all increments, regardless of the appropriation or fund source, directly related to the AIS definition, design, development, deployment, operations and maintenance, and incurred from the beginning of the Materiel Solution Analysis Phase through sustainment for the estimated useful life of the system.
- MDA designation as special interest
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ACAT IAM: USD(AT&L) or designee
ACAT IAC: Head of the DoD Component or, if delegated, the CAE (not further delegable)
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ACAT II
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- Does not meet criteria for ACAT I
- Major system
- Dollar value: estimated by the DoD Component Head to require an eventual total expenditure for RDT&E of more than $140 million in FY 2000 constant dollars, or for procurement of more than $660 million in FY 2000 constant dollars (section 2302d of Reference (k))
- MDA designation4 (paragraph (5) of section 2302 of Reference (k))
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CAE or the individual designated by the CAE4
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ACAT III
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- Does not meet criteria for ACAT II or above
- AIS that is not a MAIS
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Designated by the CAE4
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- In some cases, an ACAT IA program, as defined above, also meets the definition of an MDAP. The USD(AT&L) shall be the MDA for such programs unless delegated to a DoD Component. The statutory requirements that apply to MDAPs and MAIS shall apply to such programs.
- The MDA (either the USD(AT&L) or, if delegated, the ASD(NII)/DoD CIO or another designee) shall designate MAIS programs as ACAT IAM or ACAT IAC. MAIS programs shall not be designated as ACAT II.
- Automated Information System: A system of computer hardware, computer software, data 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 weapon or weapon system;
- used for highly sensitive classified programs (as determined by the Secretary of Defense);
- 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 be better overseen as a non-AIS program (e.g., a program with a low ratio of RDT&E funding to total program acquisition costs or that requires significant hardware development).
- As delegated by the Secretary of Defense or Secretary of the Military Department.
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