OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC
3 May 2021
MEMORANDUM FOR THE ACQUISITION ENTERPRISE
FROM: SAF/AQ
SUBJECT: Guidance for e-Program Designations
Implementing the Department of the Air Force’s transition to Digital Acquisition involves artful
execution of the “Digital Building Code.” The tabs in this memorandum provide the first iteration of the
Department’s Digital Building Code, and also introduce the initial version of the e-Program Criteria
Scorecard used by the Service Acquisition Executive (SAE) to assess a program for an e-Program
designation.
The Digital Building Code is intended to be a living set of thoughtful standards, regularly updated
and maintained as the Department learns during our digital transformation and as technologies continue to
evolve. To this end, the Digital Building Code and e-Program Criteria Scorecard contained in this
memorandum are the Department’s initial versions. Subsequent updates will supersede the versions
contained here. These current versions, and future updates, will be posted to the SAF/AQ website at
https://ww3.safaq.hq.af.mil/
. Once posted to the website, the update will become the authoritative source
of the guidelines and criteria.
Scaling Digital Acquisition tools, techniques, and practices requires a shared lexicon and
understanding of terms. To help clarify past SAF/AQ direction, and provide a consistent vocabulary across
the acquisition enterprise, use the following definitions to characterize the program’s acquisition approach:
1. Conventional Programs: Acquisition programs employing a traditional strategy using existing
tools and processes to field and deliver warfighting capability. This is the “default” rating for a
program until the SAE specifically designates a program as an e-Program.
2. e-Programs: Acquisition programs employing the “digital trinity” (i.e., digital engineering, agile
software, and open systems architecture) of Digital Acquisition to replace, automate, or truncate
real-world activities based on authoritative virtualization or automation in the digital world. The
attached tabs provide detailed information for how the SAE will assess and identify activities as e-
Programs. The SAE may delegate e-Program designations as required.
3. e-Series Programs: An e-Program with a strategic pre-planned replacement schedule (i.e., Series)
based on a cadence driven by economic Total Cost of Ownership and life span to drive speed and
agility to stay ahead of the threat by delivering at the pace of technology maturation.
These definitions provide the flexibility to characterize efforts at the Mission Design Series level,
such as Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (an e-Program born digital) and Next Generation Air Dominance
(the first e-Series Program), as well as subsystem level programs for legacy platforms that meet the criteria
for an e-Program (e.g., the A-10 Rewing Program, the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program).
A shared understanding of what constitutes an e-Program or an e-Series Program implemented with an
interative approach and a clear focus on learning will help accelerate the speed of Digital Acquisition
integration into our existing programs and posture us for future successes.
