1. ACQUISITION PLANNING

2. ACQUISITION PLANNING OVERVIEW REGULATIONS ACQUISITION PLAN
LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT PLAN

3. ACQUISITION PLANNING
What types of acquisitions require Acquisition Planning?
Agencies shall perform acquisition planning and conduct market research for all acquisitions in order to promote and provide for --
Acquisition of commercial items
Full and open competition
FAR 7.102
Policy.
(a) Agencies shall perform acquisition planning and conduct market research (see Part 10 for Market Research) for all acquisitions in order to promote and provide for --
(1) Acquisition of commercial items or, to the extent that commercial items suitable to meet the agency's needs are not available, nondevelopmental items, to the maximum extent practicable (10 U.S.C.2377 and 41 U.S.C.251, et seq.); and
(2) Full and open competition (see Part 6) or, when full and open competition is not required in accordance with Part 6, to obtain competition to the maximum extent practicable, with due regard to the nature of the supplies or services to be acquired (10 U.S.C. 2301(a)(5) and 41 U.S.C. 253a(a)(1)).
(b) This planning shall integrate the efforts of all personnel responsible for significant aspects of the acquisition. The purpose of this planning is to ensure that the Government meets its needs in the most effective, economical, and timely manner. Agencies that have a detailed acquisition planning system in place that generally meets the requirements of and need not revise their system to specifically meet all of these requirements.

4. ACQUISITION PLANNING What is the purpose of Acquisition Planning?
Purpose is to ensure that the Gov’t meets its needs in the most effective, economical, and timely manner
FAR 7.102
Policy.
(a) Agencies shall perform acquisition planning and conduct market research (see Part 10 for Market Research) for all acquisitions in order to promote and provide for --
(1) Acquisition of commercial items or, to the extent that commercial items suitable to meet the agency's needs are not available, nondevelopmental items, to the maximum extent practicable (10 U.S.C.2377 and 41 U.S.C.251, et seq.); and
(2) Full and open competition (see Part 6) or, when full and open competition is not required in accordance with Part 6, to obtain competition to the maximum extent practicable, with due regard to the nature of the supplies or services to be acquired (10 U.S.C. 2301(a)(5) and 41 U.S.C. 253a(a)(1)).
(b) This planning shall integrate the efforts of all personnel responsible for significant aspects of the acquisition. The purpose of this planning is to ensure that the Government meets its needs in the most effective, economical, and timely manner. Agencies that have a detailed acquisition planning system in place that generally meets the requirements of and need not revise their system to specifically meet all of these requirements.

5. ACQUISITION PLANNING When should Acquisition Planning begin?
Acquisition planning should begin as soon as the agency need is identified
General Procedures.
(a) Acquisition planning should begin as soon as the agency need is identified, preferably well in advance of the fiscal year in which contract award is necessary. In developing the plan, the planner shall form a team consisting of all those who will be responsible for significant aspects of the acquisition, such as contracting, fiscal, legal, and technical personnel. The planner should review previous plans for similar acquisitions and discuss them with the key personnel involved in those acquisitions. At key dates specified in the plan or whenever significant changes occur, and no less often than annually, the planner shall review the plan and, if appropriate, revise it.
(b) Requirements and logistics personnel should avoid issuing requirements on an urgent basis or with unrealistic delivery or performance schedules, since it generally restricts competition and increases prices. Early in the planning process, the planner should consult requirements and logistics personnel who determine type, quality, quantity, and delivery requirements.
(c) The planner shall coordinate with and secure the concurrence of the contracting officer in all acquisition planning. If the plan proposes using other than full and open competition, the plan shall also be coordinated with the cognizant competition advocate.

