Non-developmental item

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Non-developmental item (NDI) is a term used for products procured by the United States federal government which do not require further development or require only minimal modification. Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and government-off-the-shelf (GOTS) are two subtypes of NDI. [1]

Contents

Overview

The term was first coined in 1986 by the US Congress. [2] According to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, a non-developmental item is: [3]

The third definition can apply to fully developed items in production but not for commercial sale yet. In this way, the US Federal government can "capture" a product or technology for use before it becomes commercially available. [4]

One subtype of non-developmental items is the military-purpose non-developmental item, defined as: [5]

Considerations

NDIs are advantageous in several ways. As the product is already designed and in production, the government does not have to spend funds for research and development. Testing and evaluation have already been completed by the company, further speeding the acquisition cycle. The use of NDI COTS products also can offer improved pricing, wider variety, and access to cutting-edge technology. [2] However, there can be multiple disadvantages as well. Companies may not provide complete technical documentation, and their internal testing may not fully meet government standards. The product itself may not meet all government requirements, and modification may be complicated or cost prohibitive. [6]

See also

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References

  1. Smith, Jim (April 2004). An Alternative to Technology Readiness Levels for Non-Developmental Item (NDI) Software CMU/SEI-2004-TR-013 ESC-TR-2004-013 (PDF) (Report). Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Logistics & Supply Management". AcqNotes. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  3. 48 CFR 2.101 Archived 12 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Frequently Asked Questions about Commercial and Nondevelopmental Items are listed below". Defense Standardization Program. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  5. 48 CFR 212.7101 Archived 20 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Gutierrez, Paul D. (May–June 2002). "Commercial or Non-Developmental Item Acquisition Strategy A Look at Benefits vs. Risks" (PDF). Program Manager: A Bimonthly Magazine of the Defense Systems Management College. Defense Systems Management College. pp. 66–68. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2022.

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