Attachment_6_SWAG_Scenario.docx

SWAG Scenario The Air Force Ground Equipment (AGE) office has requested support to purchase a new IT system to replace their 30-year old legacy system, FIDGIT, for management of ground support equipment that is rumored to be on the verge of collapse and is requiring time intensive man-hours to extract and consolidate necessary data to satisfy audit requirements such as accountability and valuation as well provide key information to better assist in decision making. Throughout the years, members at the unit level across the Air Force have developed local applications and homegrown databases to overcome shortcomings of the FIDGET system all of which have different sources of data. The personnel utilizing the current system are well-versed in their jobs many having more than 20+ years’ experience. While some personnel are eager for the idea of modern technology, most are comfortable with current processes, supporting technology and performance output. They have seen many initiatives come and go through the years that promise to deliver new IT but fail to execute and are reluctant to support the continued “shuffling of the deck chairs on another Titanic” due to the volume of their workload.

A recent audit highlighted significant findings in the tracking of equipment and the inability to provide a full accounting of the equipment (valuation). Many instances were noted of purchasing high-dollar pieces of equipment when the property books indicated the equipment was already at the authorized level. However, the property books and accounting of the equipment was not kept up to date, with documentation either showing equipment had been disposed of while other pieces of equipment remained unaccounted for. In addition, there were inconsistencies in how equipment was valued, depreciated and what source data/documents were used as a basis for such calculations. When units were asked to provide a response to the findings, the FIDGET system was identified as the root cause.

The recent audit findings and the negative attention they have caused has prompted Higher Headquarters (HHQ) to move out quickly to purchase a replacement system and assigning responsibility to the AGE team. There have been numerous efforts through the years where business processes have been mapped out with the idea of consolidating capabilities of the FIDGET system with other functional systems as well attempts to update the current system to include those home-grown applications into FIDGET. AGE personnel are highly motivated and confident they can utilize these process models and supporting documentation to quickly satisfy any requirements to swiftly move through the Business Capability Acquisition Cycle (BCAC). In addition, this will allow them to protect the units’ time from unnecessary business process reengineering and requirements development work as well as save on travel dollars since the AGE team and HHQ are geographically separated from units utilizing FIDGET in performance of their duties which are spread across the Continental United States as well Outside the Continental United States.

In addition to having the previous initiatives’ documentation to re-use, the AGE team recently attended Software for the People’s SWAG demo. Software for the People is billed as a “small start-up comprised of prodigies from Silicon Valley and led by a small core of Veterans;” they are seeking to secure a foot-hold in the Department of Defense. SWAG shows great promise in solving material weaknesses of FIDGET as well as allow for new capabilities to be delivered. It has been deployed on a limited basis to another government agency which may provide opportunities to leverage contract vehicles, help desk support, training, hosting and a variety of other benefits. In order to minimize changes to the field, some minor customization to keep the look and feel of the new IT system similar to the legacy system will be needed. The AGE team did conduct additional market research through Internet searches. While management of ground support equipment is fairly straightforward and has a strong alignment to the private sector the rigidity of processes for accounting and accountability of the commercial offerings were not rated favorably.

With the need to move quickly to resolve the audit findings and little patience to task the workforce with yet another long and drawn-out IT development initiative, the AGE team is requesting assistance given the state of where this mature initiative is to develop a punch list on what’s needed to move through the various phases of BCAC as well organize the existing documentation to satisfy the requirements in support of acquiring its own instantiation of SWAG and getting it deployed to the field with a strong concentration on the areas pre-contract award. As FIDGET has been in sustainment for many years, development dollars are limited so the urgency of deploying a new system is constrained by available funding. The Offeror shall propose a timeline that complete BCAC phases up to capability support for this scenario within a 2 year period of performance.

Deliverables Table: