Owning the Technical Baseline for Acquisition Programs in the U.S. Air Force (2016) / Chapter Skim
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2 Strategic Value of Owning the Technical Baseline
2 Strategic Value of Owning the Technical Baseline
Pages 15-22
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From page 15... ...
It is informative to view some of the benefits through the lens of examples within the Air Force as well as in other agencies that own the technical baseline for their programs. The following sections in this chapter will highlight the importance of owning the technical baseline, the risks associated with not owning it, and how similar agencies own the technical baseline of their programs.
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From page 16... ...
In some cases the supplier has critical knowledge that the acquisition team does not possess -- which can be exacerbated if the Air Force does not own the technical baseline. This can include not understanding the constraints that limit performance, which could result in the requirements not being met or can mean that those requirements are unrealistic for the technology readiness level (TRL)
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From page 17... ...
The Air Force values operational input when acquiring technology that is essential to mission performance. Accordingly, for the most part and as in the other Services, the PMs who occupy key leadership positions in the Air Force acquisitions arena are mostly uniformed officers supported by a largely civilian technical workforce.
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From page 18... ...
For most of the A-10's operational lifetime, the prime contractor, Fairchild Industries, owned the technical baseline. In the late 1990s, the company was acquired and only in 2003 did the Air Force assume ownership of the technical baseline.
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From page 19... ...
According to leadership at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center the boom had not been identified as a critical technology element, something that would most likely have been identified as such had the program office properly owned the technical baseline. Such identification would necessitate a control systems expert from the program team assessing the readiness of the technology throughout its development.
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From page 20... ...
, in addition to main taining the nation's nuclear stockpile, builds nuclear propulsion systems that are typically first of a kind. Similar to many Air Force programs, safety and long-term, high-quality performance are critical concerns for these systems.
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From page 21... ...
This latter approach evoked mixed reviews by several current Air Force program managers when it was raised in the interview process. Generally, concerns over implementing the engineering duty officer career path in the Air Force were focused on assuring a high level of operational experi ence and knowledge, the potential disruption of current promotion processes, and the ability to gain broader experience in the Air Force.
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From page 22... ...
The Air Force cannot imple ment all of the methods for owning the technical baseline used by other agencies and departments, but it can recognize that policy, education, and experience all need to emphasize the importance of owning the technical baseline for Air Force programs. The next chapter discusses barriers to owning the technical baseline identi fied within the Air Force and the subsequent recommendations for overcoming those barriers.
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