Defense Acquisition System Exam Questions and Verified Solutions (Rated A+)
What is the Defense Acquisition System (DAS)? - Answers The Defense Acquisition System exists to
manage the nation's investments in technologies, programs, and product support necessary to achieve
the National Security Strategy and support the United States Armed Forces
Who is the primary lead for developing material solutions? - Answers the Assistant Secretary of the
Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(AL&T))
What is the preferred solution to mitigating capability gaps? - Answers the non-materiel solution
What are the three criteria that must be met for a recommended materiel solution? - Answers -
affordability,
- feasibility,
- strategic responsiveness
What are the five phases of the Defense Acquisition System (DAS)? - Answers 1. Materiel Solution
Analysis (MSA),
2. Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR),
3. Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD),
4. Production and Deployment (PD),
5. Operations and Support (OS).
Which DAS phase is considered to be the longest and most expensive? - Answers Phase 5: Operations
and Support (OS)
How many milestones or decision points are often correlated to a program's progress based upon its
technological maturity? - Answers There are 3 milestone decisions : A, B, C
What is a milestone in DAS? - Answers Milestones are pre-determined gates that have established
criteria that must be met prior to proceeding to the next phase of the DAS
What is the product of the milestone meetings? - Answers acquisition decision memorandums (ADM)
What is a Nunn-McCurdy Breach? - Answers A Nunn-McCurdy Breach occurs when a program exceeds
15 percent of their original Acquisition Program Baseline (APB).
Performance considerations are broken down into what two areas? - Answers - key performance
parameters (KPPs)
- key system attributes (KSAs)
, what are key performance parameters (KPPs)? - Answers KPPs are the minimal operational effectiveness
and suitability attributes that are testable and measurable to developing an effective military capability.
What are the four congressionally directed KPPs? - Answers 1. Force Protection & System Survivability,
2. Sustainment-Reliability,
3. System Training,
4. Energy Efficiency
What is the most common starting point for materiel solutions for new capability requirements and
makes a case for the materiel and non-materiel solution courses of action, and demonstrates why non-
materiel approaches will not sufficiently mitigate the capability gap? - Answers initial capabilities
document (ICD)
What is the purpose of an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA)? - Answers The purpose of the Analysis of
Alternatives is to assess potential materiel solutions recommended to mitigate the capability gap
documented in the approved ICD
What is the formal entry point into the DAS and is mandatory for all potential acquisition programs? -
Answers Materiel Development Decision (MDD) review
What is the purpose of Phase 1 in the DAS? - Answers PHASE I - Materiel Solution Analysis assesses
potential materiel solutions to satisfy the phase-specific entrance criteria for the program. It translates
capability gaps into system specific requirements (including KPPs and KSAs), and conduct planning to
support the acquisition strategy.
What occurs at milestone A? - Answers At Milestone A the MDA approves:
- the completed AoA,
- a proposed conceptual materiel solution,
- full funding for planned phase activity, acquisition strategy (AS),
- exit criteria for the phase 2: Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction
When is a Program Manager (PM) designated? - Answers The designation of a PM is generally made
before Milestone A and no later than program initiation (milestone B).
When does the Materiel Solution Analysis phase end? - Answers Phase 1 ends with the Milestone A
decision
When does Phase II - Technology Maturation & Risk Reduction begin? - Answers Milestone A approval
begins the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase
What is the Defense Acquisition System (DAS)? - Answers The Defense Acquisition System exists to
manage the nation's investments in technologies, programs, and product support necessary to achieve
the National Security Strategy and support the United States Armed Forces
Who is the primary lead for developing material solutions? - Answers the Assistant Secretary of the
Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(AL&T))
What is the preferred solution to mitigating capability gaps? - Answers the non-materiel solution
What are the three criteria that must be met for a recommended materiel solution? - Answers -
affordability,
- feasibility,
- strategic responsiveness
What are the five phases of the Defense Acquisition System (DAS)? - Answers 1. Materiel Solution
Analysis (MSA),
2. Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR),
3. Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD),
4. Production and Deployment (PD),
5. Operations and Support (OS).
Which DAS phase is considered to be the longest and most expensive? - Answers Phase 5: Operations
and Support (OS)
How many milestones or decision points are often correlated to a program's progress based upon its
technological maturity? - Answers There are 3 milestone decisions : A, B, C
What is a milestone in DAS? - Answers Milestones are pre-determined gates that have established
criteria that must be met prior to proceeding to the next phase of the DAS
What is the product of the milestone meetings? - Answers acquisition decision memorandums (ADM)
What is a Nunn-McCurdy Breach? - Answers A Nunn-McCurdy Breach occurs when a program exceeds
15 percent of their original Acquisition Program Baseline (APB).
Performance considerations are broken down into what two areas? - Answers - key performance
parameters (KPPs)
- key system attributes (KSAs)
, what are key performance parameters (KPPs)? - Answers KPPs are the minimal operational effectiveness
and suitability attributes that are testable and measurable to developing an effective military capability.
What are the four congressionally directed KPPs? - Answers 1. Force Protection & System Survivability,
2. Sustainment-Reliability,
3. System Training,
4. Energy Efficiency
What is the most common starting point for materiel solutions for new capability requirements and
makes a case for the materiel and non-materiel solution courses of action, and demonstrates why non-
materiel approaches will not sufficiently mitigate the capability gap? - Answers initial capabilities
document (ICD)
What is the purpose of an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA)? - Answers The purpose of the Analysis of
Alternatives is to assess potential materiel solutions recommended to mitigate the capability gap
documented in the approved ICD
What is the formal entry point into the DAS and is mandatory for all potential acquisition programs? -
Answers Materiel Development Decision (MDD) review
What is the purpose of Phase 1 in the DAS? - Answers PHASE I - Materiel Solution Analysis assesses
potential materiel solutions to satisfy the phase-specific entrance criteria for the program. It translates
capability gaps into system specific requirements (including KPPs and KSAs), and conduct planning to
support the acquisition strategy.
What occurs at milestone A? - Answers At Milestone A the MDA approves:
- the completed AoA,
- a proposed conceptual materiel solution,
- full funding for planned phase activity, acquisition strategy (AS),
- exit criteria for the phase 2: Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction
When is a Program Manager (PM) designated? - Answers The designation of a PM is generally made
before Milestone A and no later than program initiation (milestone B).
When does the Materiel Solution Analysis phase end? - Answers Phase 1 ends with the Milestone A
decision
When does Phase II - Technology Maturation & Risk Reduction begin? - Answers Milestone A approval
begins the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase
