Step 2 | Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Element Development

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Determining the necessary and proper data needed over the life cycle of a weapon system is a very difficult and complex task. Developing a WBS for the weapon system can be an effective tool in determining the necessary and proper data. The WBS will depict the system, subsystems, items and components of the weapon system, and based on the WBS structured outline, the SMEs can then determine what specific data is required (based from the Program Management Office documents) at each level of indenture of the WBS.

In Step 2, the government engineering team will develop the WBS elements of the weapon system to the Level 3.

Let’s take a car as an example. You develop the WBS for the car that includes the engine and the engine’s subsystems, components, items and software. Now you can determine what data is needed for the life cycle of the engine based on each WBS indenture of the engine based on your sustainment plan. If the sustainment plan is to perform minimal maintenance/repairs, the data needed by the owner will be very limited (just the owner’s manual). On the other hand, if the owner wants to overhaul the engine, the amount of data will dramatically increase. The WBS will ensure every part of the engine will have the necessary and proper data required to perform an engine overhaul.

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Step 3 | Acquisition Data Call