HUMAN FACTORS INPUT TO PROCUREMENT PACKAGE

 

Purpose	This section describes the process to generate human factors requirements in Statements of Work (SOWs), which include contract data requirements lists (CDRLs) and data item descriptions (DIDs) for FAA system acquisitions. This lesson includes a listing of typical human factors-related DIDs.   In simple terms, the SOW states the work the Government wants the contractor to perform, the CDRL specifies the data to be provided to the Government for a specific contract, and the DID specifies the format and content of the data to be submitted to the Government.   The objective of the human factors effort is to integrate all elements of the system involving human performance and safety, and to influence system design so as to optimize total system effectiveness.  The objective of this human factors task is to translate these human performance design and integration activities to the contractor as clear, unambiguous requirements in a contractually binding way. Human factors contractual requirements, through the SOW, CDRLs, and DIDs, are the critical elements to achieve design and development conformance.
Timing	Human factors requirements should be included in all appropriate SOWs and contracts during the development of concepts and alternatives, the development of prototypes and first items, low-rate initial production, and full production.
Human Factors in Statements of Work	A good SOW starts with an understanding of what the Government wants the contractor to do.  The starting point for determining human factors requirements for inclusion in the SOW is a review of human factors requirements in the Requirements Document, Acquisition Program Baseline, and the Integrated Program Plan to identify human factors issues that must be resolved, and tasks and analyses that must be conducted by the contractor to ensure that human performance goals are met.    Essential human factors elements that must be addressed by the requirements in the SOW include: Limits to the skill level and characteristics of operator, maintainer, and support personnel Maximum acceptable training burden Minimum acceptable performance of critical tasks Acceptable staffing limits Elimination or control of system safety and health hazards   The contractor’s response to these requirements will result in a comprehensive human factors program for the system that defines the management and technical aspects of the effort. The response should also address the scheduling of key events and their timing in relation to other system engineering activities.   The contractor’s human factors effort also should be coordinated with system engineering, quality assurance, integrated logistic support, and test and evaluation activities to achieve an integrated overall effort without duplication.   An adequately staffed human factors effort must be an integral part of the hardware and software analysis, design, development, and test process. The contractor’s human factors effort must be planned and executed to meet the objectives, characteristics and constraints set forth in the Statement of Work and in the System Specification. The contractor’s program must demonstrate how it effectively integrates human factors with their design and development process.   The scope and level of effort to be applied to the various human factors tasks and activities must be tailored to suit the type of system being acquired, the acquisition strategy, and the acquisition phase.  The SOW should describe the specific task or activity required and the associated data deliverable.  Human factors reviews and demonstrations should be planned and conducted to coordinate and verify that human performance requirements are being met. The contractor should convincingly indicate how human performance data influences system lifecycle design and support.   Human factors inputs are generally made to the following sections of the SOW. Section 1 - Scope Section 2 - Applicable Documents Section 3 - Requirements Section 4 - Quality Assurance Provisions
Human Factors in Contract Data Requirements Lists	The purpose of the CDRL is to describe the items that are required to be delivered under the terms of the contract.  The CDRL identifies for the offeror what reports, analyses, and other data the contractor is required to submit concerning tasks specified in the SOW. The CDRL provides information regarding the time frame for initial and subsequent submissions, the number of copies required, the distribution, and whether the Government will approve the document.   If required data are not listed on the CDRL, the contractor is not obligated to provide it to the Government.  However, the contractor is still obligated to do the work and make the data available for review by the Government.   The Human Factors Coordinator should review the CDRL to ensure the proper timing of submission of the data and that the appropriate distribution is indicated.  The Human Factors Coordinator also should recommend approval or rejection of the delivered product for those items requiring Government approval.
Human Factors in Data Item Descriptions	A DID describes the format and content of the data that is to be provided to the Government as required by the SOW and CRDL.  While not the only means of transmitting this information to the contractor, a DID is used to standardize the format and content for a given data item.  This ensures consistency across contracts and between contractors.    For data to be produced and delivered, the description of the work effort necessary to produce the data must be in the SOW; the description, definitions, format and content of the data product must be provided on a DID; and the DID must be listed on the CDRL to provide delivery and other instructions.    A listing of representative human factors-related DIDs is provided in Table 7-1. Each DID listed on the CDRL is a separate item.  The DID should be tailored to require only those items that are pertinent to the system being acquired, and what is necessary to allow the human factors engineer sufficient information to assess the quality and suitability of the contractor’s human factors effort. DIDs can only be tailored downward; items cannot be added.   The Human Factors Coordinator should prepare a list of human factors-related DIDs applicable to the system being acquired and provide them for inclusion in the SOW.
Steps	Step 1 Provide Human Factors Inputs to SOW Section 1 – Scope   Step 2 Provide Human Factors Inputs to SOW Section 3 – Requirements   Step 3 Provide Human Factors Inputs to SOW Section 4 - Quality Assurance Provisions   Step 4 Provide Human Factors Inputs to SOW Section 2 - Applicable Documents Checklist Listing of Relevant DID’s