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![1105 Media [happiness]](/images/ds1_pntmlogo.gif "1105 Media [happiness]") |
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home > November/December, 2007 issue > article
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| General Dynamics |
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| Daniel J. Busby |
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A performance-based approach that works
By Daniel J. Busby
Special to Defense Systems
How do you transform the outdated technology infrastructure systems of the United States’ physical symbol of military strength — the Pentagon — without impeding the Defense Department’s around-the-clock mission operations and its support for a multifront war? The answer is: very carefully, by balancing the necessity of keeping the Pentagon functioning at full speed with the requirement to deliver 21st-century network-centric solutions that meet the needs of more than 25,000 Pentagon tenants today and 50 years into the future with the government/industry partnership.
The President’s Management Agenda brought focus to government program performance. In July 2003, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy issued a report, “Performance-Based Service Acquisition: Contracting for the Future,” that offered recommendations to increase the use of performance-based service acquisition and improve their quality.
Government and industry have always worked together. Historically, each contract has varying levels of government oversight and management. Based on the success of the Pentagon renovation contract, government is better served by using PBSAs. A PBSA will offer the government efficiencies in time and budget, more innovative solutions and access to industry’s best practices and experience.
PBSAs focus on results rather than how the work is performed. In the case of the Information Technology Systems Project, the government used a PBSA approach.
Rather than serving as the project systems integrator, the government chose General Dynamics Information Technology to be the IT lead systems integrator for this project until its completion under a total systems performance responsibility contract. TSPR is a form of PBSA in which contract tasks are transferred to a contractor, creating a single point of management, which means one point for accountability, cost, schedule and performance.
With the TSPR approach, the team mitigated the project’s oversight and risk by following PSBA’s basic tenets. - Under PBSA, contracts are measured by the success of the program based on cost, schedule and quality at a high level. As the lead systems integrator, the team designed a solution with the endpoint in mind by using innovative technologies and solutions, cutting-edge products, and modern infrastructures. Our ability to reach back into General Dynamics for innovation and best practices was, and is, one of our success factors.
- The company teamed with the ITS Project Office at the start to define the performance standards by which we were to be measured on a monthly basis. These metrics are schedule, cost, quality, earned value and trend analysis, contracting actions, requests for information, change order statistics, public affairs efforts and safety.
- Integrated Product Teams bring us together with the government, general contractor and subcontractors to facilitate successful project management.
- An independent review board meets regularly to score us on schedule management, change control, quality control and risk management.
Applying PBSA will help increase the success rate of government programs.
The focus on program performance and shifting contract tasks to industry is resulting in more successful government programs. Industry has this opportunity to bring good things to the government and, ultimately, the citizens it serves.
Busby, a retired chief information officer at Special Operations Command, is now vice president and general manager of the Army Infrastructure Sector at General Dynamics Information Technology.
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