The DoD handbook for configuration management guidance.
MIL-HDBK-61B is the U.S. Department of Defense handbook providing guidance on configuration management for defense systems. While a handbook (not a specification), it is widely required in defense contracts and is the primary reference for configuration management planning across DoD acquisition programs.
Configuration management under MIL-HDBK-61B encompasses four core activities: Configuration Management Planning (CMP), Configuration Identification (CI), Configuration Change Control (CCC), and Configuration Audits (Functional Configuration Audit and Physical Configuration Audit). The documentation architecture supporting CM — from the Configuration Management Plan through Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) to audit records — is foundational to program defensibility and contractor deliverable acceptance.
CM Plan document covering organizational responsibilities, CM activities, tools, and processes for the program.
CI identification, naming conventions, baselines (Functional, Allocated, Product), and documentation trees.
ECP documentation covering change description, classification (Class I/II), impact analysis, and implementation plan.
Status accounting records tracking the configuration of each CI across all baselines.
FCA records verifying that the CI's functional and performance characteristics match specification requirements.
PCA records verifying that the CI's design documentation matches the actual configuration.
Templates and implementation resources for MIL-HDBK-61B are available through the ELDR Institute Knowledge Hub and via direct request.