The use of cost, schedule, and performance in the implementation of defense acquisition initiatives

Abstract

In the past 20 years, there have been no fewer than five major acquisition reform initiatives in the United States Air Force. Two of these initiatives, Open Systems Architecture and Middle Tier Acquisitions Rapid Prototyping, stand to change the way the Air Force acquires and engineers weapon systems due to their potential impact on Cost, Schedule, and Performance. Because of this impact, can analysis measure the effect of reform initiatives on acquisition programs and identify future combinations of initiatives to maximize benefit for the Air Force? This research analyzed the acquisition program outcomes before and after the implementation of a reform initiative utilizing the following variables: cost, schedule, performance, ease of use, and difficulty to implement. A tradespace analysis of the variables was then conducted to show how policymakers could theoretically make informed decisions on how best to implement, modify, or combine these initiatives. As the basis for research, quantitative data would be ideal for performing this analysis; however, the ability to gather this type of data before reform initiative implementation was not possible for this thesis. Due to this lack of data, qualitative information (survey techniques, and the documented purposes of the reform initiative), as well as model-based parametric analysis, were used. The research shows that, while it is possible to analyze a reform initiative utilizing this method, decision-makers should be cognizant that there are limitations to this type of predictive modeling; as such, the USAF should continue to thoroughly analyze initiatives before implementation, perform surveys through "policy gaming" when possible, ensure initiatives are not counter to each other and consider combining reform initiatives in the future.