The RITE Approach to Agile Acquisition

Abstract

As directed by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2010, Public Law 111-84, the defense acquisition community is transitioning in an effort to adopt software best practices for delivering information technology in an incremental and iterative model. The Deputy Secretary of Defense provided a report to Congress titled A New Approach for Delivering Information Technology Capabilities in the DoD, delineating the overarching framework to reform the acquisition of information technology to better address and fulfill warfighter requirements. Many governmental agencies, anticipating future directives, are implementing Agile software development methodologies and demonstrating success using these methodologies on DoD-sponsored programs. As an example of this, the Rapid Integration and Test Environment (RITE) established by SSC Pacific in 2008 provides a standardized Agile development environment for its C2 programs. Much of the work to date has addressed program items controlled at lower command levels while awaiting restructuring of the acquisition milestone and review requirements specified in DoDI 5000.02. This report presents the research completed in analyzing traditional acquisition program milestone reviews and documentation requirements and identifies streamlining opportunities that support Agile development. The report also validates the RITE initiative in providing the structured engineering approach that makes Agile development viable in a DoD acquisition environment.