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Space Pitch Day Bringing Mind-Blowing Ideas To DoDhttps://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/Lists/Blog/DispForm.aspx?ID=84Space Pitch Day Bringing Mind-Blowing Ideas To DoD2019-11-15T12:00:00Zhttps://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/DMSP_Block-5D2.jpg, https://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/DMSP_Block-5D2.jpg https://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/DMSP_Block-5D2.jpg<div class="ExternalClass58A719CFE9C94A1181BC9AAA97F82D85"><p>On November 5-6, the U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) held the first Air Force Space Pitch Day in San Francisco. The plan was to award up to $50 million in contracts to small businesses and start-ups. Pitch days are designed as a fast-track program putting companies on one-page contracts and same-day awards with the swipe from a government credit card. This gives small business companies and start-ups access to the military market, millions in contract awards, and is a major departure from the lengthy contracting processes.</p> <p>“The Air Force is leveraging modern commercial business practices to enable the rapid development of small business ecosystems that have dual-use cutting edge technologies to enable the fielding of fast, relevant and affordable solutions that support our Air Force,” said Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, SMC commander and Air Force Program Executive Officer for space.</p> <p>"Mind-blowing ideas are being birthed in U.S. start-up companies, but the Pentagon largely misses out,” said Dr. Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. “We have to do business at the speed of relevance,” said Roper. The Air Force is doing everything possible to improve the way acquisition is done.<br> <br> <a href="https://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2009444/big-wins-for-small-business-expected-at-air-force-space-pitch-day/">See article</a><br> </p></div>string;#/training/career-development/program-management/blog/Space-Pitch-Day-Bringing-Mind-Blowing-Ideas-To-DoD
GAO Report On Air Force 's Space Command and Control Programhttps://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/Lists/Blog/DispForm.aspx?ID=83GAO Report On Air Force 's Space Command and Control Program2019-10-31T12:00:00Zhttps://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/DMSP_Block-5D2.jpg, https://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/DMSP_Block-5D2.jpg https://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/DMSP_Block-5D2.jpg<div class="ExternalClassA83301ADEFFB4A8D92BB170A0FAC6594">The Air Force is using an iterative process called Agile software development on the Space C2 program. The GAO says the program is facing a number of challenges and unknowns, from management issues to technical complexity. Since the early 1980s, the Air Force has been working to modernize and consolidate its space command and control systems into a single comprehensive platform. The past three programs to attempt this have ended up significantly behind schedule and over budget. <p>The GAO makes two recommendations:</p> <ol> <li> <p><strong>Recommendation</strong>: The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment should ensure that the Air Force's finalized Space C2 program's acquisition strategy includes, at a minimum, the following elements:</p> <ul> <li>acquisition and contracting approach;</li> <li>program management structure, including authorities and oversight responsibilities;</li> <li>plans for platform and infrastructure development;</li> <li>requirements management and development approach, and plans for prioritization;</li> <li>risk management plans, including how the program will identify and mitigate risks;</li> <li>metrics for measuring quality of software, and how those results will be shared with external stakeholders;</li> <li>manpower assessment identifying program workforce needs and state of expertise in Agile methods;</li> <li>requirements for reporting program progress to decision makers; and</li> <li>yearly funding levels.</li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><strong>Recommendation</strong>: The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment should ensure that the Air Force's Space C2 program conducts periodic independent reviews to assess the program's approach to developing software and provide, as needed, advice to the program and recommendations for improving the program's development and progress. Participants could include, but are not limited to, officials from the Defense Innovation Board, the Defense Digital Service, the office of the Air Force Chief Software Advisor, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment's Special Assistant for Software Acquisition.<br> <br> The full GAO report is at <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-20-146?utm_campaign=usgao_email&utm_content=topic_space&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery">https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-20-146?utm_campaign=usgao_email&utm_content=topic_space&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery</a></p> </li> </ol></div>string;#/training/career-development/program-management/blog/GAO-Report-On-Air-Force-'s-Space-Command-and-Control-Program
New Intellectual Property (IP) Instruction Establishes DoD IP Cadre and Provides IP Strategy Guidancehttps://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/Lists/Blog/DispForm.aspx?ID=82New Intellectual Property (IP) Instruction Establishes DoD IP Cadre and Provides IP Strategy Guidance2019-10-24T12:00:00Zhttps://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/IP Image.jpg, https://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/IP Image.jpg https://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/IP Image.jpg<div class="ExternalClassD70A495ABC1641D5B2D9B67E32A5F665"><p style="margin:0px 0px 10.66px;"><span style="margin:0px;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:14pt;"><font color="#000000">The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment issued DoD Instruction 5010.44, Intellectual Property (IP) Acquisition and Licensing, effective October 16, 2019. The Instruction establishes the DoD IP Cadre and provides guidance to DoD Components on the minimum requirements of an IP Strategy. The IP Cadre Program and having an IP strategy are important policy initiatives to facilitate the successful acquisition, licensing, and management of IP