Priority Objective 12: Standards-Based Acquisition

Refine standards certification and conformance processes enabling standards-based acquisitions among departments and agencies, standards bodies, and vendors to promote interoperable products and services.

Steward

II SC partnering with General Services Administration

Problem Statement

The absence or inconsistent use of common technical standards in acquisition packages increases costs, limits interoperability, and complicates system operations, maintenance, and long-term sustainment.

Desired Outcome

Interoperable products and services which are realized, in part, through an approved baseline of technical standards available to all departments and agencies, adopted in enterprise architectures, and included in future acquisition packages.

Approach

Efforts will focus on policy review, government-to-industry communications, and inconsistent use of standards in acquisitions. By leveraging sequential use cases, the approach will provide iterative improvements to these areas and develop and refine a user’s guide in the form of a desktop handbook. Additionally, the government will engage industry and professional societies through industry days to keep all parties abreast of its progress and its strategic direction. Furthermore, the government will emphasize standards-based acquisitions to promote interoperable products and services as part of its procurement request for information activities.

Go to the next section: Priority Objective 13: Foreign Partner Sharing