Utilizing the SETR process in the procurement of TPSs on the CASS Family of Testers

The acquisition of Operational Test Program Sets (OTPSs) has been a recurring effort requiring standardization, refinement, and continuous process improvement. Established in 1989, by the ‘Red Team’ integrated product team (IPT) and updated in 2005 as the NAVAIR Generic OTPS Request for Proposal (NGOR), the NGOR acquisition package is used as a Government template in the procurement of OTPSs being obtained for the Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) Family of Testers (FoT). This acquisition package has been through several minor and major changes since inception. It has included review and recommendations from all Department of Defense services to include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marines, and U.S. Navy. These services and commercial industry use the NGOR as a reference and guidance for future bids and proposals. Foreign entities have also attributed ideas to include approved Foreign Military Sales (FMS). In 2014, the NGOR was revamped to include the NAVAIR Systems Engineering Technical Review (SETR) process. The rigorous and defined process assesses the technical, logistical, and programmatic health of design and development of an OTPS procurement. This paper will further enhance the understanding of this process by assessing the role and value the NAVAIR SETR process has in the acquisition, development, and over all life cycle management of Test Program Sets (TPSs) for the CASS FoT. This assessment will include the total acquisition life cycle from the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) to the Materiel Support Date (MSD). Additionally, this paper will identify the changes made to the NGOR to incorporate SETR relative to the Statement of Work (SOW), Performance Specification, Contract Attachments, and Contract Data Requirements Lists (CDRLs). This assessment comprises a discussion on OTPS and TPS system performance specification requirements (both generic and specific), SETR milestone and technical events' entry criteria, SETR checklist prerequisites specific to planned contract events, logistical needs, and federal regulatory and statutory requirements.