6. ACQUISITION PLANNING
What role does the Contracting Officer and/or buyer play in Acquisition Planning?
The planner (the designated person or office responsible for a written plan) shall coordinate with and secure concurrence of the contracting officer in all acquisition planning
General Procedures.
(a) Acquisition planning should begin as soon as the agency need is identified, preferably well in advance of the fiscal year in which contract award is necessary. In developing the plan, the planner shall form a team consisting of all those who will be responsible for significant aspects of the acquisition, such as contracting, fiscal, legal, and technical personnel. The planner should review previous plans for similar acquisitions and discuss them with the key personnel involved in those acquisitions. At key dates specified in the plan or whenever significant changes occur, and no less often than annually, the planner shall review the plan and, if appropriate, revise it.
(b) Requirements and logistics personnel should avoid issuing requirements on an urgent basis or with unrealistic delivery or performance schedules, since it generally restricts competition and increases prices. Early in the planning process, the planner should consult requirements and logistics personnel who determine type, quality, quantity, and delivery requirements.
(c) The planner shall coordinate with and secure the concurrence of the contracting officer in all acquisition planning. If the plan proposes using other than full and open competition, the plan shall also be coordinated with the cognizant competition advocate.

7. WRITTEN PLANS A written Acquisition Plan is required for :
Development programs $10M or greater
Products or services greater than $50M for all years or $25M for one year
Programs designated by department or agency
DFARS
Agency-head responsibilities.
(d)(i) Prepare written acquisition plans for-
(A) Acquisitions for development, as defined in FAR , when the total cost of all contracts for the acquisition program is estimated at $5 million or more;
(B) Acquisitions for production or services when the total cost of all contracts for the acquisition program is estimated at $30 million or more for all years or $15 million or more for any fiscal year; and
(C) Any other acquisition considered appropriate by the department or agency.
(ii) Written plans are not required in acquisitions for a final buy out or one-time buy. The terms "final buy out" and "one-time buy" refer to a single contract that covers all known present and future requirements. This exception does not apply to a multiyear contract or a contract with options or phases.
(e) Prepare written acquisition plans for acquisition programs meeting the thresholds of paragraphs (d)(i)(A) and (B) of this section on a program basis. Other acquisition plans may be written on either a program or an individual contract basis.
(g) The program manager, or other official responsible for the program, has overall responsibility for acquisition planning.
AFFARS Air Force procedures for Single Acquisition Management Plans (LCMPs)/Integrated Program Summaries (IPSs). (a) General requirements.
(1) Program managers shall prepare LCMPs for all non-space related Acquisition Category (ACAT) I and II programs. For non-space related ACAT III programs, LCMPs may be prepared at the discretion of the MDA.
(2) Program managers shall prepare IPSs for all space-related ACAT I programs. For ACAT II and III programs, IPSs may be prepared at the discretion of the MDA.
(3) The LCMP/IPS approval authority has the authority to waive the requirement to prepare a LCMP/IPS. However, the LCMP/IPS approval authority does not have the authority to waive the requirement for a written acquisition plan (see deviation procedures in FAR 1.4, as supplemented).

8. AP Contents (FAR 7.105)
What are the major sections in an Acquisition Plan?
Milestones at which decisions should be made
Acquisition background & objectives
Plan of action
Address all technical, business, management, and other significant considerations that will control the acquisition
Contents of Written Acquisition Plans.
In order to facilitate attainment of the acquisition objectives, the plan must identify those milestones at which decisions should be made (see subparagraph (b)(18) of this section). The plan must address all the technical, business, management, and other significant considerations that will control the acquisition. The specific content of plans will vary, depending on the nature, circumstances, and stage of the acquisition. In preparing the plan, the planner must follow the applicable instructions in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, together with the agency's implementing procedures. Acquisition plans for service contracts must describe the strategies for implementing performance-based contracting methods or must provide rationale for not using those methods (see subpart 37.6).
a) Acquisition background and objectives --
Statement of need.
Applicable conditions.
Cost
Capability or performance
Delivery or performance-period requirements.
Trade-offs.
Risks.
Acquisition streamlining
(b) Plan of action –
(1) Sources.
(2) Competition.
(3) Source-selection procedures.
(4) Acquisition considerations.
etc.

