The purpose of Software Subcontract Management is to select qualified software contractors (and subcontractors) and manage them effectively.
Software Subcontract Management involves selecting a software contractor, establishing commitments with the contractor, and tracking and reviewing the contractor's performance and results. These practices cover the management of a software (only) contract, as well as the management of the software component of a contract that includes software, hardware, and possibly other system components. The contractor is selected based on its ability to perform the work. Many factors contribute to the decision to contract a portion of SSC San Diego 's work. Contractors may be selected based on strategic business alliances, as well as technical considerations.
SSC San Diego projects shall:
1. Ensure that SSC San Diego selects qualified software contractors.
2. Ensure that SSC San Diego and the software contractor agree to their commitments to each other.
3. Ensure that SSC San Diego and the software contractor maintain ongoing communications.
4. Have software process improvement representatives review the software contract's Request for Proposal (RFP) for software engineering content.
5. Ensure that SSC San Diego tracks the software contractor's actual results and performance against its commitments.
6. Designate a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) to be responsible for establishing and managing the software contract.
7. Provide adequate resources and funding for selecting the software contractor and managing the contract.
8. Train software managers and other individuals involved in establishing and managing the software contract.
9. Orient software managers and other individuals involved in managing the software contract in the technical aspects of the contract.
10. Define and plan the work to be contracted according to a documented procedure.
11. Select the software contractor, based on an evaluation of the contract bidders' ability to perform the work and active pursuit of software process improvement, according to a documented procedure.
12. Ensure that the contractual agreement between SSC San Diego and the software contractor is used as the basis for managing the contract.
13. Ensure that SSC San Diego reviews and approves the documented contractor's software development plan.
14. Use a documented and approved contractor's software development plan to track the software activities and communicate status.
15. Resolve changes to the software contractor's statement of work, contract terms and conditions, and other commitments according to a documented procedure.
16. Ensure that SSC San Diego 's management conducts periodic status/coordination reviews with the software contractor's management.
17. Hold periodic technical reviews and interchanges with the software contractor.
18. Conduct formal reviews to address the contractor's software engineering accomplishments and results at selected milestones according to a documented procedure.
19. Ensure that SSC San Diego 's software quality assurance group monitors the contractor's software quality assurance activities according to a documented procedure.
20. Ensure that SSC San Diego 's software configuration management group monitors the contractor's activities for software configuration management according to a documented procedure.
21. Ensure that SSC San Diego conducts acceptance testing as part of the delivery of the contractor's software products according to a documented procedure.
22. Evaluate the software contractor's performance on a periodic basis, and the evaluation is reviewed with the contractor.
23. Make and use measurements to determine the status of the activities for managing the software contract.
24. Review the activities for managing the software contract with senior management on a periodic basis.
25. Review the activities for managing the software contract with the project manger on both a periodic and event-driven basis.
26. Conduct reviews or audits by the software quality assurance group on the activities and work products for managing the software contract and report the results.
Software Project Managers are responsible for implementing this policy.
The Software Engineering Process Office (SEPO) is responsible for maintaining this policy.