I do not often have the pleasure of writing a foreword for an extraordinary piece of work as that presented in this text. What the CMMI-ACQ team has done is unique and offers a tremendous tool to greatly improve the acquisition process within the Department of Defense (DoD). The twenty-first century is challenging our old ways of managing projects and programs—particularly, complex projects and programs. This text provides a method for meeting that challenge.

In my more than 30 years in the DoD acquisition business, I have worked on, reviewed, and assessed countless programs. All successful programs (despite what you may have heard, the successes far outnumber the failures) have a set of common traits that I call the “3 Rs.” The first “R” is the customer’s “requirement.” In the DoD, it is what the warfighter wants in order to accomplish his mission. The second “R” is for “resources.” Here “resources” refers not only to funding but equally to the presence of “the right processes” to acquire the capability the warfighter requested. And finally, the third “R” is for “the right people.” In other words, having the right people who are educated, trained, and experienced to understand the requirement and know how to use the right processes, and the funding to meet the cost, schedule, and performance demands of the program.

I have used the “3 Rs” approach for decades and I have encouraged others to use it. Although we strive to get requirement growth under control and the right people in place for long periods of time, the truth of the matter is that we do neither very well. And that reality most likely will not change in the foreseeable future.

However, I have observed that if you have strong and effective processes, this reality is effectively addressed by accommodating the enviable changes in requirements and people. That is the SEI’s strong suit as evidenced by its CMMI approach to software, which has helped scores of companies and government program offices with software-intensive programs. Now that approach is being applied to acquisition. In short, the CMMI-ACQ model offers a powerful tool to put in place strong, adaptive, effective processes to manage the acquisition of products and services for warfighters.

The timing of CMMI-ACQ could not be better. The DoD is suffering losses in all of its acquisition areas: in terms of numbers of people as well as expertise. As older employees leave government work, their expertise goes with them. And even though the DoD is projected to maintain its current acquisition work force numbers, the experience of the incoming work force has created a knowledge/expertise shortfall. The CMMI-ACQ tool offers a way for program managers and others to mitigate the impact of this shortfall.

It has been a joy reading and understanding what this text presents. I trust you will gain the same appreciation as you read and use this text. My hat is off to the world-class talent of the CMMI-ACQ team who devoted so much time and effort to this project, and to the SEI for constantly pushing the art of the possible and the pursuit of excellence.

And now, I invite you to read, learn, and help yourself and others meet the challenge of the twenty-first century.