Downloaded from https://www.everyspec.com MIL-HDBK-502: A MIL-HDBK-502: A CQUISITION CQUISITION L OGISTICS OGISTICS When modification of an existing system is not the clear program direction, early identification of support issues and alternatives provides key input to system requirements development and tradeoff analysis activities. They are combined with other systems engineering estimates and projections also based upon the operational requirements. The result is a set of performance requirements for the total system.
The total system requirements provide a basis for market investigation of commercial and/or nondevelopmental item solutions that have potential to meet performance needs and other program objectives (e.g., cost, schedule). Flexibility is important in evaluating potential candidate designs. It may be possible to adjust specific needs within acceptable levels or to accept minor modifications to avoid eliminating an otherwise suitable design solution. Ensuring development of performance requirements that address and balance all elements of a total system design helps to avoid the selection of “fixed” design solutions that have not been evaluated against the needs of the total system.
If a commercial or non-development design solution is determined to be acceptable, the supportability analyses’ focus becomes the detailed design of the support. If a commercial support concept was included in the alternative selection decision, supportability analyses should be limited to those aspects of the support system design required to interface the commercial support with the existing support system. Demonstrated supportability characteristics of the total system design are usually sufficient to project and assess commercial support design and performance.
If organic support was the preferred alternative for the commercial/non-developmental system design, the design information will be used to conduct the essential analyses for support planning and logistics data product development. If market investigations do not identify acceptable design solutions, this approach is discontinued, and program activities focus on a development solution for the primary mission element of the system. Even in a full development program, consideration should be given to meeting other system element design requirements (e.g., mission software, support system) with commercial or nondevelopmental solutions.
Additionally, lower-level performance functions of the development item should be analyzed for opportunities to include the use of commercial or nondevelopmental subsystems or components. 4.2.2 Acquisition Strategy An acquisition strategy details the requirements, approaches, and objectives of a program. The strategy development is initiated with the results of the acquisition decision process. This decision is supported by early studies and analyses of operations and support requirements and by market 4-6