[Nick Oscar]

Requirements can disappear between solicitation, demonstration, configuration, testing, and acceptance. What should a traceability matrix connect so the team can find those gaps?

[Nick Oscar]

Accepted editorial answer

Assign each requirement a stable identifier and link it to its source, owner, priority, acceptance method, supplier response, planned configuration, test case, result, and any unresolved issues. Keep mandatory requirements visibly separate from preferences.

Update the matrix whenever a requirement changes, but preserve the earlier version and the reason for the change. A row should not be marked complete just because a supplier said yes. It becomes complete only when the agreed evidence or test shows that the requirement has been met.

FAR 15.304 ties evaluation factors to important requirements and meaningful comparisons. GAO’s systems-acquisition lessons describes progressive testing and formal acceptance before conversion. Together, those controls make traceability useful across selection and implementation.

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