Building Successful Government/Contractor Teams

1. Building Successful Government/Contractor Teams Jean Shepherd, Deputy Chief Financial Executive, NGA CJ Staton, VP IC Business Systems CACI

2. Why is this important • Various surveys report a 41-70% failure rate of Financial Management projects • Of those which are successful - only 16% meet scope and cost targets • Increased focus on return on investment • In the eyes of oversight organizations, Financial Project are pre-disposed to failure • Critical need for achievable, repeatable , cost effective projects that provide incremental successes rather than huge deliverables

3. Acquisition Phase • Ambiguity is the root of most conflicts • Success Criteria not defined at all levels • Scope (requirements) • Cost • Schedule • Ethical Communication is critical to receiving complete and accurate proposals • Focus on the What not the How • Encourage innovation • “Replicate what we have today” is a non-starter • Contract type is not a cost management tool • Pick the right contract type for the statement of work and risk • Costs are controlled through disciplined program management • Functional Manager should sponsor and direct projects for their domain • If the Widget Boss doesn’t think she needs a new Widget system, you either have to change her mind or abandon the effort • IT for IT’s sake is not a catalyst for change (Unless it impacts operational capability) • Solid program and change management are key to any effort

4. Contract Launch • Face to Face meeting of the Stakeholders • Client and Corporate Leadership • Program Execution Leadership • Contracts/Administrative Staff • Review Scope and Contract Together • Identify and resolve disconnects (and there WILL be disconnects) early at the right level • Request for Proposals and contractor response never align perfectly • Ensure contract type is appropriate – scope control is not a function of contract type • Understand cost drivers and develop management processes • Align Staff Ramp up with Need • Don’t burn through resources during organizational phase • Coordinate ramp up across government and contractor

5. Managing the Program • Disciplined Project Management • Leverage PMP, ITIL, and other best practices • Reuse everywhere possible • Administration is a tool, not the end state • Establish and Enforce Progress Measurements • Weekly progress meetings (one hour or less) • Focus on Exception management • Develop an time-based issue escalation process – aiming for resolution at the lowest level • Ultimate decision maker to close issues • Develop Communication Plans • Tailored for Audience • Include Stakeholders through staff • Control the message – don’t react to it • Err on the side of Over Communication • Resolution at the lowest level possible

6. Relationship Management • Stereotypes (Government vs Contractor) are counter productive – treat everyone as an individual • No one is perfect – work together to achieve success – not affix blame • Understand and Respect each other’s role • Accept Accountability • Identify Obstructionists and Enablers Early • Understand inherently governmental work

7. Final Thoughts • Open and Honest Communication • Address issues quickly, but not recklessly • Success of the program – not the individual should be the constant focus • Treat others as you would want to be treated • Teamwork