Performance-based service acquisition (PBSA) of TRIDENT strategic weapons systems (SWS) technical engineering support (TES) services

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to determine whether the Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) should apply the concepts of Performance-Based Service Acquisition (PBSA) to Strategic Weapons Systems (SWS) Technical Engineering Support (TES) Services. This thesis provides a Department of Defense (DoD), Department of the Navy (DON), and SSP SWS program acquisition and PBSA history background, reviews overarching PBSA policy and the DON PBSA implementation plan, defines a working PBSA model, defines Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs), details the SWS program structure, defines target SWS TES services, and reviews and analyzes SWS TES service contracts and associated PBSA implementation attempts. The thesis concludes that the complete conversion of SWS TES services to PBSA is neither practicable nor desirable and recommends that SSP (1) establish a Government-only multi-functional PBSA team to perform a review of existing TES services statements of work to determine potential PBSA conversion tasking, (2) team with its business partners to develop a PBSA conversion business case, and (3) contract for selected SWS PBSA TES services through the use of a Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF) completion contracting approach with an aggressive share line and targeted performance incentives.