Project Management Circa 2025

Chapter 19 – PM and Defense Acquisition 2025Major Michelle “Shelli” Brunswick, PMP

Acquisition & Space Professional in the USAFDefense Acquisition University

The views presented here do not represent those of the DOD or DAU.

PMI Global Congress -- North American

What is the largest BuyingEnterprise in the world?

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

$388 BILLION IN FY 2008

PMI Global Congress -- North American

Overview

•External Drivers•Internal System•Industry

External Drivers

–Threats–Politics–Weapon Systems–Research

“The greatest strength of our armed forces is the initiative and adaptability of our people.” MILCOM 2006 Conference

Gordon England – DEPSECDEF

Threats“What we do know is that the threats and challenges we face abroad in the first decade of the 21st century will extend well beyond the traditional domain of any single government agency.” Kansas State University Lecture, November 2007

Robert Gates - SECDEF

• Future threats

• Weakened economy

• Partnerships

Politics“…more than any other single participant in the acquisition system, Congress shapes theRegulatory Framework and culture of defense acquisition through the mandates of Federal law and its oversight function.” Business Executives for National Security, Getting to Best: Reforming the Defense Acquisition Enterprise, July 2009

“The Department strongly supports the improvements in the areas of defense acquisition and policy that are addressed in S. 454, the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 and in H.R. 2101, the Weapons System Reform Through Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009.” Secretary Ashton B. Carter, USD (AT&L), 12 May 2009

•Congress authorizes the budget•Congressional legislation

Secretary Ashton B. Carter – USD AT&L

Weapon Systems“What the department is seeking is timely synchronization and integrated delivery of capabilities—and to do it within projected costs and on schedule. The approach is to identify gaps and seams, to eliminate redundancies except by design, and to make sure that solutions are completely interoperable.” MILCOM 2006Conference

Gordon England – DEPSECDEF

• Information dominance• System-of-Systems– Net-centric

Research“The greatest long-term threat to America, and to our close friends and allies, is falling behind in science and technology.” MILCOM 2006Conference

Gordon England – DEPSECDEF•Current expenditures vs. long-term expenditures

•Driver of technology vs. receiver of technology

Internal System “We must have well-identified requirements, adequate funding and robust processes utilized by trained personnel that can execute the program.” 7 March 2008

Keith Ernst – former Acting Director, DCMA

–Acquisition Process–Organization –Work Force

“At the strategic level, DOD’s processes for identifying warfighter needs, allocating resources, and developing and procuring weapon systems—which together define DOD’s overall weapon system investment strategy—are fragmented and broken.” 3 June 2008, GAO

Acquisition Process

Acquisition Process“But for those programs that do have cost and schedule growth, the biggestdrivers are unstable requirements, immature technologies, and funding instability.” 3 June 2008

–Requirements Process–Technology Maturity–Funding–Oversight

Hon. John J. Young, Jr. USD(AT&L)

Program Managers“Program Managers are the heart of the defense acquisition process…”Business Executives for National Security, Getting to Best: Reforming the Defense Acquisition Enterprise July 2009

Little “A”

Requirements Process“To limit cost growth, the DOD should establish an early program baseline and maintain it throughout the acquisition process.” Steven R. Meier, CIA, March 2008

Hon. John J. Young, Jr. USD(AT&L)

“Stop tinkering with requirements for weapons systems because such actionscause cost overruns and schedule delays.” 30 July 2007

Technology Maturity“The GAO reported that of the programs assessed, only 15 percent entered development with demonstrated high levels of technology maturity, causing many programs to experience significant growth in development cost.” 15 November 2005, GAO

Incremental development vs quantum leaps

Funding

“Funding instability on complex weapon systems causes renegotiation and re-baselining of the plans, schedule and integration. This has a ripple effect through the supply chain.” 6 March 2008

KeithActing Director, DCMA Ernst – former

“DOD pays for poorly performing programs by expropriating funds from other programs. This type of action destabilizes the other programs and reducesthe overall buying power of the defense dollar.” 7 March 2008

Nick Kuzemka – VP, Program Management,

Lockheed Martin

OversightThe DOD needs to make tough decisions -- which programs to pursue, and more importantly, not pursue; make sure programs are executable; lock in requirements before programs are ever started; and make it clear who is responsible for what and hold people accountable when responsibilities are not fulfilled. 29 April 2008

“Take control of the processes to ensure you have an executable, funded, and manageable program. Be prepared to be held accountable for execution of your program.” 6 June 2008

Hon. John J. Young, Jr. USD(AT&L)

Organization “The organization is only as good as the people you put in it” 28 March 2008

Ralph DiCicco, JR – Acting Dir., AF/ ACE

Top 100 Defense Contractors

“Agencies need to consider developing a total workforce strategy … address the extent of contractor use and the appropriate mix of contractor and civilian and military personnel…identifying and distinguishing the responsibilities of contractors, civilians and military personnel are critical to ensure the contractor roles are appropriate.” 11 March 2008

Organization

The current joint programs are not able to streamline the requirements process across the Services. For example, the JSF Program Office has a RequirementsBoard where the different Services convene. However, after a joint decision hasbeen made, each Service is still required to go through their individual approvalchannels” 6 March 2008

Nick Kuzemka – VP, Program Management,

Lockheed Martin

ExperienceProgram Management is a profession just like any other profession, and it musthave upward visibility and mobility. The Department must re-professionalize theprogram management career field by providing personnel with formal education and practical experience. 19 February 2008

Lt . Gen Lawrence P. Farrell, Jr., USAF (Ret)

-- President & CEO NDIA

The greatest challenge to developing experienced program managers is the decrease in DOD weapon system procurement. One solution to this shortageis to rotate DOD program managers with program managers in other U.S. government agencies and industry and vice versa.

