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CHAPTER VII: PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION PROCESS
PART B: ACQUISITION PLAN (AP)
Purpose: The AP is the principal document for in-depth program planning, review, and oversight.
Source Document/Guidance:
1) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) paragraphs 7.104 and 7.105.
2) NAVAIRINST 4200.36, which provides guidance on preparation, coordination, and approval of APs for both
NAVAIR and Naval Aviation PEO programs, is currently being updated and should be reissued in the fall of 1997.
3) The ASN(RDA) Acquisition Planning Guide (APG) of April 1992 provides the criteria for when an AP is
required and the AP format guidance.
Critical Prior Events: APs will not be approved unless an approved Operational Requirements Document (or
equivalent) exists. APs for ACAT programs can not be approved unless the program has an approved Acquisition
Strategy which is approved by the milestone decision authority, although for some programs (particularly ACAT
IIIs and IVs) the Acquisition Strategy and AP may be combined if the milestone decision authority allows.
When Required:
1) Development of the AP should begin as soon as the program need is identified, and preferably well in advance
of the fiscal year in which contract award is necessary. An approved AP is absolutely required for contract award.
See Events/Time Standards chart on page 8 of this Guide.
2) APs are required for development programs with a total value of $5M or more, and production/service
programs with a total value of $30M or more, or with a value of $15M or more in any fiscal year. Information
Technology resources also fall under these thresholds.
3) The AP is not required for a final buy out (documented last buy of material or services at a point in time, fully
funded, for which no documented foreseeable requirement exists) or a one-time buy. Neither a multi-year contract
nor a contract with options/phases are to be considered a final buy-out or a one-time buy.
4) When Foreign Military Sales requirements cause a program to meet the above dollar thresholds, an AP is
required.
Responsibility:
1) The program manager (i.e., the official who provides overall management, direction, control, resource
utilization, and integration of a system or item to be purchased) is responsible for seeing that the AP is prepared
and submitted for approval in a timely manner.
2) In preparing the AP, the program manager must rely on his or her Integrated Program Team (IPT) members:
contracting, engineering, logistics, security, business-financial, training, production management, counsel, and
anyone else closely involved with the program. Where appropriate, the team should coordinate development of the
draft AP with the Systems Engineering Department (AIR-4.1), the commonality and competition advocates (in
AIR-4.10C), the acquisition streamlining advocate and data management focal point (both located in AIR-4.1C),
AIR-3.6.1 for spares acquisition, and the Common Support Equipment Program Office (PMA-260).
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