Applying the Fundamentals of Quality to Software Acquisition
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Authors
Bygren, Steve
Carrier, Greg
Maher, Tom
Maurer, Patrick
Smiley, David
Spiewak, Rick
Sweed, Christine
Subjects
Advisors
Date of Issue
2017-03
Date
2017-03
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Historically, software developed under government contracts often does not stand up under real-world use, and defects frequently result in cost and schedule overruns. While proposed development activities from contractors commonly list measures to improve quality, these descriptions cannot be used to select a winning bidder if they are not part of the evaluation criteria. By making software quality requirements explicit at the proposal stage, contractor selection can be influenced by criteria based on best practices in software development. If we want to improve the quality of our software, a モQuality in Depthヤ approach is neededラintroducing quality-related measures at every stage of software acquisition. In a previous article, one of the authors provided recommendations for improving software quality at the construction phase (Spiewak & McRitchie, 2008). This article discusses how to apply these same principles to the source selection process. In order to find a way to include software practices as selection criteria, the authors set out to identify and recommend changes to Sections L and M of a government RFP (Request for Proposal) or IFPP (Instructions for Proposal Preparation) and EC (Evaluation Criteria) in an attempt to improve software and system quality. These changes will enable selection teams to identify contractors whose software development processes and compliance with software quality standards are more likely to produce the desired results.
Type
Report
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
SYM-AM-17-048
Sponsors
Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Program
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.