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Stage 03

Case Development and LOA Preparation in Foreign Military Sales

Timeline: Case development standards per C5.T9: Category A within 45 days, Category B within 100 days, Category C within 150 days, Category D within 60 days — each for 85% of documents

Updated 11 September 2026

The 's case manager assembles the in , but the substance comes from the program office: program managers and item managers define the lines and develop the cost and availability estimates behind them. The case then clears the milestone and goes to for writing and approval.

What Happens

LOA data and the program office

To initiate case development, the country director tasks preparation of the using . Every case has an assigned case manager, and it is normally the case manager who has primary responsibility for the overall content.

For major system sales, the case manager must coordinate with program managers and item managers to determine the line items to be included on the case to meet requirements identified in the international partner’s . Cost and availability estimates are developed for all articles and services included in each line. These estimates may be based on current DOD inventories or on information from U.S. defense contractors. personnel also prepare notes that pertain specifically to the lines and case being developed. If the international partner has requested any waivers, the will staff the waiver request(s) and ensure it is appropriately reflected in the case.

As the data is being developed, the case manager and country director should both be alert for issues that may require further coordination, not only within the and other DOD organizations, but also with DOS and other non-DOD agencies. When outside coordination is required, the time required and the level at which it should occur will depend on a number of political, technical, and financial factors. For example, a routine follow-on support case will likely require little or no coordination with organizations outside the . Cases involving more than one proponent MILDEP (e.g., U.S. Navy helicopters with U.S. Army electronics) require coordination across service lines.

Line items and the Total Package Approach

During case development, the will construct a separate line item for each generic category of materiel or services to be provided. The will assign the appropriate materiel number to each line item. The complete materiel , which is substantial, resides in . Key elements of the data include generic codes, numbers, and descriptions.

When compiling , case managers should adhere to the policy of in the C4.3.2. ensures international partners are afforded the opportunity to acquire the full complement of articles and services necessary to field, maintain, and utilize major items of equipment efficiently and effectively. To a large degree, depends on receiving a comprehensive . In addition to the itself, a case that follows the concept will address areas such as training, technical assistance, publications, initial support, and follow-on support.

Changes while the case is in development

Writing, review and approval

In addition to the , the Case Writing and Development Division (DSCA-CWD) plays a key role in case development. When the has completed the process and its quality review of the package, it will post the MILDEP approval () milestone in , which moves the document from “Development” to “Write” status in and creates a case record on their respective case-tracking system for offline documentation to be uploaded for transmission to the DSCA-CWD. C5.6.11.3 describes the documents and information the must provide DSCA-CWD, along with the draft for document writing. DSCA-CWD then completes the writing process by accomplishing a quality review for policy compliance and by adding the and the standard notes. After finalizing the document, DSCA-CWD staffs it for the , headquarters , and legal reviews as appropriate. When this coordination process is complete, DSCA-CWD forwards the document to the DOS/PM for final review. Upon DOS concurrence, DSCA-CWD electronically countersigns the , indicating that the can sign the case and officially offer it to the international partner. A more complete description of the and DSCA-CWD roles in the case development process is shown in Table C5.T12 of the .

Key Players at This Stage

Program office

DSCA

Service international affairs office

Case manager

Industry

Common Pitfalls

  • The program office cannot deliver reliable data — cost and availability estimates — inside the case development standard, and the slips
  • Partner changes quantities or adds scope during development, triggering case rework
  • Surcharge computation errors discovered during review send the back to the
  • scoped too thin

What Practitioners Watch For

References

Drawn exclusively from publicly available authorities.

SAMM

  • SAMM C5.T9 — Case Development Categories and Standards
  • SAMM C5.T4A — Mandatory Criteria Before Letter of Request Actionable (Before Case Development Activities)
  • SAMM C5.6.3.3.1 — Requirement Changes Prior to Offer.
  • SAMM C5.2.5.3 — Letter of Request Changes During Case Development.
  • SAMM C5.6.11.1
  • SAMM C5.6.11.8.1
  • SAMM C5.6.2.1 — Case Development Extenuating Factor.
  • SAMM C5.2.5.2.3 — Letter of Request Complete.
  • SAMM C5.6 — Letter of Request Responses - Letter of Offer and Acceptance
  • SAMM C5.2.3 — The Department of Defense Components Authorized to Receive Letters of Request.
  • SAMM C5.T3A — Military Department Organizations Authorized to Receive Letters of Request
  • SAMM C5.T3B — Other Department of Defense Implementing Agencies Authorized to Receive Letters of Request
  • SAMM C5.4 — Rough Order of Magnitude Pricing.
  • SAMM C5.5.2 — Price and Availability Responses.
  • SAMM C5.6.2 — Letter of Offer and Acceptance Document Preparation Timeframe.
  • SAMM C5.6.11.3 — Documents to Accompany Letters of Offer and Acceptance During Coordination.
  • SAMM C5.T12 — General Rough Order of Magnitude, Price and Availability, and Letter of Offer and Acceptance Preparation Responsibilities
  • SAMM C4.3.2 — Total Package Approach.

Public authorities

Facts referenced

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