Systems Engineering and Architecture
Policy and Guidance
Under the authorities of the USD(R&E) charter (DoD Directive 5137.02), Systems Engineering and Architecture (SE&A) is responsible for developing policy and guidance and disseminating best practices to encourage the use of systems engineering, other engineering disciplines, and standards and specifications for the engineering of defense systems.

Engineering Policy
- DoD Instruction 5000.88, Engineering of Defense Systems
- DoD Instruction 5000.89, Test and Evaluation
- DoD Directive 5000.01, The Defense Acquisition System
- DoD Instruction 5000.02, Operation of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework
Engineering Guidance
- Engineering of Defense Systems Guidebook
- Systems Engineering Guidebook
- Acquisition Program Technical Certifications Summary
- Acquisition Strategy Outline
- Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) Outline, Version 4.1
- Defense Acquisition Guidebook (DAG) Chapter 3 Design Considerations Standards
- Best Practices for Using Systems Engineering Standards (ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, IEEE 15288.1, and IEEE 15288.2) on Contracts for Department of Defense Acquisition Programs
- Life Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP) Outline
- Guidebook for Acquiring Engineering Technical Services: Best Practices and Lessons Learned
- DoD Cybersecurity Test and Evaluation Guidebook
- DoD Cybersecurity Test and Evaluation Guidebook Addendum: Cybersecurity T&E of DoD Systems Hosted on Commercial Cloud Service Offerings
- Cyber Table Top Guide, Version 2
- Integrated Master Plan and Integrated Master Schedule Preparation and Use Guide
- Technology Readiness Assessment Guidebook
Digital Engineering, Modeling and Simulation
DoD Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Verification, Validation, and Accreditation (VV&A)
DoD Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Management
Documentation of Verification, Validation, and Accreditation (VV&A) for Models and Simulations
Mission Engineering

Modular Open Systems Approach
Reliability and Maintainability Engineering
- R&M Engineering Contract Language for the Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) Pathway
- R&M Engineering Contract Language for the Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) Pathway
- Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Cost (RAM-C) Rationale Report Outline Guidance:
- Reliability and Maintainability Body of Knowledge
- See also Reliability and Maintainability Engineering
Risk Assessments
Standardization
- DoD Instruction 4120.24, Defense Standardization Program (DSP)
- DoD Manual 4120.24, Defense Standardization Program (DSP) Procedures
- See also Defense Standardization Program
Industry Standards
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 21839, System of systems (SoS) consideration in life cycle stages of a system
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 21840, Guidelines for the utilization of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 in the context of System of Systems (SoS)
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 21841, Taxonomy of systems of systems
- IEEE 24748-1, Systems and software engineering – Life cycle management – Part1: Guidelines for life cycle management
- IEEE 24748-2, Systems and software engineering – Life cycle management – Part 2: Requirements for managers of information for user of systems, software and services
- IEEE 24748-3, Systems and software engineering – Life cycle management – Part 3: Guide to the application of ISO/IEC 12207 (Software life cycle processes)
- IEEE 24748-4, Systems and software engineering – Life cycle management – Part 4: Systems engineering planning
- IEEE 24748-5, Systems and software engineering – Life cycle management – Part 5: Software Development Planning
- IEEE 12207, Systems and software engineering – Software life cycle processes
System Safety Engineering
- Unmanned System Safety Engineering Precepts Guide for DoD Acquisition
- DoD Instruction 5000.69, DoD Joint Services Weapon and Laser System Safety Review Processes
- See also System Safety Engineering
Value Engineering
- DoD Instruction 4245.14, DoD Value Engineering (VE) Program
- 41 U.S.C. 1711, Value Engineering
- See also Value Engineering

Contact Us
For more information, contact osd-sea@mail.mil using the following subject line: Attn SE&A
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense,
Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E))
3030 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3030
Contact Us
Contact Us
Information for the USD(R&E):
Contact OUSD(R&E) Staff
Social Media: @DoDCTO on Twitter
For website issues: Contact Webmaster