The figure below places AAMP™ in the context of the JCIDS and DoD 5000 process timelines and illustrates four areas where AAMP™ where can be implemented.

The first area the AAMP™ methodology can be employed is during the Functional Solutions Analysis (FSA) process within JCIDS.  During this phase materiel and non-materiel approaches to addressing capabilities gaps are considered.  The AAMP™ method can provide two important work products:

1. If the analysis shows that a materiel alternative may be required to address a capabilities gap, AAMP™ can be used to identify potential low cost, accelerated schedule materiel approaches that could address this gap.  The use of the AAMP™ methodology at this early stage of the process is a point of significant leverage because if an expedited and efficient path can be found, the downstream financial and time savings can be significant.
2. The cost information can be used to inform the Acquisition Program Baseline (APB).  Because much of the cost information is derived largely from commercial sources and technology elements with high TRLs, this cost information can be used with greater confidence during the trades between cost, schedule, and performance.

The second area the AAMP™ methodology can be used is to assist in the response to Operational Needs Statements (ONS).  The ONS identify critical and urgent battlefield requirements.  The AAMP™ process can help identify time-certain solution strategies that can be developed around high TRL commercial technical elements for rapid response to battlefield requirements.

A third application for AAMP™ is during the technology development phase.   Here the method can provide three important work products:

1. Current and technology specific commercial technology trending data relevant to the research tasks of the STO.  Because of the rapid pace of high technology innovation, the appearance of disruptive innovation, the funding of new companies, the sometimes-unanticipated launch of new technologies by established suppliers, and changes in the capital markets that affect these events, it is difficult to track these relevant commercial technologies.  The AAMP™ methodology provides a structured process that provides a steady flow of information that is specifically targeted to pre-identified capability requirements.  This information can help the technology development community identify areas to adjust where to invest its resources in order to capitalize on the financial investments being made in the commercial sector.
2. Greater specificity in the development of the CDD.  An AAMP™ analysis can be used to provide very clear descriptions of the art of the possible if a commercial-centric or commercial-dependent design approach is merited.  If it is, then the CDD can be written with greater detail and clarity that can provide direction to the SDD community and reduce post-milestone B development risk.
3. Opportunities for accelerating the delivery of DoD’s science and technology innovations used in conjunction with a commercial-centric design strategy.  The key value add of DoD research is to innovate in areas in which commercial interests either will not because of market or financial reasons or cannot because of national security concerns.  Military capability gaps will likely always be present when materiel alternatives are considered.  The ideal strategy is to integrate and synchronize DoD innovation in a complementary and timely manner with relevant commercial innovation to accelerate the fielding of new systems.

The fourth application for the AAMP™ methodology is during the system design and development phase.  Here the methodology can make two contributions:

1. It can be used as a risk mitigation strategy for a Program of Record.  If a program manager is working with a supply chain that may not have fully explored the opportunities that a commercial-centric solution could offer, an AAMP™ analytical team can evaluate if alternative paths exists for some or all of the critical elements of the system being designed.  These alternatives can provide a helpful and quantifiable context for evaluating the cost, schedule, and performance risks of the current strategy.
2. An AAMP™ analysis can provide an “affordability check” on the current Program of Record’s design strategy and ensure that all of the available cost saving opportunities derived from relevant commercial technology elements have been considered by the supply chain