Unless this phase of the Acquisition process is being applied to a legacy system that is receiving a major modification, there will be little actual data and most estimations will be derived from analogous systems or engineering projections. Accordingly, the primary objective of this phase is ensuring user requirements and operational environmental constraints impacting sustainment are identified and documented in the LCSP.
The PSM team will execute the activities required in the Materiel Solution Analysis (MSA) phase to support the maturing support solution characterized by the sustainment maturity levels which are aligned with program key events in Table 2.
Program Inception Materiel Solution Analysis MS A SMLs 1-4
Key Events, Entry/Exit Products/Documents
ICD AoA
ICD, LCSP, BCA, SEP,
DMS Integrated Product Support Elements
Product Support Management x
Design Interface x
Sustaining Engineering
Supply Support x
Maintenance Planning and Management x
PHS&T x
Technical Data x
Support Equipment x
Training & Training Support x
Manpower & Personnel x
Facilities and Infrastructure x
52
Table 2. Milestone A Activities and Documents
5.2.2. Sustainment Maturity Levels (SML) in the MSA Phase
SMLs 1-4 require that the Warfighter requirements and operational concepts be identified to ensure that they are understood and agreed on by all stakeholders. Note that this would normally be the responsibility of the PSM but that there may be a different entity performing this since the PSM might not yet be designated. The logistics and sustainment capabilities and potential maintenance concepts should be evaluated as part of the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA). Boundary conditions for this phase should include the following:
Operational CONOPs. Conduct a ―Day in the life‖ use-case scenario to understand how the system might be supported in an operational environment
Integrated Product Support Elements. Assess each IPS element and establish the initial baseline for each IPS element‘s implementation
SML 1-3 activities will use these boundary conditions while SML 4 activity focuses on how the program developmental efforts acknowledges and defines logistics and sustainment KPP/KSAs as considerations in the program integrated system requirements definition.
5.2.3. Key Documents Entry Documents
Initial Capabilities Document Analysis of Alternatives Plan
Alternative Maintenance & Sustainment Concept of Operations
Exit Documents
Analysis of Alternatives (including Market Research results) Draft Capability Development Document
Technology Development Strategy Test and Evaluation Strategy Acquisition Strategy
SEP
Initial Life Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP) Data Management Strategy
IUID Plan (Part of SEP) Business Case Analysis (BCA)
Table 3. Materiel Solution Analysis Phase Key Documents19
53
5.2.4. Major Activities
Enterprise Synergies, IPS Element Trades, and Key Relationships
The greatest flexibility in defining a product support strategy exists during this phase. The fundamental goal is aligning broad product support strategy requirements with the Warfighter‘s requirements. Also, no new system specific investments have been made in supporting the weapon system. Accordingly, PSMs have the least constraints during this phase and should actively search within and outside of their Service for existing solutions for each IPS element and understand the extent to which potentially shared solutions achieve performance and cost outcomes that are highly similar to their Warfighter customer‘s requirements. The beginning of a program‘s life cycle is the best time to promote standardized systems, components, spare parts and support equipment. PSMs should specifically look to their logistics directorates, their Secretariats, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense Logistics & Materiel Readiness, DLA, and industry associations to efficiently gain the broadest possible perspective on potential enterprise synergies.
Once potential high-performing outcome based strategies are identified, the PSM should analyze feasibility of migrating those synergies to their program and determine whether clarification and negotiation of changing requirements with the Warfighter are warranted.
IPS elements are still relatively unconstrained during this phase since their primary function is in helping define potential product support alternatives. Two broad areas are directly influenced by IPS element trades and relationships in this phase:
1. Logistics Footprint: Logistics footprint minimization in projecting and sustaining the force is an overarching DoD goal because minimizing the logistical burden a system will place on deployed forces benefits the user, improves deployment time, and can help reduce the LCC. During this phase, footprint metrics appropriate to the system and its operational
environment should be analyzed and considered as subsequent KPP, KSA, or design requirements. At a minimum, logistics footprint metrics to meet the concept of operations should be established to be used in baseline trade analyses throughout the life cycle to help impact the design and establish a minimal logistics footprint for the system concept. 2. System Design: Address the system‘s design and planned logistics resources support its
readiness requirements and wartime utilization. This includes consideration of activities and resources (such as fuel) necessary for system operation as well as real world constraints and environment. It also includes all resources that contribute to the overall support cost (e.g., personnel; equipment; technical support data; and maintenance procedures to facilitate the detection, isolation, and timely repair/replacement of system anomalies).
Business and Variance Analysis
Data in this phase may be minimal and uncertainty will be high. Regardless, the PSM must bound this uncertainty as much as possible by creating at least a high-level BCA that will be
54 updated as better data is obtained. The primary objective of analysis during this phase is to ensure complete Life Cycle Cost (LCC) will be captured and used to create fair comparisons between alternatives as potential sustainment strategies are developed. This means that key sustainment related cost performance criteria, such as site activation non-recurring costs and O&S cost per operating hour should be considered in implementing the Cost as an Independent Variable (CAIV) principle. Additionally, the PSM must ensure modeling and simulation is combined with LCC analysis in accordance with the BCA process to set the foundation of robust analysis of alternatives during the Technology Development Phase selection process and to define the desired ranges for the sustainment metrics thresholds and objectives.
Supply Chain Management
Supply chains in this phase are notional at best since supply support and maintenance concepts are not yet known. However, part of understanding potential enterprise synergies involves understanding potential supply chain synergies. For example, if the system will be an advanced attack helicopter, the cost and performance of a benchmark population of aviation systems should be examined to understand the demonstrated results of potential supply chain models. To that end, using JSCA or SCOR®to understand the plan, source, make and maintain, deliver, and return aspects of each supply chain examined while looking for enterprise synergies and provide a ready way to quantitatively and qualitatively compare potential alternatives is a good way to ensure all aspects of the supply chain are considered. A thorough review of currently fielded systems, components, spare parts, and support equipment should be conducted to encourage the highest degree of standardization and prevent unneeded development new supply chains. LCSP and Product Support Package Initiation
The LCSP starts in this phase as the sustainment concept. Create the LCSP in accordance with the DAG. At this stage, the LCSP will capture initial support and maintenance concepts based on AOA results and requirements identified in initial CDD. Also, create a plan to collect additional information to refine the LCSP and fill in all placeholders. There are no Product Support
Package updates at this point of the life cycle. Funding Alignment
Funding during this phase is focused on ensuring any new sustainment technologies needed to achieve the requirements identified in the AOA are funded appropriately.
5.3. Technology Development Phase