Acquisition excellence has changed the way the Department of Defense (DoD)
designs, develops, manufactures, and supports systems. Our technical,
business, and management approach for acquiring and operating systems has, and
continues to, evolve. For example, we no longer can rely on military
specifications and standards to define and control how our developers design,
build, and support our new systems. Today we use commercial hardware and
software, promote open systems architecture, and encourage streamlining
processes, just to name a few of the initiatives that affect the way we do
business. At the same time, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has
reduced the level of oversight and review of programs and manufacturers’
plants.
While the new acquisition model gives government program managers and their
contractors broader control and more options than they have enjoyed in the
past, it also exposes them to new risks. OSD recognizes that risk is inherent
in any acquisition program and considers it essential that program managers
take appropriate steps to manage and control risks.
This document is a product of a joint effort by the Under Secretary of
Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD (AT&L)) staff and the
Defense Acquisition University. It is based on the material developed by the
DoD Risk Management Working Group. Material in this Guide is also reflected in
the Risk Management Focus Area of the Program Management Community of Practice
(PMCOP) (http://www.pmcop.dau.mil),
and in the Defense Acquisition Deskbook, which can be accessed via
the AT&L Knowledge Sharing System (AKSS) Website (http://deskbook.dau.mil/jsp/default.jsp).
