CDRL (Contract Data Requirements List)

A CDRL, short for Contract Data Requirements List, is a contractual list that identifies the data a contractor must prepare and deliver for a specific acquisition. Each entry sets out what is required, when it is due, what format it takes, who receives it and how it is accepted.

The U.S. Department of Defense describes the CDRL as the standard format for identifying potential data requirements in a solicitation and deliverable-data requirements in a contract, as set out in its Product Support newsletter. The term belongs mainly to defence acquisition and logistics support. In Canada it appears in National Defence requests for proposal published on CanadaBuys.

What a CDRL entry specifies

In the U.S. system, DD Form 1423 is the CDRL form. A CDRL may consist of one DD Form 1423 or a series of them containing data requirements and delivery information, according to the DoD Line Item Guide.

The DD Form 1423 instructions include fields for the data-item title, authority, contract reference, inspection or acceptance, frequency, first and subsequent submission dates, distribution and estimated price. A list may also reference a Data Item Description, military specification or military standard that defines the content and format of a data item.

How the UK treats the CDRL, and what it is not

The UK Ministry of Defence uses the term in a closely related sense. Its defence logistics manual states that the CDRL specifies the information to be delivered, the delivery requirements including timing, and the configuration control for each deliverable.

A CDRL is not the same as a CDR. In defence programs, CDR can mean Critical Design Review, which is a project milestone rather than a data schedule.

CDRLs in National Defence solicitations on CanadaBuys

The Canadian examples come from Department of National Defence procurements. Requests for proposal for the Light Support Vehicle Wheeled (LSVW) program include an appendix titled “Contract Data Requirements List.” In the injector pump RFP, the contractor must produce, update and deliver all data items in accordance with the CDRL. Where the CDRL assigns a maintenance period, the contractor must update the data items or confirm that they remain accurate.

The LSVW transmission RFP requires a Contract Status Report prepared and delivered against a named CDRL item, “LSVW Transmission-PM-001.”

The Leopard 2 track-suspension components RFP includes a CDRL appendix and identifies items by functional group and line number, such as PM-001 for program management, SE-101 for systems engineering and ILS-201 for integrated logistics support. It also requires amended, reissued or resubmitted data items to be delivered in the locations, format and quantities the CDRL specifies.

The scale can be large. A published report on the Aurora radar and sonobuoy contract states that the contract required the vendor to provide 135 types of CDRL deliverables.

What a CDRL means for a supplier bidding on Canadian contracts

When a Canadian solicitation incorporates a CDRL, each listed data item is a contractual deliverable. Bid teams should read the CDRL appendix as closely as the statement of work.

• Identify every data item by its line number and functional group.
• Prepare each item in the format the CDRL specifies.
• Meet the stated timing, location, distribution and quantity requirements.
• Update items, or confirm their accuracy, during any maintenance period the CDRL assigns.
• Plan staff and schedule for data deliverables such as status reports, not only for the physical goods or services.

Reviewing the CDRL before pricing helps a bidder see the full data workload attached to a defence contract.