Who negotiates and uses the APB for tracking and reporting over the life of the program?

• A. The MDA and the Program Manager negotiate the APB.
• B. The Congressional Budget Office negotiates the APB.
• C. The contractor negotiates the APB with the MDA.
• D. Program office negotiates unilaterally.

Answer: (A)

In this area, the Acquisition Program Baseline (APB) is the agreed-upon reference for cost, schedule, and performance that guides tracking and reporting throughout a program’s life. It is set through collaboration between the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) and the Program Manager. The MDA has the authority to approve and adjust the baseline, while the Program Manager is responsible for delivering to those targets, so they work together to establish the APB. Once in place, both use it to monitor progress and report status over the life of the program. The other entities mentioned don’t negotiate or authorize the APB—the Congressional Budget Office isn’t involved in setting it, a contractor doesn’t negotiate the APB with the MDA, and the program office cannot unilaterally establish it.