FORT LEE, Va. –
The contract maintenance capability board held a cross capability coordination summit on March 19-20 here at the Defense Contract Management Agency’s headquarters.
The summit, called “Making the Connection,” allowed participants from the various capability boards to collaborate and share lessons learned as the groups work to execute the Business Capability Framework.
DCMA developed the framework to better capture the agency’s return on investment to a more integrated model focusing on the organization’s products, including acquisition risk reduction and transaction support.
Representatives from the three capabilities — primary, integrating and enabling — along with the sub-capabilities, attended and each briefed their roles on how they fit into the framework. The employees from the sub-capabilities shared the status of the manuals they were working on and also the roles and responsibilities of their teams.
“Communication is the key to success,” said Vivian Hill, who is the co-leader of the contract maintenance capability board. “The sharing of information, along with tactical exchanges between the groups, are critical to the roll out of new manuals.
“Contract maintenance has led the way in assigning liaisons to other capabilities,” she added. “Liaisons are now being implemented across all capabilities and biweekly meetings are being held to ensure the effective exchange of information.”
During the summit, brainstorming sessions were held to address vision and strategy for contribution planning in accordance to the DCMA governance structure. The DCMA governance structure comprises the senior level decision-making body in the agency who reviews and approves proposed initiatives, processes, programs and policies that may have agency-wide impact.
Senior leaders who attended the event provided insight as to where the agency is headed and how employees play a vital role on the capability boards as changes occur. Employees also had a chance to hear updates from representatives of the Strategic Planning and Analysis Division, DCMA Requirement Oversight Council and the Process Development Organization.
Marie Greening, DCMA’s deputy director, told the group that synchronization and an established battle rhythm among all capability boards was needed. Greening told the group that in addition to writing new manuals, there needed to be a disciplined way to get the manuals to the field along with methods to measure the work being conducted.
“Ms. Greening empowered the teams to continue on the multi-functional path and to work through the actions needed to complete this process while adding the challenge to measure our performance,” said Hill.
Business Capabilities Framework page (login required): https://360.dcma.mil/directorate/PH-DC/DCA/BCF/SitePages/Home.aspx
Editor’s Note: Marie Hechsel is the contracts director at DCMA Twin Cities located in Bloomington, Minnesota.