Re: Original source for MIL-STD-SDD requested

[mbassman@csc.com (Mitch Bassman)]

Billy O'Connor (billyoc@dpscon.uucp.netcom.com) wrote:
: I know this is rather vague, but does anyone know the content of the Perry
: memo, and how it affects Mil-Stds in general, and the Ada Mandate in
: particular?  

I don't have the Perry memo, but the following explains how it affects
the Ada mandate.
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                 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

                     Washington, DC  20301-1000

                           August 26, 1994


  MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS
                 CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
                 UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (PERSONNEL AND
                 READINESS)
                 UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (POLICY)
                 COMPTROLLER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
                 GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
                 INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
                 DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION
                 DIRECTORS OF THE DEFENSE AGENCIES

  SUBJECT:  Use of Ada

       The purpose of this memorandum is to reiterate the Department
  of Defense (DoD) commitment to the use of Ada.

       It is DoD policy to use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
  software whenever it meets our requirements.  However, when COTS
  software is not available to satisfy requirements and the DoD must
  develop unique software to meet its needs, that software must be
  written in the Ada programming language in accordance with DoD
  Directive 3405.1 and DoD Instruction 5000.2.

       Secretary Perry's June 29, 1994 memorandum, "Specification &
  Standards -- A New Way of Doing Business," states that military
  standards will only be used "as a last resort, with an appropriate
  waiver."  This direction has caused some confusion regarding the
  Ada requirement since most references to Ada cite its MIL-STD
  nomenclature, MIL-STD-1815A.  Ada is also a Federal Information
  Processing Standard (FIPS 119), an American National Standards
  Institute (ANSI) standard (ANSI-1815A-1983), and an International
  Standards Organization (ISO) standard (ISO 8652-1987).  Any of
  these alternative references may be utilized in place of the MIL-
  STD reference in request for proposals, contracts, and other
  similar documents.  Thus, the Ada requirement does not conflict
  with the Secretary's direction, and compliance with both policies
  can be achieved simultaneously.

       Use of other programming languages can be considered if
  proposed by a contractor as part of his best practices since
  waivers to the use of Ada can be granted, where cost-effective, in
  accordance with procedures established in the policy referenced
  above.  However, such proposals require strong justification to
  prove that the overall life-cycle cost will be less than the use of
  Ada will provide.

       Secretary Perry's memorandum encourages practices that satisfy
  the Department's need to build high quality systems that meet
  requirements at affordable costs an in a timely manner.  This
  includes practices which support the development of Defense
  Software.  Ada is not only a facilitator of software engineering
  best practice, but also has inherent features which uniquely
  support both real-time systems and safety-critical systems.  Use of
  Ada also facilitates software reuse and has demonstrated reduced
  support costs.  Accordingly, Ada is a foundation for sound software
  engineering practice.

  /signed/                           /signed/

  Noel Longuemare                    Emmett Paige, Jr.
  Under Secretary of Defense         Assistant Secretary of Defense
  (Acquisition and Technology)       (Command, Control,
  (Acting)                           Communications, and
                                     Intelligence)

  cc:
  DDR&E

---------
Mitch Bassman
mbassman@csc.com