The Acquisition Handbook

The Customers and the IPT• Requirements Definition — the capture, analysis, specification and progressive refinement ofcapability needs to form a URD. Where relevant, bilateral and multilateral activity will beundertaken to identify where the capability needs might be shared with other nations.•Equipment Planning — the prioritisation and balance of investment between and withincapabilities• Seeking Approvals — in conjunction with IPT Leaders•Authorising Acceptance — the confirmation that the need for capability has been met by thesystems supplied.Within the ECC organisation a Joint Capabilities Board (JCB), headed by the Deputy Chief ofDefence Staff (Equipment Capability) (DCDS(EC)) and comprising four 2* Capability Managers(CM), the 2* Director General Equipment and the 2* Director General (Research and Technology)has been formed. The JCB is responsible for providing strategic direction, based onDepartmental priorities, and for making Balance of Investment decisions across the entireEquipment Programme.DCDS(EC)CM StrategicDeploymentCM StrikeCMManoeuvreCMInformationSuperiorityDGEquipmentDG Research& TechnologyDsEC DsEC DsEC DsECEach Capability Manager has a number of Directors of Equipment Capability (DsEC) who areresponsible for defined areas of capability and a number of projects. DsEC produce CapabilityArea Plans (CAPs) for their capability areas and form one or more Capability Working Groups(CWGs). CWGs will include representatives from all stakeholders in the capability area, includingusers, the scientific community, concepts, doctrine and force development staffs, the DLO,personnel and training staffs, IPT Leaders and Industry representatives. CWGs are the primarymeans by which the views of stakeholders are taken into account, and provide the advice fromwhich the empowered DEC makes decisions.A DEC acts as the customer for an IPT which is concerned primarily with the acquisition of newequipment. The DEC tasks the IPT through a CSA, agreeing boundaries for time, cost andperformance, and the trade-offs amongst them.The ECC also has a through life responsibility forthe capability.30