In
United States military
The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
contracts, the contract data requirements list (CDRL, pronounced ''SEE-drill'') is a list of authorized data requirements for a specific procurement that forms a part of the contract.
Overview
The CDRL identifies what data products are to be formally delivered to the government by a contractor, as well as when and possibly how (e.g. format and quantity) they are to be delivered. The list typically is Section C of the Uniform Contract Format and consists of a series of individual data items, each of which is recorded on a Data Item form (DD Form 1423) containing the tailored data requirements and delivery information. The CDRL is the standard format for identifying potential data requirements in a
solicitation, and
deliverable
A deliverable is a tangible or intangible good or service produced as a result of a project that is intended to be delivered to a customer (either internal or external). A deliverable could be a report, a document, a software product, a server upgr ...
data requirements in a contract. The purpose of the CDRL is to provide a standardized method of clearly and unambiguously delineating the government's minimum essential data needs. The CDRL groups all of the data requirements in a single place rather than having them scattered throughout the solicitation or contract.
Each CDRL data item should be linked directly to
statement of work (SOW) tasks and managed by the program office data manager. Data requirements can also be identified in the contract via special contract clauses (e.g., DFARS), which define special data provisions such as rights in data,
warranty
In law, a warranty is an expressed or implied promise or assurance of some kind. The term's meaning varies across legal subjects. In property law, it refers to a covenant by the grantor of a deed. In insurance law, it refers to a promise by the ...
, etc. SOW guidance of
MIL-HDBK-245D describes the desired relationship: "Work requirements should be specified in the SOW, and all data requirements for delivery, format, and content should be in the contract data requirements list in conjunction with the appropriate Data Item Description (DID) respectively, with none of the requirements restated in other parts of the contract."
Subpart 215.470 of the
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) document requires the use of the CDRL in solicitations when the contract will require delivery of data. Guidance on how to fill in and handle DD Form 1423-1 is provided in publication 5010.12-M. Other
US government agencies may include CDRLs in contracts, but these will not use the
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
's DD Form 1423.
Most data items are developed and delivered in compliance with pre-defined
data item descriptions (DID). These pre-defined data items may be tailored by deleting any part of a DID that is not applicable to the specific acquisition.
The CDRL form provides a block for simple citation of which DID it is, as well as where it is mentioned in the SOW and what part(s) of the overall
work breakdown structure
A work-breakdown structure (WBS) in project management and systems engineering is a breakdown of a project into smaller components. It is a key project management element that organizes the team's work into manageable sections. The Project Mana ...
it is involved with. The remarks block may explain how the DID will be applied, but can not alter or add to the DID. (Language altering the data item description would obviously make it no longer a standard DID available by simple citation, pre-approved, and readily handled by existing Department of Defense processes.)
Contracts issued by governments (including their militaries) outside the US also use CDRLs as part of their statements of Work. These CDRLs do not use the US military's DD Form 1423, but may utilize some of the same elements to define their need for documentation.
See also
*
Data Item Descriptions (DID)
*
Government procurement in the United States
In the United States, the processes of government procurement enable Federal Government of the United States, federal, State governments of the United States, state and local government bodies in the country to acquire goods, services (including c ...
*
MIL-STD-498 Software Development standard example of DID usage
*
Statement Of Work
A statement of work (SOW) is a document routinely employed in the field of project management. It is the narrative description of a project's work requirement. It defines project-specific activities, deliverables and timelines for a vendor providin ...
(SOW)
References
{{reflist
External links
What is the CDRL? Source of content at Defense Acquisition University (public domain)Form DD1423Form DD14235010.12-M Procedures for the Acquisition and Management of Technical DataMIL-HDBK-245 -- Guide for Preparation of Statement of Work
Government procurement in the United States
Military terminology of the United States