Portfolio Epics are typically implemented by what?

• A. One or more ARTs
• B. A single team with no ART
• C. External vendors with no ART
• D. The solution train only

Answer: (A)

Portfolio Epics are implemented through the program layer by Agile Release Trains. In SAFe, these large initiatives are funded and analyzed at the portfolio level, then delivered by one or more ARTs that operate within value streams and cadence. If the epic is big enough to span multiple trains, several ARTs work together to realize the capabilities and deliver value in coordinated Increments. A single team with no ART lacks the scale and alignment needed for a portfolio epic, and external vendors operating outside an ART wouldn’t integrate into the SAFe cadence. The Solution Train option exists for very large solutions that require coordinating many ARTs and suppliers, but the typical path for implementing a portfolio epic is through one or more ARTs.