Decision Point helps facilitate effective communications between the Acquisition center and the technology base by:

• Developing Alignment Mechanisms such as the Technology Transition Agreement (TTA) and a (tech-level) Technology Development Strategy (TDS).
• Documents are used to exchange Interest, Intent and Commitment at significant event milestones throughout the Acquisition Lifecycle leading to transition at MS-B.
• Some S&T Organizations utilize internal Transition groups (as shown in this picture) who have the responsibility to prepare technology products (whether components or systems) for transition to Acquisition partners by developing the TTA in cooperation with potential customers.

Technology Transition is the use of technology in military systems to create effective weapons and support systems-in the quantity and quality needed by the warfighter.*

Technology Transitions can occur during the development of systems, or even after a system has been in the field.

Technology Transitions can occur between government organizations, such as when a government laboratory transitions a technology to a government research and development organization. Also, industry can transition technology to government, and vice versa.

*Taken from Manager’s Guide to Technology Transition in an Evolutionary Acquisition Environment, January 31, 2003. DAU AC201

Decision Point promotes systems engineering rigor by establishing a TRL based stage-gate process for planning, developing, and assessing technology maturity in the S&T organization

Use of Decision Point provides confidence to the Acquisition center that the Users requirements are being met in the technology product.

6.1: Basic Research is the point of discovery followed by technical concept formulation that is normally associated with technology readiness level (TRL) 1 and 2.  During this time, new scientific phenomena are investigated in an effort to discover and advance fundamental knowledge in fields potentially important to national defense. Transition activities typically involve publishing research findings for review by DoD or other USG S&T developers when specific advances demonstrate promise as candidates for actual application. When such an application occurs, it is considered an internal transition.

6.2: Applied Research (also called exploratory development), typically associated with TRL 3 and 4, in which technology is developed based on a newly discovered scientific phenomena or where an existing technology is investigated for use in a totally different manner than currently applied. This period of development is an ideal time for the S&T enterprise to cultivate initial Interest in the technology.  Once a transition partner is identified, an interest-level TTA should be developed with an eye towards identifying sources for end user performance requirements. Projects with identified transition prospects can turn from "push" to "pull" with an Intent-level TTA.

6.3: Advanced Technology Development, typically associated with TRL 5 and 6, in which demonstration of a technology in a relevant environment that satisfies a military need is the focus. Transition activities include getting customer commitment in terms of Key performance requirements, form/fit, funding, and schedule. Transition terms are formally agreed upon and committed to by both parties.