Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E)
DAU GLOSSARY DEFINITION
Dedicated Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) conducted on production, or production representative articles, to determine whether systems are operationally effective and suitable to support a Full-Rate Production (FRP) decision. The term IOT&E is normally associated with programs on the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation Oversight List.
DAU T&E Management Guide - Initial operational test and evaluation is the final dedicated phase of OT&E preceding a full-rate production decision. It is the final evaluation that entails dedicated operational testing of production representative test articles and uses typical operational scenarios that are as realistic as possible. The IOT&E is conducted by an OT&E agency independent of the contractor, Program management office, or developing agency.
Title 10 USC 2399 requires DoD to conduct an independent, initial operational test and evaluation on major programs (ACAT I & II) before entering full rate production. Lower ACAT programs may have the IOT&E delegated to another agency. The four military departments have each formed operational test agencies (OTA) that collaborate on weapon system development but conduct operational test and/or evaluations independently of the acquiring organizations.
The Army Test and Evaluation Command uses the Operational Test Command (OTC) and the Army Evaluation Center(AEC). The Navy uses the Operational T&E Force (COTF) and the Marines have the Marine Corps Operational T&E Agency (MCOTEA). The Air Force uses the AF Operational T&E Command (AFOTEC). Some other defense agencies use other organizations, such as the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) uses the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) to conduct IOT&E of DISA developed information technology systems.