Overview
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-8:2019 - Systems and software engineering - Life cycle management - Part 8: Technical reviews and audits on defense programs - defines requirements for technical reviews and audits across the acquisition life cycle for the US Department of Defense (DoD) and other defense agencies. The standard provides definitions, descriptions, and intent, and specifies entry, exit and success criteria for each review and audit. It is intended to establish clear agreement between acquirers and suppliers on which technical reviews and audits are required and what each should focus on.
Key Topics
- Scope and purpose of technical reviews and audits within defense acquisition programs
- Definitions and intent for each review/audit type to ensure common understanding
- Entry, exit and success criteria that define when a review starts, when it is complete, and what constitutes success
- Common review and audit types (identified in the standard):
- System Requirements Review (SRR)
- Preliminary Design Review (PDR)
- Critical Design Review (CDR)
- Integration Readiness Review (IRR)
- Test Readiness Review (TRR) and Flight Readiness Review (FRR)
- Production Readiness Review (PRR)
- System Verification Review (SVR)
- Functional and Physical Configuration Audits (FCA/PCA)
- Software Requirements and Architecture Review and Software Specification Review
- Use of reviews/audits to form acquirer–supplier agreements about expectations, scope and evidence required
- Emphasis on repeatable, auditable processes to support defense program accountability and risk reduction
Applications
- Program managers and systems engineers use ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-8:2019 to plan and schedule mandatory technical reviews and audits during the defense acquisition life cycle.
- Suppliers and contractors use it to understand entry/exit criteria and prepare deliverables for reviews such as PDR, CDR and TRR.
- Auditors and compliance teams apply the standard to verify that technical maturity, verification, and production readiness milestones are met.
- Useful in contract development to codify review expectations in Statements of Work or acquisition plans for DoD and other defense agencies.
Related Standards
- IEEE Std 15288.2™-2014 (IEEE Standard for Technical Reviews and Audits on Defense Programs) - the IEEE-originated standard incorporated in the ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-8:2019 publication.
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748 (life cycle management series) - part of the broader life cycle management family addressing processes and guidance.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-8:2019 is essential for defense acquisition stakeholders seeking consistent, auditable frameworks for technical reviews and audits that reduce program risk and align acquirer–supplier expectations.