ABSTRACT
For example, information about acquisition strategies,
source-selection plans, competition conduct, source selec-
tion, contract management, risk management, and test
strategies is available from the Software Engineering
Institute (SEI) of Carnegie Mellon University, the
Software Technology Support Center at Hill Air Force
Base, and publications such as the first three references
for this entry.[1-3] Additionally, this entry does not attempt
to reproduce all of the sound guidance that luminaries in
the field such as Tom DeMarco, Tim Lister, Ed Yourdon,
Capers Jones, Larry Putnam, and others, have published
over the last 20 years. Instead, we focus on the critical
factors influencing the success of software acquisitions,
identify key points, and provide recommendations to
improve the probability of success. The remaining sections
of this entry are organized in the following manner. The
next section provides background and context for the sub-
sequent discussion. This is followed by a section that
contrasts the roles and interests of the acquisition manager
and the development manager. The major phases of a
software acquisition are then introduced. This is followed
by three sections entitled “The Acquisition Planning
Phase,” “The Development Phase,” and “The Transition
Phase” that discuss the major influences and topics of
special interest during each phase of a software acquisition.
The final section provides a summary and conclusion.
