SD-5 Market ResearchThe purpose of this document is to provide DoD and other Federal personnel involved in the acquisition process with practical guidance on using market research to ensure the acquisition of products and services that will best serve the government??s needs. Specifically, this document is designed for personnel involved with establishing requirements for products or services, such as engineers, technical specialists, project officers, and customers; personnel involved with purchasing products or services, such as contracting officers, contract specialists, and cost analysts; and personnel who support the acquisition process, such as logisticians, testing and quality assurance specialists, and legal counsel.

Pages 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 - 43 - 44 - 45 - 46 - 47 - 48 - 49 - 50 - 51 - 52

Guiding  Principles

From the preceding discussion, it should be apparent that market research applies to a wide va- riety of products and services across the Federal Government and to both highly complex sys- tems acquisitions and routine purchases.There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach; market

research must be adapted to fit the circumstances. Here, we present some guiding principles to keep in mind when designing a market research effort.These principles apply to most market research efforts regardless of size, scope, or complexity.

Start Early

Begin market research early, while the requirement is still flexible. In a major systems acquisi- tion, begin market research prior to Milestone A, while the functional needs are being defined and in support of the initial capabilities document. Additional research will be performed later to identify subsystems or components during the design of development programs and to get more specific details about technical characteristics and market practices. On smaller, routine acquisitions, begin market research during the presolicitation phase when requirements are be- ing developed and refined. Starting early helps to ensure that the user defines and documents the requirements appropriately.

If you are a technical specialist, a project officer, or another individual responsible for a prod- uct or service area, you will need to keep current with the latest developments in the market. You should consider market research to be a continuous process, occurring whether or not an acquisition program exists.

Define and Document Requirements

Early market research results are invaluable when negotiating reasonable requirements with the user. Market research information can help the user understand technological limitations and commercial practices. Documenting the range of alternatives will help the user define a set of requirements that will both meet the need while being technically feasible to produce under the constraints of time and budget.

Refine as You Proceed

The research should always proceed from the general to the specific. Start at the strategic level by examining the overall market, then move to the tactical level by using the information gained at the strategic level to focus your efforts. Acquire a little bit of information on many companies, and the products or services they offer, and a lot of information on the few prod-

Source:  https://assist.dla.mil  --  Downloaded: 

Check  the  source  to  verify  that  this  is  the  current  version  before  use.                                                                        11