SD-2 Dod Acquisitions Buying Commercial Items And Nondevelopmental ItemsThis document offers guidance on acquisitions involving all types of commercial and nondevelopmental items: systems, subsystems, assemblies, parts, and items of supply. Commercial services are also addressed.This document does not present a “cookbook” approach to the acquisition of commercial and nondevelopmental items; such an approach could not accommodate the vast array of potential applications. It does offer lessons learned and things to consider when participating on an integrated product team.

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When deciding on the most appropriate method for supporting a commercial or nondevel- opmental item, consider the following questions:

•  Has the item been modified? If the item has been modified to the extent that the existing support process would also require significant modification, then total contractor support may not be feasible. Remember, too, that an item requiring significant modification is not considered commercial or nondevelopmental. Any modification must be minor; it may

not significantly alter the product's function or essential physical characteristics.

•  Where will the item be used? Will it be used in a fixed, industrial, or benign environment, or will it be used in a mobile, austere, hostile environment? Will the military environment change the item's reliability characteristics, leading to more frequent maintenance? Will

the environment significantly change the manner in which the item must be repaired? If so, contractor support might not be the best approach.

•  How long will the system be used? If the system's projected service life is only a few years, then contractor support might be preferable to establishing an in-house logistics support structure.

•  How much of the software is mature? How much is customer unique? Software, never delivered

100 percent "bug" free, may take several years to mature.The logistics support structure should address software maintenance of potential user requirement upgrades.

•  What is the need for system replacement or upgrade due to changing technology? Can the in-house support structure keep up with changes in the system and modify the support strategy accordingly?

If not, then contractor logistics support is preferred.

•  Why is a commercial item or NDI being selected? If the reason is to take advantage of an advancing technology (with changing configurations), then contractor support is pre- ferred. If the reason is to take advantage of the availability of a proven, stable design, then in-house support may be the best approach because the configuration of the item will not change. On the other hand, a proven, stable design that has been around a long time may have fostered a worldwide, inexpensive support structure readily available to military users.

In general, one of the advantages of buying commercial items and NDIs is that they usually have an existing support system. Programs using commercial items or NDIs should maximize the use of existing logistics support capabilities and data. Development of new organic logistics elements for commercial and nondevelopmental items should be limited to meeting a critical mission need or achieving substantial cost savings.

Logistics Support Elements

The supportability of commercial items and NDIs must be evaluated within the context of the key logistics support elements. Not only do the support elements affect life-cycle costs, but they