Acquisition Program Baseline (APB) Component

Basically, the APB is regarded as a document that defines the benefits, costs, schedule of an acquisition program and performance parameters while identifying milestones for gauging the program’s progress (Girard, 2015). The APB, in this case, is developed by the program manager (PM) before the actual start of the program. Therefore, the APB allows the PM to make an effective track of the program’s goal against any formal baseline (Girard, 2015). The tracking will, therefore, alert the PM to any potential underlying problem that might arise in order to operate the program in an effective way so as to keep the program within its goal. The object of this work is to gather information in relation to the operational status of the ASA-ALT in relation to the APB components. The APB parameter values highly represent the program that is targeted to be produced or deployed. Considering the delivery of the systems in relation to the evolutionary acquisition strategy, the APB is associated with parameters for the next block (Girard, 2015). Following this, only those the APB contains specific parameters that are not associated with the thresholds. Therefore, if the threshold is not met at any point, the ASA-ALT will consider reevaluating the program and focus of different alternative concepts or approaches based on the program design. The summation of the performance parameter should exist as a minimum number that is needed to characterize the major drivers of the general operational performance process and supportability (Girard, 2015). Based on this, the value of a threshold or objective in the APB should not be different from the threshold value. With the increase in time, the number of performance parameter tends to increase in time (Girard, 2015). Thus, the ASA-ALT PM will use a minimum number of well-defined operational level, performance measurement in order to get information on the needed capability on the program. Additionally, the schedule parameters on the ASA-ALT will minimally involve the initiation date of the program, important decision points and the achievement of the initial operating capability (Girard, 2015). In relation to this, the ASA-ALT will, therefore, evaluate program schedule criteria that involve crucial date on the program’s schedule. The cost parameter is also taken into consideration through which it is broken down into various type of costs. These cost parameters include the evaluation cost, procurement costs, and military construction cost. Similarly, the operating and support and the cost incurred in the acquisition of items with operations and maintenance funds are taken into consideration. The Army is faced by cost parameters whereby cost figures reflect realistic estimates of the total program that is associated with a thorough assessment of risk. The impact on the underlying costs can be mitigated by the PM through refinement of the procurement costs in relation to the contractor actual costs associated with component advanced developments system demonstration and system integration (Girard, 2015). The PM will, therefore, involve a refined estimate in the following submittal of the APB. Based on this, the amounts budgeted will not at any point exceed the total cost thresholds in the APB (Girard, 2015). The existing cost parameter is applicable to additional payments to the military and the acquisition cost of the items procured with the defense working capital funds. The program deviation exists when the PM has the reason in believing that the current estimate for the program indicates that a performance, schedule and the threshold cost value will not be achievable (Girard, 2015). Thus, the PM shall immediately inform the Total Army on the occurrence of such deviation. Also, the PM should give adequate and reliable reasons for the occurrence of such program deviation while stating the preferable actions to be undertaken in bringing the program back within the baseline parameters. If the program deviation persists, a new APB level program will be conducted for the Total Army with additional review of the PM baseline.

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