ACTDs: management plans as predictors of transition

• Main Authors: Wideman, Jeffrey S., Phelps, Matt
• Other Authors: Dew, Nicholas
• Published: Monterey California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/10178

MBA Professional Report === This thesis evaluated the Department of Defense's Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) process and the challenges encountered in transitioning an ACTD to an acquisition program. The methodology included case analysis of thirty eight ACTD program business plans. Nineteen of the programs transitioned while the other nineteen were terminated either prior to the Military Unit Assessment (MUA) or after. The scope included a review of: 1) ACTD origins and processes as of October 2007, 2) past ACTD programs, 3) the established documentation criteria associated with ACTD selection and evaluation, 4) business plans for the thirty-eight ACTD case programs selected for analysis, 5) potential process improvements that would aid in ACTD transition to acquisition success. This thesis identified several statistically significant variables in the existing ACTD transition process. These variables predict transition, or not - they therefore suggest several criteria that should be maintained in the ACTD process. Perhaps equally as important, we identified several variables that are not significant predictors of transition. Based on our results, we suggest several enhancements that could be incorporated into future ACTD processes that may improve the insertion of technology to the war fighter.