Abstract : This document is one of a family of educational acquisition management guides written from a Department perspective; e.g., non-service peculiar. These are intended primarily for use in the courses offered by the Defense Systems Management College and secondarily as desk references for DoD acquisition Managers. This family of guides consists of: (1) Integrated Logistics Support Guide, (2) Mission Critical Computer Resources Management Guide, (3) Test and Evaluation Management Guide, (4) Risk Management Concepts and Guidance, (5) DoD Manufacturing Management Handbook, and (6) Subcontracting Management Handbook. This document is designed to (1) acquaint the newcomer with systems engineering concepts and techniques and (2) identify relevant directives and references. These concepts, when combined with common sense and technical expertise, constitute the basis of a sound systems engineering program. Highlights are the technical management activities over the system's life cycle from program initiation to system disposal. All activity centers around the system itself; thus, the system configuration at any time is of common interest to all engineering disciplines. These activities are normally divided into functional areas of design, test, manufacturing, and logistics support. Each of these functional areas is active throughout the system's life cycle. Keywords: Standards; Specifications; Risk management; Life cycle costs; Software development. (kr)