Requirements Development & Management

The Columbia Group provides requirements development and management support as an integral component of the military systems acquisition process. We support Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) processes which guide the requirements development aspect of systems acquisition from the initial stages of Capabilities Development through Fielding and Sustainment. We work with the services’ Capabilities Development and Integration organizations to develop and maintain:

Initial Capabilities Document, Capability Development Documents, and Capability Production Documents
Department of Defense Architectural Framework documents
Analysis of Alternatives Reports
Concepts of Operations and Employment
Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) and Key System Attributes (KSAs)
Information Support Plans
Analysis and risk assessment of cost, performance and schedule tradeoffs

The Columbia Group also supports requirements development for rapid acquisitions, primarily using the Urgent Needs Process, which is streamlined and tailored to provide capabilities support to operational forces within less than one year from identification of a need.

We have provided comprehensive requirements development and management support for ACAT III and IV programs such as the Ground Based Operational Surveillance System (G-BOSS), as well as individual elements of support for ACAT I and II programs. In all cases, these efforts are integrated with the other two primary elements of the Department of Defense systems acquisition process, the Defense Acquisition System and the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES).

We are also prepared to provide Requirements Development and Management services to non-DOD customers by drawing upon our knowledge and experience within DOD programs.