Which of the following steps should be conducted during the FIRST phase of software assurance in a generic acquisition process?

Establishing and consenting to the contract work schedule occurs in a later phase, after requirements have been defined, an RFP issued, and a contractor selected - it is part of contract negotiation and award, not the initial phase.

Issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) with a work statement is a mid-process step that can only occur after requirements have been developed and incorporated into the work statement, making it a second or third phase activity.

Developing software requirements to be included in the work statement is the first phase because you must define and document what the software must do before you can communicate needs to vendors or issue any procurement documents. These requirements form the technical and functional basis for the work statement, which is then used in subsequent phases like the RFP. Without established requirements, no meaningful acquisition activity can proceed.

Reviewing and accepting software deliverables is a final-phase activity that occurs after development is complete and the software is delivered, representing the end of the acquisition lifecycle, not the beginning.