program empowers the PM and IPTs to make program decisions. Report - ing, oversight, and communication mechanisms are in place. The IPT establishes relationships with exter - nal stakeholders that enable timely exchanges of critical information. Working Integrated Product Teams (WIPTs) are chartered to assist the PM in areas such as test and evalua - tion, life-cycle cost estimate, acquisi - tion strategy, and sustainment. These WIPTs involve external stakeholders and exist apart from the program of - fice execution IPTs. The industry role, requires a mini - mum of one prime contractor with an adequate supplier base to meet the program need. Both the program office and industry have communi - cated long-term investment plans and industrial base risks have been identified. More than one supplier for key components is available, and a credible plan for competition in production exists. A good working relationship with the prime contrac - tor is established early after contract award. The PM works to achieve early alignment of government and industry teams around the contract with each IPT. This alignment is often
achieved through an Acquisition Pro - gram Transition Workshop, a work - shop offered by WarU. Several other start-up workshops are also avail - able to IPTs, including the WSM 014 Acquisition Strategy Development Workshop and the WSD 019 Acquisi - tion Team Skills Workshop. Final Thoughts Like any model, this IPTRL assess - ment should be tailored based on the program pathway, complexity, and the program’s unique situation. The intent is not to make this assessment an exact science but rather provide an analytical framework for equipping our most important asset (people) with the tools needed to succeed. Prior to joining WarU, I was in - volved in a couple of start-up pro - gram situations. Experience tells me that the temptation is to rush to develop plans and strategies with - out a full up-and-ready IPT. While we want to go fast, we need to ensure we have the right people, processes, and tools to develop a sound program foundation. The investment made to equip IPTs during program incep - tion will pay dividends in the form of successful execution.
SCHULTZ is a professor of Program Manage- ment and an executive coach in the War- fighting Acquisition University (WarU)’s Capi- tal and Northeast Region, Fort Belvoir, Va. Prior to joining WarU, his career included multiple PM positions in the Air Force and industry. The author can be contacted at brian.schultz@waru.edu . The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the Department of War. Reproduction or reposting of articles from Defense Acquisition magazine should credit the authors and the magazine.
Related Resources
– (WSM 011) Acquisition Program Transition Workshop (Online Workshop) – (WSM 014) Acquisition Strategy Development Workshop (Online Training Course) – (WSM 019) Acquisition Team Skills Workshop (Online Training Course)
MAY – JUNE 2026 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION MAGAZINE 9
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker