Site problemsDefense Acquisition System (DAS)The DAS is:“the management process by which the DoD provides effective, affordable, and timely systems to the users, [and it] exists to manage the nation’s investments in technologies, programs, and product support necessary to achieve the National Security Strategy and support the United States Armed Forces” (DoDD 5000.1. The Defense Acquisition System, May 12, 2003.)Each acquisition program is managed by an acquisition Program Office. The Program Office is headed by a Program Manager (PM). PMs can be military officers or federal civil servants. They are usually supported by a staff that can include engineers, logisticians, contracting officers and specialists,budget and financial managers, and Test and Evaluation (T&E) personnel. PMs usually report to aProgram Executive Officer (PEO). PEOs can have many PMs who report to them. PEOs can also bemilitary officers or federal civil servants. They report to a Component Acquisition Executive (CAE).Most CAEs report to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD(AT&L)), who also serves as the Defense Acquisition Executive (DAE). The rules governing the “Acquisition” process are set forth in DoD Instruction 5000.02, Operationof the Defense Acquisition System. The DAS uses “Milestones” to oversee and manage the acquisitionprograms. Each milestone has specific requirements. A program must meet the specific statutoryregulatory requirements of a milestone in order to proceed to the next phase of the acquisitionprocess. The Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) is responsible for deciding whether a programmeets the milestone criteria and may proceed to the next phase of the acquisition process.The reporting chain between the program manager and the MDA should be no morethan two levels of management for allacquisition programs. A table showingACATs and their corresponding MDAs is found in Enclosure 3 of DoD Instruction 5000.02
Site problems
Defense Acquisition System (DAS)
The DAS is:
“the management process by which the DoD provides effective, affordable, and timely systems to the
users, [and it] exists to manage the nation’s investments in technologies, programs, and product
support necessary to achieve the National Security Strategy and support the United States Armed
Forces” (DoDD 5000.1. The Defense Acquisition System, May 12, 2003.)
Each acquisition program is managed by an acquisition Program Office. The Program Office is headed by
a Program Manager (PM). PMs can be military officers or federal civil servants. They are usually
supported by a staff that can include engineers, logisticians, contracting officers and specialists,
budget and financial managers, and Test and Evaluation (T&E) personnel. PMs usually report to a
Program Executive Officer (PEO). PEOs can have many PMs who report to them. PEOs can also be
military officers or federal civil servants. They report to a Component Acquisition Executive (CAE).
Most CAEs report to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD
(AT&L)), who also serves as the Defense Acquisition Executive (DAE).
The rules governing the “Acquisition” process are set forth in DoD Instruction 5000.02, Operation
of the Defense Acquisition System. The DAS uses “Milestones” to oversee and manage the acquisition
programs. Each milestone has specific requirements. A program must meet the specific statutory
regulatory requirements of a milestone in order to proceed to the next phase of the acquisition
process. The Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) is responsible for deciding whether a program
meets the milestone criteria and may proceed to the next phase of the acquisition process.
The reporting chain between the program manager and the MDA
should be no morethan two levels of management for all
acquisition programs. A table showingACATs and their
corresponding MDAs is found in Enclosure 3 of
DoD Instruction 5000.02