9. ACQUISITION PLAN Acquisition Background and Objectives
8.0 Acquisition Streamlining
7.0 Risks
6.0 Trade-Off
5.0 Delivery or Performance
4.0 Capability or Performance
3.0 Cost
2.0 Applicable Conditions
1.0 Program Description
(Statement of Need)
FAR & Sups

10. ACQUISITION PLAN Plan of Action
2.0 Competition
3.0 SS Procedures
4.0 K Considerations
5.0 Budgeting & Funding
6.0 Product/Service Description
7.0 Priority, Alloc, & Allot
8.0 Ktr vs Govt Perf
1.0 Sources
12.0 Test & Evaluation
9.0 Inherently Govt Functions
10.0 Mgt Information Rqts
11.0 Make or Buy
13.0 Logistics Considerations
14.0 Gov’t-furnished Property
15.0 Gov’t.-furnished Information
etc.
Contents of Written Acquisition Plans.
a) Acquisition background and objectives --(1) Statement of need. Introduce the plan by a brief statement of need. Summarize the technical and contractual history of the acquisition. Discuss feasible acquisition alternatives, the impact of prior acquisitions on those alternatives, and any related in-house effort.
(2) Applicable conditions. State all significant conditions affecting the acquisition, such as --
(i) Requirements for compatibility with existing or future systems or programs and
(ii) Any known cost, schedule, and capability or performance constraints.
(3) Cost. Set forth the established cost goals for the acquisition and the rationale supporting them, and discuss related cost concepts to be employed, including, as appropriate, the following items:
(i) Life-cycle cost. Discuss how life-cycle cost will be considered. If it is not used, explain why. If appropriate, discuss the cost model used to develop life-cycle-cost estimates.
(ii) Design-to-cost. Describe the design-to-cost objective(s) and underlying assumptions, including the rationale for quantity, learning-curve, and economic adjustment factors. Describe how objectives are to be applied, tracked, and enforced. Indicate specific related solicitation and contractual requirements to be imposed.
(iii) Application of should-cost. Describe the application of should-cost analysis to the acquisition (see ).
(4) Capability or performance. Specify the required capabilities or performance characteristics of the supplies or the performance standards of the services being acquired and state how they are related to the need.
(5) Delivery or performance-period requirements. Describe the basis for establishing delivery or performance-period requirements (see Subpart 11.4). Explain and provide reasons for any urgency if it results in concurrency of development and production or constitutes justification for not providing for full and open competition.
(6) Trade-offs. Discuss the expected consequences of trade-offs among the various cost, capability, performance, schedule.
7) Risks. Discuss technical, cost, and schedule risks and describe what efforts are planned or underway to reduce risk and the consequences of failure to achieve goals. If concurrency of dev & prod is planned, discuss effects on cost and schedule risks.
(8) Acquisition streamlining. If specifically designated by the requiring agency as a program subject to acquisition streamlining, discuss plans and procedures to --
(i) Encourage industry participation by using draft solicitations, presolicitation conferences, and other means of stimulating industry involvement during design and development in recommending the most appropriate application and tailoring of contract requirements;
(ii) Select and tailor only the necessary and cost-effective requirements; and
(iii) State the timeframe for identifying which of those specifications and standards, originally provided for guidance only, shall become mandatory.

11. AP Approvals Who approves the Acq Plan? ACAT I and II ACAT III ≥ $50M
Do Not Apply
ACAT III ≥ $50M
Senior Center Contracting Officer (SCCO)
Not Redelegable

12. AP Approvals Who approves the Acq Plan? ACAT III > $5.5M to ≤ $50M
Chief of Contracting Office (COCO)
Not Redelegable

