Our company sold primarily to Air Force and Navy with a few items to the Army. In every case, the product specification was unique to that product - and in every case we wrote the specification. We always started with an Operational Requirements Document (ORD) which was very general requirements but had to be met. From the ORD we developed the product specifications which always had to be approved by DoD. There is a specification for every piece of the product. Subassemblies have their own material, process, and test specifications. Once approved they are placed under full configuration control. A spec like NIJ would only be referenced as a requirement. Each requirement had to be traced back to the ORD or any other referenced requirement document like NIJ cert requirements, material, process, etc.
After we shot the design engineers, the production engineers were in charge. (Design engineers never want to quit tweaking) Acceptance test requirements referenced everything the design engineers used plus the processes and procedures for incoming material test and inspection, in process test and inspection, and then final acceptance test followed by a final compliance and workmanship inspection. This is only the tip of the iceberg in manufacturing for DoD.
I expect that DoD will accept NIJ requirements but do their own testing to NIJ requirements. The Man doesn't want to risk his star without absolute assurance that the product meets spec. In some cases DoD would take a spec like the NIJ spec, put an Air Force logo on it and reissue it as an Air Force spec. This way they keep configuration control regardless of what NIJ may do. Bourque will most likely write his own specifications that will include NIJ and DoD ORD by reference.
I don't think most people realize what it takes to get a DoD product out the door.
