ANSI EIA-649-A-2004 PDF

Full title and description

ANSI EIA-649-A-2004 — National Consensus Standard for Configuration Management (Revision A, 2004). This industry standard presents principles, requirements and guidance for establishing and operating a configuration management (CM) program across product and system life cycles.

Abstract

ANSI EIA-649-A-2004 (commonly cited as EIA-649A) defines the purpose, scope and core functions of configuration management. It explains why CM is needed, describes CM planning and tailoring, and sets out the five primary CM elements: CM planning, configuration identification, change control (change management), configuration status accounting, and verification & audit. The standard is non‑prescriptive and intended to be applied across government and commercial environments to improve product integrity, traceability and lifecycle cost control.

General information

• Status: Superseded (historical revision; later revised as EIA‑649‑B and subsequently as SAE/ANSI EIA‑649‑C).
• Publication date: 2004 (Revision A).
• Publisher: Government Electronics & Information Technology Association (GEIA) / TechAmerica under the ANSI/EIA designation.
• ICS / categories: Configuration management; typically classified under ICS 03.120.10 (quality management / configuration management guidance).
• Edition / version: Revision A (2004).
• Number of pages: Approximately 50–60 pages (commonly listed as 54 pages in catalog entries).

Scope

EIA‑649‑A provides baseline, organization‑agnostic requirements and guidance for configuration management across the product or system life cycle — from concept through design, production, delivery, operation and disposal. It covers CM planning and tailoring, identification of configuration items, processes for controlling and recording changes, status accounting (reporting and records), and verification & audit activities to confirm conformity of configuration to requirements. The standard is intended to be tailored to program size, complexity and risk.

Key topics and requirements

• Fundamental CM concepts and objectives (why CM matters for quality, cost and schedule).
• CM planning and tailoring — defining appropriate CM rigor for program needs.
• Configuration identification — defining and baselining configuration items and configuration documentation.
• Change management / change control processes — requests, impact assessment, approval and implementation.
• Configuration status accounting — recording and reporting configuration and change history.
• Verification and audit — ensuring configuration items conform to documented requirements and baselines.
• Interfaces with procurement, engineering, quality and program management functions.

Typical use and users

EIA‑649‑A is used by systems engineers, configuration managers, quality managers, program managers, procurement and contract personnel across commercial industry and government programs. Typical applications include defense and aerospace programs, complex engineering projects, supplier/product lifecycle management, and organizations seeking a consistent, auditable approach to change control and product traceability.

Related standards

Key related documents include ISO 10007 (Guidelines for configuration management), MIL‑HDBK‑61B (Configuration Management Guidance), subsequent revisions of EIA‑649 (EIA‑649‑B 2011 and SAE/ANSI EIA‑649‑C 2019), and domain‑specific EIA‑649 supplements (e.g., EIA‑649‑1 for defense contracts, EIA‑649‑2 for NASA/space applications). These documents are often used together when tailoring CM requirements for specific sectors.

Keywords

configuration management, CM, change control, configuration identification, status accounting, verification, audit, baselining, CM planning, EIA‑649, GEIA, TechAmerica, ANSI

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ANSI EIA‑649‑A‑2004 is the Revision A (2004) of the EIA‑649 “National Consensus Standard for Configuration Management.” It provides industry guidance and baseline requirements for establishing and operating configuration management programs.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the scope and rationale for CM and defines the five primary CM functions: CM planning, configuration identification, change management (change control), configuration status accounting, and verification & audit, plus guidance on tailoring CM processes to program needs.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Systems and configuration managers, quality and program managers, engineering and procurement staff in commercial, aerospace, defense and government organizations use EIA‑649 as a baseline for CM programs and contract requirements.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: EIA‑649‑A (2004) is a historical revision and has been superseded by later revisions (EIA‑649‑B, 2011 and SAE/ANSI EIA‑649‑C, 2019). Organizations should reference the most recent applicable revision or the domain‑specific supplement when defining CM requirements.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — EIA‑649 has evolved through multiple revisions and a “dash” series of supplements addressing specific acquisition domains (for example EIA‑649‑1 for defense contracts and EIA‑649‑2 for NASA), and later consolidated into SAE/ANSI revisions.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Configuration management, change control, baselining, configuration identification, status accounting, verification and audit, CM planning, EIA‑649.