Responsibilities of the Configuration Control Board (CCB)

Would you please tell me the usual responsiblilities for a Configuration Control Board (CCB)? Does the project need to get an approval from CCB before creating a new baseline?

Basically the CCB is responsible for baselining specific configuration items: documents, designs, requirements, products, product components, etc. Once a configuration item has been baselined, the CCB is then responsible for reviewing and approving Change Requests to a baselined configuration item. If the CCB approves a change to a configuration item, after the item and other associated changes have been updated, then there is a new baseline version.

Levying CMMI Requirements on Your Suppliers

I would like to know whether or not an acquirer can specify a CMMI Maturity Level (ML) as a requirement in a call for tenders or invitation to public bidding. What the ML is required? What is the domain ? and for what kind of projects?

The answer is yes. The acquirer can specify any requirements they want the vendors to meet. In my experience, I have seen acquirers specifying that the bidders be either at ML 2 or ML 3. What this means though is that the acquirer has done its homework and appropriately determined the necessary Maturity Level for the vendor to support the acquirer’s business and quality goals and objectives. There should be a good match between the ML of the acquirer and the ML of the vendor, to work well it may be best if both organizations are at the same ML. Otherwise, there can be problems.

As the acquirer, you probably would find benefit from implementing the CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ). The CMMI-ACQ provides a lot of guidance for tenders and contracts that meet the acquirer’s needs.

Can the Same Firm Provide CMMI Consulting & SCAMPI A Services?

I have been hearing that the SEI has stringent rules stating that the consulting firm cannot perform a SCAMPI A appraisal as it results in conflict of interest and the appraisal may lose it's objectivity. Couold you please throw light on this issue and give me the correct information? It would be great if you can refer to any documents listing these rules e.g. SEI audit policies.

Yes, the same COMPANY and same LEAD APPRAISER can provide both CMMI consulting and SCAMPI A appraisal services to the same client. However, the Lead Appraiser and SEI Partner must notify the SEI if there is a Conflict of Interest. The situation to avoid is the Lead Appraiser appraising his or her own work in a SCAMPI A appraisal. The Code of Professional Conduct (CoPC) spells out the policy and the steps that must be taken if there is an indentified Conflict of Interest. http://www.sei.cmu.edu/partners/copc.html

The primary issue concerns the type of consulting provided by the Lead Appraiser. If the consulting consists of writing processes and process assets for the client, then there is a clear Conflict of Interest. But if the consulting consists of training on different ways to implement a Process Area, reviewing documents and identifying strengths and weaknesses, reviewing evidence for inclusion in the PIIDs, etc. then there is no Conflict of Interest.

So most Lead Appraisers will try their best to remain ethical and either just provide the hands-on consulting and have another Lead Appraiser lead the SCAMPI A appraisal OR lead the SCAMPI A appraisal and help the organization get prepared for the appraisal.