Plan of Action and Milestones

A process improvement framework, maintained by the CMMI Institute (part of ISACA), that rates an organization's process maturity on a five-level scale from ad hoc to optimized. Federal buyers, especially in DoD software and systems development, often require or favor bidders holding a specific CMMI maturity level as evidence they can reliably deliver on schedule, cost, and quality.

A documented plan describing how an agency or contractor will sustain essential functions, personnel, and systems during a disruption such as a natural disaster, cyberattack, or facility loss. Federal COOP requirements stem from federal continuity directives, and contracts supporting critical missions often require contractors to maintain and periodically test their own COOP.

A project management method that integrates a contract's scope, schedule, and cost baselines to objectively measure work performance and forecast final cost and schedule outcomes. DoD and other agencies typically require EVM compliant with ANSI/EIA-748 on large or major systems contracts, using metrics like cost and schedule variance to flag problems early.

Integrated software that unifies core business functions, such as finance, accounting, HR, procurement, and supply chain, into a single system of record. Government contractors rely on ERP platforms to track incurred costs, timekeeping, and contract-level financials in a manner that satisfies DCAA accounting system requirements for cost-reimbursable and other flexibly priced contracts.

A performance or technical attribute of a system considered critical enough that failing to meet it can trigger a re-evaluation, restructuring, or cancellation of the acquisition program. KPPs are defined in DoD requirements documents, such as a Capability Development Document, and typically carry both a threshold (minimum acceptable) and objective (desired) value.