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Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute, along with General Motors' Information Systems and Services, HP, Capgemini, and the U.S. government, has announced a comprehensive new best-practices model called CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ) that it believes will revolutionize the way governments and businesses worldwide acquire or outsource their software-intensive systems and services.

Behind the announcement is the need for organizations to acquire information technology (IT) and technical products and services but until now, says the SEI, no comprehensive best-practices model existed to specifically ensure quality outcomes between acquirers and suppliers. CMMI for Acquisition fills this void.

The CMMI-ACQ model provides an opportunity for acquisition and outsourcing organizations:

• To avoid or eliminate barriers and problems in the acquisition process through improved operational efficiencies;
• To initiate and manage a process for acquiring of products and services including solicitations, supplier sourcing, supplier agreement development and award, and supplier capability management; and
• To utilize a common language for both acquirers and suppliers so that quality solutions are delivered more quickly and at a lower cost with the most appropriate technology.

SEI Director Paul Nielsen stated that the inclusion of CMMI-ACQ into the SEI's CMMI Product Suite addresses a demand for a standard in government and commercial acquisition practices.

"In this fast-evolving global business environment, government and businesses are increasingly becoming acquirers of software-intensive systems and essential capabilities from third-party suppliers," Nielsen went on to say. "General Motors IS&S' experiences working in an acquisition environment and input into the development of the model were extremely valuable to us. This new model fills the need for an acquisition standard by building on the best practices identified and codified in CMMI for Development, which is already the de facto standard for software development organizations worldwide."

Nielsen added that another benefit is that industries outside of the automotive arena, such as aerospace, banking, telecommunications, and government organizations, can now leverage their existing investments in CMMI-based process improvement to improve their acquisition practices.

According to John McCain, senior vice president and general manager of HP Services, "CMMI-ACQ focuses on effective acquisition management processes and emphasizes the touch points between the acquirer and suppliers to ensure the quality delivery of products and services. As a leading outsourcing management service provider with the author-level, hands-on experience in the CMMI-ACQ, HP will continue to support upgrades and improvements of the model at GM."

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