The federal government and industry have moved to concurrent acquisition and development processes using integrated process teams (IPTs). These processes are supported by timely, accurate, cross functional access to data within an integrated data environment (IDE) enabled by advances in information technology (IT). Since the advent of acquisition reform in 1994, Data Management (DM) practices have evolved from being directed by a prescriptive set of standards and procedures to use of the guidance in a principles-based standard -- ANSI/EIA 859.

GEIA Handbook 859 provides implementation guidance for ANSI/EIA 859, with discussions of applications of the standard's principles, tools, examples, and case studies. Handbook 859 is organized according to the lifecycle of data management and covers activities from the pre-RFP stage through records disposition. It also provides annexes on topics which apply at multiple stages in the lifecycle, such as protection of data, continuous improvement and knowledge management.