DOD Publishes Defense Acquisition Guidebook

June 2005

In the interest of knowing your buyer, it is helpful for businesses to know what standards and guidelines the buyers are required to adhere to, as well as how they will implement those practices.

Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Michael Wynne approved provisional release of the Defense Acquisition Guidebook.

The new guidebook is designed to serve as a companion to the revised acquisition policy documents, DOD Directive 5000.1 and DOD Instruction 5000.2, released in May 2003. Those documents established the policy framework for translating mission needs into stable, affordable and well-managed programs.

Release of the guidebook fulfills the department’s earlier commitment to design a transformed acquisition system and supporting policy that will foster efficiency, flexibility, creativity and innovation. The guidebook is an interactive, Web-based capability designed to provide the acquisition workforce and its industry partners with an on-line instant reference to best business practice as well as supporting policy, statute and lessons learned. While the policy documents released earlier explain what acquisition managers are required to do, the just-released guidebook complements those documents by proposing how.

Defense acquisition professionals can use the reference to review discretionary best business practice and tailor that practice to the particular needs of their program. The electronic guide moves the acquisition workforce further along the path of e-business. Workforce members also will be able to use the guidebook to access the Defense Acquisition University’s Acquisition Knowledge Sharing System and many of the university’s other resources.

The Defense Acquisition Guidebook is now available on the Internet at: http://akss.dau.mil/DAG