13. AP Approvals Who approves the Acq Plan?
ACAT III > $100K (SAT) to ≤5.5M
One Level Above the CO
Not Redelegable

14. Life Cycle Management Plan (LCMP)
An integrated document which combines a number of traditional acquisition documents, including the AP, into a single document.
AFFARS
2.0 LCMP PURPOSE: The LCMP serves three purposes.
a. First, it meets the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements for Acquisition Planning and for a written document (FAR 7.105, as supplemented).
b. Second, it describes a specific program’s overall acquisition and program management strategy, as well as the life cycle sustainment support strategy. As the program matures, the program strategy will continue to evolve. Updates to the LCMP will document these changes. This overall program strategy provides the management framework to support a program decision (milestone review, contract award, etc.) by senior acquisition officials. Since the LCMP describes the overall program strategy, the program office should consider providing a copy of the approved LCMP, with any appropriate funding deletions, to industry at the earliest opportunity.
c. Third, the LCMP provides a vehicle to identify and request the required statutory and regulatory approvals for implementation of the program strategy. The MDA or AFAE is the approval authority for many of these requests. As a matter of convenience, the LCMP can include these requests at the discretion of the Single Manager. These requests can either be incorporated within the LCMP or as stand-alone attachments. An updated LCMP is not required if the SM becomes aware of the need for additional approvals after the original LCMP has been approved. The request for these additional approvals should be processed in accordance with existing procedures.

15. LCMP
LCMP shall meet the requirements of an acquisition plan as described in FAR.
LCMP Guidance
AFMC FAR Part 7 Rewrite, 1 Nov 2007
Acquisition Memo, 3 Mar 2005, Mr. Teets
Air Force LCMP Guide
AFI
b. SMs shall develop a single program LCMP for each new program. (Single program LCMPs are also preferred for existing programs unless it is more practicable to continue preparing separate LCMPs for distinct, individual portions of a program.) When a single program LCMP is prepared, SMs should consider developing annexes for separate programmatic or acquisition issues requiring coordination and approval, or to address aspects of the program envisioned in the original LCMP. As an example, this approach could be used to develop a program-level LCMP covering the broad management aspect of a weapon system (e.g., the F-16), with annexes covering individual programs that comprise the weapon system (e.g. avionics, landing gear, etc.), each serving as its own stand-alone management approach.
c. If a significant change (in terms of scope, dollar, contract type, etc.) requiring SAF/AQ or higher approval occurs to a program, the SM shall prepare and submit an amended LCMP (or amended LCMP annex) as described in Paragraph 5.0 with a statement summarizing the changes. The amendment should reflect the current status of the action(s) described, and all changes shall be identified by a vertical bar in the right margin. Refer to paragraph 7.2 for delegation procedures for some LCMP changes.
d. LCMPs should be written at a strategic level. This is why Air Force Secretariat and OSD participation are critical -- both are charged with providing strategic guidance for the acquisition community. A LCMP written at a strategic level also provides an additional benefit by decentralizing program execution authority to the SM and PEO/DAC. (See AFPD 63-1 at ) In short, the LCMP provides the vehicle by which the Air Force Secretariat and OSD can provide strategic program guidance, while still leaving the specific implementation of the strategy to the SM and PEO/DAC.
e. Finally, the discussion in the LCMP is limited to only the information required to adequately describe the overall strategy and support the requested decision. With few exceptions, the information required to meet statutory requirements can easily be incorporated into the LCMP. To the extent possible, attachments should be minimized unless needed to support the program or acquisition strategy (DOD R, para 2-1). Attachments (such as Test and Evaluation Master Plans) often flow through unique coordination and approval chains, which may delay the approval of the LCMP.

16. LCMP Product Support Concept Test Approach Cost/Performance Management
Risk Management
Business Strategy
Program Management
Program Summary
Mission/Requirement
Executive Summary

