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Developmental Test, Evaluation and Assessment

About the Office of Developmental Test, Evaluation and Assessment

Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E)

Developmental Test and Evaluation DT&E  is the deliberate exercising of virtual or real components or systems, and the evaluation of responses to generate information on capabilities and limitations. DT&E's value is creating credible, reality-based information to inform decisions that enable progress in providing new or enhanced capabilities. DT&E provides one perspective of system capabilities and limitations and operates in a continuum of contractor verification, developmental T&E.

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DT&E Provides Timely Knowledge to Inform Decisions Related to:

Test & Evaluation Process Chart
  • System concepts
  • Technology and technical maturity
  • System and subsystem design trades
  • Production or manufacturing
  • Operation and sustainment

DT&E Supports Efficient and Adaptive System Acquisitions

A robust DT&E effort provides the information needed for independent evaluations and risk managed decisions:

  • DT&E is applicable from concept to combat.
  • DT&E starts with concept refinement and continues through capability requirements definition; technology maturity; system development; manufacturing; deployment; operations; and sustainment.
  • DT&E provides feedback on progress toward capability development and improvements, and achieving contractual technical performance.
  • DT&E stresses systems to validate system functionality and capability to operate within the intended operational mission contexts.
  • DT&E assesses readiness for initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) or limited deployment using production or deployment-representative test articles.

More information on Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF) and Pathways can be found here: https://aaf.dau.edu/

DT&E Policy

DoDD 5137.02

UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING (USD(R&E))

    • Establishes the position, responsibilities and functions, relationships, and authorities of the USD(R&E).
    • Authorizes the USD(R&E), as a Principal Staff Assistant (PSA) reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense, to promulgate DoD policy within the responsibilities, functions, and authorities assigned in this issuance.

DoDI 5000.89

TEST AND EVALUATION

    • Establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for test and evaluation (T&E) programs across five of the six pathways of the adaptive acquisition framework: urgent capability acquisition, middle tier of acquisition (MTA), major capability acquisition, and software acquisition.

 

DT&E Engagement List

  • The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) jointly publish a joint T&E engagement list. The list identifies programs designated for developmental test (DT) engagement, operational test (OT), and live fire (LF) T&E.
  • DTE&A actively monitors acquisition programs to determine the need for DT&E engagement and makes recommendations to the USD(R&E) for adding or removing programs from the list. To determine the need for DT&E engagement, OUSD(R&E) considers the following

Engagement List

DOT&E maintains a joint OSD T&E engagement list, which is designated Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and requires a Common Access Card for access, on an OSD collaboration site. The engagement list does not include highly classified and sensitive programs; such programs will be identified directly to the Services.

List of Available DT&E Documents and Guidance

  • The Test and Evaluation Management Guide (TEMG) is kept updated with the cooperation and support of the Director of Developmental Testing, Evaluation, and Assessments (DDTE&A), the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), the President of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), and the DoD Component T&E representatives. The TEMG is one of many technical management educational guides developed for use by DAU. Although some Service-specific processes are included as illustrative examples, the TEMG, like all DAU products, is written primarily from a Department of Defense (DoD) perspective, i.e., non-Service specific.
  • The objective of a well-managed T&E program is to provide timely and accurate information to decision makers and program managers (PMs). The TEMG was developed to assist the acquisition community in obtaining a better understanding of who the decision makers are and determining how and when to plan T&E events so that they are efficient and effective.

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense,
Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E))
3030 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3030