DoD-wide. <span style="margin:0px;"> </span><span style="margin:0px;"> </span></font></span></p> <p style="margin:0px 0px 10.66px;"><span style="margin:0px;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:14pt;"><font color="#000000">The IP Cadre provides expert advice and assistance, and resources to the acquisition workforce on IP matters at various stages of the life cycle of a system. The IP Cadre will be led by a director and include such subordinate organizational elements and members as established within resources assigned. The IP Cadre’s role is to provide oversight and coordination on all acquisition and licensing policy and procedures for DoD IP; interface on assigned functions with Congress, industry, academia, as well as DoD organizations engaged in activities throughout the life-cycle of programs; and support development of requirements for training and credentialing the acquisition workforce. </font></span></p> <p style="margin:0px 0px 10.66px;"><span style="margin:0px;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:14pt;"><font color="#000000">DoD Instruction 5010.44 notes that each DoD program should have a “robust” IP strategy to identify and manage the full spectrum of IP and related matters (e.g. technical data and computer software deliverables, patented technologies, and license rights) from the inception of the program and updated throughout the entire product life cycle. </font></span></p> <div style="margin:0px;"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:14pt;"><font color="#000000">To view the Instruction and learn more about the IP Cadre program and the elements required in an IP strategy, click on the following link:<span style="margin:0px;"> </span><strong><span style="margin:0px;"> </span></strong></font></span><strong><font face="Calibri"><font size="3"><a href="https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/501044p.PDF?ver=2019-10-16-144448-070"><span style="margin:0px;"><font color="#0563c1">https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/501044p.PDF?ver=2019-10-16-144448-070</font></span></a><u><span style="margin:0px;color:blue;">.</span></u></font></font></strong></div> <br></div>string;#/training/career-development/program-management/blog/New-Intellectual-Property-(IP)-Instruction-Establishes-DoD-IP-Cadre-and-Provides-IP-Strategy-Guidance
Office of Chief Management Officer (OCMO) Report to Congress on 4th Estate Efficiencieshttps://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/Lists/Blog/DispForm.aspx?ID=81Office of Chief Management Officer (OCMO) Report to Congress on 4th Estate Efficiencies2019-10-07T12:00:00Zhttps://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/SvcsAcqMall.JPG, https://www.dau.edu/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/SvcsAcqMall.JPG https://wwwad.dauext.dau.mil/training/career-development/program-management/PublishingImages/SvcsAcqMall.JPG<div class="ExternalClassC4329AAB0B8C462FBA043B67F929CBB2"><p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">In the Sept. 2019 report required by Section 921(b)(5)(B) of the John S. McCain Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, the Office of the Chief Management Officer (OCMO) identified that Category Management techniques create potential savings opportunities of $0.38B to $0.54B within the Fourth Estate services spend.<span style="margin:0px;"> </span>This calculation is based on industry standard savings of 5 to 7 percent of the total value of a contract by implementing category management techniques. [Calculation:<span style="margin:0px;"> </span>4th estate services spend ($7.72B X 5% [7%] = $0.38B [$0.54B])</font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">The FY 19 NDAA set a 25% reduction goal for 4th Estate costs across four covered activities of civilian management, logistics management, services contracting, and real estate management. Using industry benchmarks, contract management costs average approximately 8 percent of the value of the contract. [Calculation:<span style="margin:0px;"> </span>4th estate services spend ($7.72B X 8% = $0.62B X 25% = $0.155B)].</font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">The Sept. 2019 report to Congress notes that a 25 percent reduction is dramatic to any function in a single year. Specific conditions for the Department when considering such a reduction include:</font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin:0px;"> </span>- The Department is a complex enterprise that need to be mindful of cascading effects;</font></font></font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin:0px;"> </span>- The need to maintain inventory levels to meet military and wartime requirements;</font></font></font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin:0px;"> </span>- Limited authorities to quickly achieve reductions;</font></font></font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin:0px;"> </span>- Many meaningful changes require a system, process, or policy change before the reduction can take effect; and</font></font></font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin:0px;"> </span>- Full consideration of negative impacts to readiness.</font></font></font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">As a result, the OCMO has focused Contract Management improvements around the total spend opportunity to provide the greatest savings ($0.38B to $0.54B) to be redeployed toward National Defense Strategy priorities.</font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">At DAU, FLD has included Category Management (CM) content in the recently revised ACQ265, Mission-Focused Services Acquisition and as an objective in ACQ305, Services Acquisition Management Office (in development), added several CM-related ACQuipedia articles and a CM tab in the ACE for Services Community of Practice.<span style="margin:0px;"> </span>FLD is working with the OCMO and USAF CM Support Program Office to develop a CM workshop.<span style="margin:0px;"> </span>Additionally, CLC108, Strategic Sourcing and CLC110, Spend Analysis Strategies, will be updated in FY20 to include the latest CM information and successes within DoD.<span style="margin:0px;"> </span>FLD is working with WLD to consider creating a new<span style="margin:0px;"> </span>CM CoP.</font></p> <p style="margin:0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p></div>string;#/training/career-development/program-management/blog/Office-of-Chief-Management-Officer-(OCMO)-Report-to-Congress-on-4th-Estate-Efficiencies