Office of the Secretary of Defense Comparative Testing Office Handbook
Abstract
The Comparative Testing Office (CTO) provides oversight direction to the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) Program, the Defense Acquisition Challenge (DAC) Program and other projects as assigned by the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD). Congressionally authorized in 1989 by Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 2350a(g), the FCT Program supports U.S. policy of encouraging international armaments cooperation and helps reduce overall DoD acquisition costs by funding the testing of foreign non-developmental items, commercial-off-the-shelf items, or those items in the late state of the development process, which demonstrate the potential to satisfy user requirements. Similarly DAC, authorized by Title 10, U.S. Code, Sec 2359b, provides opportunities for the increased introduction of innovative and cost-saving technology in DoD acquisition programs. To this end, the DAC provides any person or activity within or outside the DoD an opportunity to submit proposals that would improve the performance, affordability, manufacturability, or operational capability at the component, subsystem, or system level of an existing DoD acquisition program. DAC and FCT Programs strive to equip the warfighter with world-class military equipment; however, legislation strictly limits the FCT Program's funding to the test and evaluation of foreign items only. Both DAC and FCT activities are authorized to begin and operate without formal Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) review and may waive OSD and Department of Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) requirements in the best interest of rapidly fielding equipment to the warfighter. The purpose of this handbook is to help readers understand how to manage a DAC or FCT project successfully, from initial nomination through eventual procurement. This handbook describes in plain language the processes to be used those participating in the DAC and FCT Programs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA487482
Entities
People
- Bob Mattes