Corporate Knowledge20% of knowledge in an organization is information you can search for in books, regulations or manual. The remaining 80% of the knowledge resides inexperience, insight and lessons learned. This corporate knowledge is the why and how to do things, knowing what works and what doesn’t work. 12 February 2008

Colonel William S. “Bill” Kaplan, (ret) USAF, Chief Knowledge Officer, Acquisition Solutions

A single drop of water can send a ripple for miles; similarly a single idea,given at the right time, can help you for years to come.

Industry “Change is relentless…I’d say in a single word ‘more’. We see more foreignownership of U.S. assets…more export from U.S. companies into the globalmarketplace…more global supply…more (international) partnering…the globalthreat and the nature of warfare are changing…” June 2005

Mark H. Ronald -- President and CEO, BAE Systems North

America, Inc.– Industry’s Role– Industrial Base Changes– Role of the Prime & Sub-Prime

Contractor– Global Economy– Industry’s Response to Market Forces

Industry’s Role “I see industry’s role with the Government in 2025 to be an integrated solution provider.” 2 May 2008

Frederick C. Payne -- Corporate Director of Program Management for BAE Systems, Inc.

“The right direction is team-mate and partner with the government in delivering a capability.” 27 February 2008

Lt. Gen George Muellner (ret) USAF, former President, of Advanced Systems, IDS, Boeing

Industrial Base Changes

“Domestic mergers will start to decline as compared to the last two decades,but international mergers and acquisitions will increase.” 28 April 2008

Steve Goo -- VP, International

Operations IDS, Boeing

This will lead to the introduction of many non-traditional suppliers, who have not previously been associated with defense work…because of the increased use of commercial products and the reduction in resources for the development of unique military solutions. 24 February 2008

Lt. Gen Ted Bowlds, USAF -- Commander

ESC

Role of the Prime & Sub-Prime Contractor

“The shift is already underway with prime contractors and subprime contractorshaving close working relationships. Contractor teams will align themselves early on in the acquisition process with common goals and objectives, and they are willing to share the fee.” 10 Feb 2008

George Guerra -- VP HALE System,

Northrop Grumman Corp.

In order for the prime/sub-prime contractor teams to collaborate and communicate more effectively, common systems must be used…The trendwill be for the prime contractor’s systems and processes to be adopted by the sub-prime. 6 Mar 2008

Nick Kuzemka – VP, Program Management,

Lockheed Martin

Global Economy“The Department must be prepared for more global involvement in the manufacturing of the components going into weapon systems. This will requirea major cultural shift in thinking about how to produce military hardware [coupled with] National Security concerns.” 14 February 2008

“The government comprises 7% of industry’s space business revenue and many of the subtiers are divesting from government contracts towards more profitable markets. The subtier components are bound by legislation such as ITAR that increases the cost of domestically manufactured products and dis-advantages the U.S. supplier.” 27 March 2008

Secretary Gary E. Payton, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space Programs

Col August J. Caponecchi (ret). USAF -- President Emeritus, Tactair Fluid

Controls Inc.

Industry’s Response to Market Forces

“Industry supporting defense is reshaping itself to respond to significant changes in military missions. Major defense firms are responding by reducing excess capacity, streamlining processes, and revamping supplierrelationships.” Aug 2005

J. David Patterson -- Principal Deputy

Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)

The technical paradigms will evolve, leading to industry’s improved responsiveness and advancement along the curve of flawless execution…this will enhance industry’s ability to deliver to government expectations.6 March 2008

Nick Kuzemka – VP, Program Management,

Lockheed Martin

Conclusion

“Buy the right thing, the right way, with the right process.” 5 March 2008

General Lester L. Lyles (Ret) USAF -- former Commander, AFMC

The acquisition process can go one of two ways. It can get more bureaucraticand stringent or it can embrace solutions from various studies to improvethe whole process. 7 April 2008

Dr. Jacques Gansler -- former Under

Secretary for AT&L

Contact Information“I believe the initiative, talent and adaptability of our government and industry team will succeed in providing an acquisition process that meets the demanding requirements of our ever changing world.”

The views presented here do not represent those of the DOD or DAU.

Major Brunswick, an Acquisition/Space Professional in the United States Air Force (USAF), is the Chief of USAF Acquisition Professional Development Program in the Office of the Assistance Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. She is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certified in Program Management Level III and a certified Space Professional Level II by the United States Air Force Space Professional Functional Authority. She attained her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2002. She also holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration. Major Brunswick has served 24 years in the USAF. Prior to joining the USAF air Staff, she was a Professor of Acquisition Management at Defense Acquisition University (DAU) where she conducted her research and authored this chapter. Before her tenure at DAU, she was a Program Integrator at Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), where she led a multifunctional team on the Missile Defense Agency’s Space Tracking and Surveillance System. Prior to her assignment at DCMA, she participated in the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Education with Industry with the Boeing Corporation. She entered the acquisition career field with the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, as a Project Manager and as a Test and Verification Project Officer for the Spacelift Range program. Major Brunswick has served one tour in Iraq with DCMA and a joint tour in Washington, D.C., with the Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants under the authority of the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

shellibrunswick@gmail.com; 703-588-7273