17. WRITTEN PLANS When is a Life Cycle Management Plan (LCMP) required?
A LCMP shall be prepared for all ACAT I and II programs
ACAT III
LCMP at the discretion of MDA; at a minimum an AP is required
(AFFARS )
AFFARS Air Force procedures for Single Acquisition Management Plans (LCMPs)/Integrated Program Summaries (IPSs). (a) General requirements.
(1) Program managers shall prepare LCMPs for all non-space related Acquisition Category (ACAT) I and II programs. For non-space related ACAT III programs, LCMPs may be prepared at the discretion of the MDA.
(2) Program managers shall prepare IPSs for all space-related ACAT I programs. For ACAT II and III programs, IPSs may be prepared at the discretion of the MDA.
(3) The LCMP/IPS approval authority has the authority to waive the requirement to prepare a LCMP/IPS. However, the LCMP/IPS approval authority does not have the authority to waive the requirement for a written acquisition plan (see deviation procedures in FAR 1.4, as supplemented).
(b) Approval requirements.
(1) For non-space related ACAT ID programs, PDASAF(A&M) is the LCMP approval authority. However, the acquisition strategy aspects of the LCMP require additional approval by USD(AT&L), as the MDA, in accordance with paragraph C2.1.4 of DoD R.
(2) For non-space related ACAT IAM programs, PDASAF(A&M) is the LCMP approval authority. However, the acquisition strategy aspects of the LCMP require additional approval by ASD(C3I), as the MDA, in accordance with paragraph C2.1.4 of DoD R..
(3) For non-space related ACAT IC and IAC programs, PDASAF(A&M) is the LCMP approval authority. ASAF(A), as the MDA, delegates the approval authority for the acquisition strategy aspects of the LCMP to PDASAF(A&M) in order to fulfill the requirement of paragraph C2.1.4 of DoD R.
(5) For non-space related ACAT II programs, the PEO or DAC is the LCMP approval authority.
(c) Content and review requirements. The LCMP/IPS shall include all required elements of a written acquisition plan in accordance with FAR 7.105, as supplemented. The LCMP/IPS approval authority determines the required content and coordination of the LCMP/IPS, subject to law and higher regulation(s) (see FAR 7.1 as supplemented).

18. LCMP Approvals Who approves the LCMP? ACAT ID and IAM
Senior Acquisition Executive (SAE)
Requires OSD Approval of the Acquisition Strategy Document (Part of the LCMP)
Not Redelegable

19. LCMP Approvals Who approves the LCMP? ACAT IC and IAC MDA Redelegable
PEO
Acquisition Deputy

20. LCMP Approvals Who approves the LCMP? ACAT II MDA Redelegable PEO
Acquisition Deputy

21. LCMP Approvals Who approves the LCMP? ACAT III MDA Redelegable PEO
Acquisition Deputy

22. LCMP Approval Summary Who approves ACAT I, II, and III LCMPs?
ACAT ID and IAM
SAE (Not Redelegable)
ACAT IC, IAC, II, III
MDA (Redelegable)
AFFARS
(b) Approval requirements.
(1) For non-space related ACAT ID programs, PDASAF(A&M) is the LCMP approval authority. However, the acquisition strategy aspects of the LCMP require additional approval by USD(AT&L), as the MDA, in accordance with paragraph C2.1.4 of DoD R.
(2) For non-space related ACAT IAM programs, PDASAF(A&M) is the LCMP approval authority. However, the acquisition strategy aspects of the LCMP require additional approval by ASD(C3I), as the MDA, in accordance with paragraph C2.1.4 of DoD R..
(3) For non-space related ACAT IC and IAC programs, PDASAF(A&M) is the LCMP approval authority. ASAF(A), as the MDA, delegates the approval authority for the acquisition strategy aspects of the LCMP to PDASAF(A&M) in order to fulfill the requirement of paragraph C2.1.4 of DoD R.
(5) For non-space related ACAT II programs, the PEO or DAC is the LCMP approval authority.
(c) Content and review requirements. The LCMP/IPS shall include all required elements of a written acquisition plan in accordance with FAR 7.105, as supplemented. The LCMP/IPS approval authority determines the required content and coordination of the LCMP/IPS, subject to law and higher regulation(s) (see FAR 7.1 as supplemented).

23. ACQUISITION PLANNING GUIDES
AP Preparation Guide and Template
Air Force LCMP Guide

24. Questions?