The 1989 edition is the eleventh printing of the Department of the Navy RDT & E/Acquisition Guide. The Guide's purpose remains as it always has been, to help participants in Department of the Navy RDT & E understand the overall process and identify specific directives which provide current guidance. The Guide itself is not a directive and cannot be cited as authority for official actions. The Guide includes directives in effect as of 30 November 1988.

"This ninth edition of Introduction to Defense Acquisition Management includes revisions to the regulatory framework for Defense systems acquisition management from the December 2008 Department of Defense Instruction 5000.02 and includes policy for determining requirements for defense systems from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 3170 series, Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System. This publication is designed to be both an introduction to the world of defense systems acquisition management for the newcomer and a summary-level refresher for the practitioner who has been away from the business for a few years. It focuses on Department of Defense-wide management policies and procedures, not on the details of any specific defense system."--Publisher's website.

A single uniform system whereby all equipment, facilities, and services are planned, developed, acquired, maintained and disposed of by the Department of Defense (DOD). The system includes policies and practices that govern acquisition, identifying and prioritizing resource requirements, directing and controlling the process, contracting, and reporting to Congress.