Re: Ariane5 FAQ

["Robert I. Eachus" <rieachus@attbi.com>]

Simon Wright wrote:
> "Robert I. Eachus" <rieachus@attbi.com> writes:
> 
> 
>>This is managing of several interlocking contracts is something that
>>MITRE often goes through.  Using the old nomenclature the A spec
>>requirements would be distributed by the individual contractors to the
>>B5, and they would want MITRE to certify that meeting the B5
>>requirements would satisfy the A-spec requirements.  We would always
>>refuse, and instead certify that they were contracted to meet the B5
> 
>                                                                     ^^
> should that be A? (I don't know the nomenclature)
> 
>>requirements.  Many contractors never understood the difference, but
>>as you can see from the Ariane 5, there is a difference and it is
>>major.

No that was correct.  The various contractors were building parts of the 
system, and the B-level specs became part of their SOW (statement of 
work).  But MITRE would never commit to saying that satisfying all the 
B-level requirements would meet the A-level spec, until the jigsaw 
puzzle was assembled.

The contractors, I think always pretended to be confused by this, but it 
was understandable.  The individual contractors could not necessarily 
know how other parts of the overall project was being done.  Making sure 
that all the pieces fit together was MITRE's job.  But we could, and 
occasionally did say, "The SoW (statement of work) needs to be changed." 
  The individual contractor would object, pro forma, until we (the 
government side) assigned a change order number and started to negotiate 
pricing.

Then they would scream again if "the government" held up completion of a 
major milestone until those negotiations were complete. So the contract 
dance recognized that changes to the SoW due to external events could 
entitle the contractor to additional compensation. But the government 
NEED was for a system that could satisfy the A-spec.  (Change orders did 
not necessarily result in extra cost to the government, because a single 
change order could fold in getting rid of requirements the contractor 
found onerous, and adding requirements the government needed.  This is 
engineering driving finance which is the way it has to work.  Meeting 
the "new" B-level requirements could be either cheaper or more 
expensive, but it was necessary.)

-- 

                                              Robert I. Eachus

�In an ally, considerations of house, clan, planet, race are 
insignificant beside two prime questions, which are: 1. Can he shoot? 2. 
Will he aim at your enemy?� -- from the Laiden novels by Sharon Lee and 
Steve Miller.