Acquisition Management

CHAPTER3

Acquisition Planning

In Chapter 2 we defined the process by which supplies and services are procured and briefly discussed the six steps or phases in the government acquisition process, i.e., requirements determination, acquisition planning, negotiation, contract award, performance after contract award, and contract closeout. In this chapter we will discuss the requirements determination and procurement planning phases of the acquisition process.

The word requirement means “need,” not product or service type, which is a solution to a need. All procurements begin with the determination of need. The need is translated into products or services, which then direct us to potential suppliers and the cost of the solution.¹ This chapter will ...