CDD requirements, it would have in- advertently developed software from operationally unacceptable stale user requirements. Recognizing that soft- ware is best and most effectively de- veloped while working hand in hand with end users, the program office sought out end users and collabo- rated with them on interpreting the system requirements into software user-interface and back-end capabil- ity requirements. This also included a differentiation between functions that could be automated and those that required operators in/on the loop. The journey began with building a then nonexistent bridge between the acquisition program office and the system users/operators. Conver- sations involved documenting and understanding operator/user pain points, perspectives, and needs re- quired for the next-generation system. What began as a contentious and combative first engagement evolved into a strong working relationship with users participating in the en- tire prototyping and source selec- tion process. Users unaccustomed to being consulted provided the greatest value in choosing the best-of-breed vendors to complete the ESS ground system software that would be opera- tionally accepted faster than typical DoD acquisitions. The ESS Mission Planning effort began on Oct. 4, 2022, and released the prototype Request for Proposal on May 6, 2024. Over 580 days, the team sat with the operators, testers, and planners, while painstakingly de- tailing requirements necessary to cre- ate an operationally acceptable mis- sion planning software application. The team held hundreds of engage- ments and touchpoints with the fol- lowing list of organizations to ensure that the Mission Planning application would not fail: • Warfighting Integration. • Sustainment. • Satellite Operators. • Test and Evaluation. • Mission Planners. • Joint Terminal Program Offices.
Requirements driven from both the top-down (JROC CDD) and then the ground-up (user feedback) were critical to avoid developing a system that would be “tossed over the fence” to operators after being developed to stale requirements in an acquisition bubble.
• Regional SATCOM Support Center. • International Partner Support Center. • Protected Tactical Enterprise Ser- vice Program Office. • Global Positioning System Program Office. • Space Systems Integration Office. • Cybersecurity Teams. In addition to working with op- erators/users, the ESS program of- fice sought acquisition advice and lessons-learned from Software Ac- quisition Pathway experts in the Of- fice of the Secretary of Defense, the Government Accountability Office, successful software programs in DoD, and other organizations. DoD software program managers also had a great deal of insight to offer on the journey of software development. In learning from others’ failures, we at least knew what not to do! And know- ing that helped us create our current acquisition path that we anticipate others can imitate as a future DoD best practice. Requirements driven from both the top-down (JROC CDD) and then the ground-up (user feedback) were critical to avoid developing a system that would be “tossed over the fence” to operators after being developed to stale requirements in an acquisition bubble. Inadequate or poorly devel- oped software leads to systems that do not meet performance expecta-
tions and that ultimately compromise mission effectiveness. Insufficient attention to secure coding practices and testing intro- duces vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and data breaches. If the application does not meet end user needs, it may not be adopted or used effectively, re- sulting in wasted resources and con- tinued reliance on outdated systems. Therefore, the best solution for ensuring successful delivery of soft- ware for this no-fail NC3 mission uses the Software Acquisition Pathway to prototype the software, hand in hand with users, and together with a soft- ware bake-off that ensures software coding best practices from the se- lected software vendor. Why It Matters The DoD has traditionally pur- chased software by asking contrac- tors for a written proposal, conducting a technical evaluation, and selecting performers based on the promise of delivering capabilities. But the acqui- sition of the ESS Mission Planning application shows that the U.S. Space Force emphasizes innovation and in- dustry best practices at the outset. Contractor teams must now show that they have the technical matura- tion to develop capabilities with the “show, don’t tell” approach. Legacy contractor teams with mission area knowledge are now
52 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION | March-April 2025
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