Weapon System Source Selection: An Assessment of Air Force Source Selection Approaches

摘要

This investigation examined the different approaches used in the Air Force source selection process. Specifically, this research surveyed the opinions of source selection personnel towards different aspects of each approach in an attempt to identify the approach best suited for varying acquisition situations. The study also accessed the adequacy of the Request for Proposal technical requirements definitions and determined the amount of source selection training personnel receive before participating in a source selection. The analysis was accomplished by sending a survey questionnaire to source selection personnel in six Air Force Systems Command product divisions. The results show that the conventional approach is the overall preferred approach. The results also show that the technical aspects of a weapon systems are adequately defined for the contractor in the Request for proposal. Finally, the results show that 89 percent of source selection personnel do not receive training prior to participating in their first source selection.