Services Requirements Review Board (SRRB)

The purpose of the Services Review Panel (SRP) is to assess the Department’s execution of services acquisitions and the effectiveness of our current acquisition policies and procedures. Policy Memo dtd. 28 Nov 2022 clarified that USD(A&S) would manage the SRRB and SRP.  USD(A&S) delegated to DUSD(A&S) to:

•   Establish an annual services requirements review process;
•   Establish standards for automation to increase effectiveness of DoD services acquisition analysis; and
•   Manage services requirements review activities and report progress and outcomes.

Policy Memo signed 13 Feb 2023, tasked organizations to provide qualitative insight into their SRRB process. Organizations exhibited thoughtful oversight of their services acquisitions and innovative methods for tracking requirements approval and budgets, while speaking candidly about challenges such as continuing resolutions, Contracting Officer’s Representatives training, and staffing. These conversations were used to shape the FY24 briefing charts, as well as future lines of effort for the DoD services acquisition team.

The FY2024 Services Review Panel Guidance Memo signed Dec. 12, 2023, announced the start of the FY 2024 Services Review Panel (SRP) process with reviews in the February and March 2024 timeframe. The Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment will chair the SRPs for organizations with greater than $500M in FY23 services obligations and special interest organizations. Director of DPC will chair the SRPs for organizations with less than $500M in FY23 services obligations. The SRP will include data from both automated and manual sources. DPC will provide an individualized SRP template pre-populated with the automated data and schedule the SRP meeting. The Executive Secretariat may be reached at osd.pentagon.ousda-
[email protected]. 

FY2024 Acquisition of Services Review Panel Wrap-up dtd. June 27, 2024, captures common themes, challenges, best practices, and actions for Defense Pricing and Contracting.

The Services Requirements Review Board (SRRB) process will be used to review, validate, prioritize, and approve services requirements to accurately inform the budget and acquisition processes. The SRRB should also be conducted to build a contractual services forecast on an annual basis. A requirements review process is critical to the final cost, schedule, and performance of an acquired service and should be informed by current and accurate mission needs, spend data analysis, cost analysis, risk analysis, and initial market research.

The SRRB will be conducted as early in the services acquisition process as practical before a procurement request package is transferred over to a DoD Component’s contracting office for execution. It will not be combined with contract review boards chaired by contracting authorities that occur throughout the year and are focused on approving individual contract actions before release of request for proposals.

DoD Components will use an SRRB process for services acquisitions with an estimated total value $10 million or more as required by Section 4501 of Title 10, U.S.C. (formerly section 2330). For an IDIQ contract, this includes both the base contract and any task orders of $10 million or more. Although not required, decision authorities should consider screening for requirements of special interest with an estimated total value below $10 million which may benefit from the SRRB process.

Although not required, DoD Components should consider using Contractual Services Managers, SRRB engagement teams, or services acquisition management software tools if appropriate to track and streamline SRRB processes and work with the requiring activity before holding a board meeting.

An SRRB will review requirements for services acquisitions and is led by the organization that requires those services. An SRRB will:
(1) Increase visibility of, and collaboration on, services requirements among all stakeholders.
(2) Validate requirements before execution of approved acquisition strategy or execution of a contract option.
(3) Provide for prioritization of services requirements to support funding decisions.
(4) Increase collaboration among stakeholders on key strategy decisions to optimize services acquisitions and enable efficiencies.
(5) Foster proactive management by the DoD Components for services acquisitions.
(6) Identify and document opportunities for savings and cost avoidance that may be realized through reduction in service delivery levels, outright cancellation to bring services requirements in-house in accordance with Section 2463 of Title 10, U.S.C., or elimination of the services altogether to fund higher-priority services requirements.

Requirements approval should be obtained from the assigned SRRB chair before financial or contracting actions are initiated unless otherwise directed by the decision authority. The seniority of the SRRB chair will be commensurate with the complexity, contract value, and performance risk associated with the services requirement.

SRRBs provide a process for senior leaders to assess, review, and validate services requirements. Requirements reviews should be appropriately tailored to include, but not be limited to:
(1) Mission Need. Explanation of the mission need for the requirement and the outcomes to be achieved from acquiring services.
(2) Strategic Alignment. How the requirement for services supports the broader organizational mission.
(3) Issues and Risks. Both government and contractor issues and risks impacting the successful execution of fulfilling the requirement.
(4) Workforce Analysis. An analysis of the decision to insource or outsource, including any past decisions and why the requirement cannot be fulfilled with military or civilian personnel. Coordination with the DoD Component Manpower and Personnel officials should be done in accordance with DoDD 1100.4. The analysis should also take into consideration guidance outlined in DoDI 1100.22, DoDI 7041.04 and OMB Circular A-76/Section 2461 of Title 10, U.S.C. In addition, the OSBP is required to review and advise on any decisions to convert an activity performed by a small business concern to an activity performed by a federal employee.
(5) Relationship to Other Requirements. How the requirement for services impacts other requirements of the DoD Component (positively or negatively).
(6) Projected Cost of Requirement. Estimate of the forecasted cost of fulfilling the requirement, at least through the Fiscal Year Defense Program (5 years).
(7) Prioritization. A determination as to whether the requirement for services is a lower-priority requirement that can be reduced or eliminated with savings transferred to higher-priority objectives or mission requirements.
(8) Contract and Work Functions. A review and identification of contract and work functions that may be prohibited or require heightened management attention, such as closely associated with inherently governmental functions or critical functions. For additional guidance on identification, SRRBs are recommended to use the DoD Handbook of Contract Function Checklists for Services Acquisition, as needed.
(9) Metrics:  Performance management metrics should be considered to the maximum extent practicable during the SRRB review and approval process.

SRRBs may be conducted on individual requirements. Comprehensive reviews enhance the quality of requirements prioritization and services requirements risk assessments. These reviews may be tiered at different levels of the organization as directed by DoD Component guidance.

Organizations must track SRRB results, to include review goals, the cost baseline of services requirements, number of services contracts in the organization and number reviewed, value of efficiencies identified, and impact on meeting small business and competition goals.

Although not required, organizations should consider integrating and aligning their SRRB forecasting processes with program objective memorandum or other type of 5-year funding plans identifying the specific capabilities needed to meet planning guidance objectives for their mission.

A SRRB lessons learned page may be found on the ACE for Services Community