What should be prepared early in the project and given to the customer?

The Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) is crucial to the early phases of a project as it serves as the comprehensive document outlining the systems engineering process for the project. It details the project's technical approach, outlines the management structure, defines roles and responsibilities, and establishes the systems engineering lifecycle processes.

Providing the SEP to the customer early in the project is important because it sets clear expectations and fosters alignment between the project's goals and the customer's needs. It ensures that all stakeholders have a shared understanding of how the project will be managed and executed, which is key to achieving successful project outcomes.

Additionally, an early SEP allows for the identification of potential risks or challenges in the system's design and integration, giving stakeholders the opportunity to address them proactively. This proactive approach helps in maintaining project momentum and enhances customer confidence in the project team’s capabilities.

While a project portfolio, stakeholder management plan, and resource allocation plan are also significant elements of project management, they do not provide the same level of detailed technical direction and process guidance as the SEP. Therefore, the SEP is prioritized to establish the foundational strategies for the entire systems engineering lifecycle early in the project.