ACAP Defense Acquisition and Cost Policy

Question 1

Which DoD instruction establishes the primary policy framework for the defense acquisition system?

Accepted Answer

DoDI 5000.02 (Operation of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework)

Answer

DoDI 5000.01 (The Defense Acquisition System)

Answer

DoDD 5000.01 (The Defense Acquisition System)

Answer

FAR Part 15 (Contracting by Negotiation)

Question 2

What is the 'Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF)' and how many acquisition pathways does it include?

Accepted Answer

The AAF is a flexible DoD acquisition model with six pathways tailored to different product types and urgency levels

Answer

The AAF is a single streamlined acquisition process replacing all prior DoD acquisition regulations

Answer

The AAF includes three pathways: development, production, and sustainment

Answer

The AAF is an Army-specific acquisition model separate from the broader DoD framework

Question 3

What threshold defines a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) under US law?

Accepted Answer

RDT&E costs exceeding $525M or procurement costs exceeding $3.065B in FY2020 constant dollars

Answer

Any program requiring congressional notification of cost growth

Answer

Programs with more than 10,000 units procured

Answer

Any program managed at the PEO level or above

Question 4

What is the role of the 'Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE)' office within OSD?

Accepted Answer

CAPE provides independent cost estimates and program assessments to the Secretary of Defense to support major acquisition decisions and oversight

Answer

CAPE manages the DoD budget process and coordinates POM submissions from the military services

Answer

CAPE approves all contractor cost proposals above the simplified acquisition threshold

Answer

CAPE trains DoD cost analysts and certifies them under the DAWIA system

Question 5

What is the 'Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA)' and how does it affect Army cost analysts?

Accepted Answer

DAWIA established competency standards and certification requirements for the defense acquisition workforce, requiring cost analysts to achieve specific education, training, and experience credentials

Answer

DAWIA created the position of Cost Analysis Center director within each military service

Answer

DAWIA mandates that cost analysts prepare independent estimates for all contracts over $10M

Answer

DAWIA established the Army Cost Review Board as the primary oversight mechanism

Question 6

What is the 'Technology Readiness Level (TRL)' scale and how does TRL affect cost estimating?

Accepted Answer

TRL is a 1-9 scale measuring technology maturity; lower TRLs indicate higher technical risk and greater cost uncertainty, requiring larger risk reserves in estimates

Answer

TRL measures production readiness and is used only to estimate manufacturing costs

Answer

TRL is a DoD contract performance metric used to evaluate contractor technical progress

Answer

TRL 9 systems are too mature to estimate parametrically and require only engineering build-up