Four years ago when the Secretary of the Navy outlined five goals aimed at reducing the service’s energy consumption and reliance on petroleum, Herman Varmall began counting down.

“I knew it was just matter of time before those policy changes would trickle down to NAVAIR,” said Varmall who leads NAVAIR’s Environmental Programs Department (AIR 1.6), which recently expanded its portfolio, to add an energy component. “The new Environmental and Energy Programs Department will leverage the existing environmental infrastructure supporting acquisition and use current environmental models, processes and tools to address energy requirements.”

With these new energy requirements for acquisition program managers (PMs) underway, Varmall shared how he plans to prepare NAVAIR’s leaders for change.

Q: What are the energy requirements for NAVAIR’s PMs?

A: Within acquisition, NAVAIR’s PMs should be focused on two energy requirements. The first is to establish an energy Key Performance Parameter (e-KPP); the second is to calculate the fully burdened cost of energy (FBCE).  An e-KPP is created to optimize the fuel and electric power demand of our systems. The FBCE assesses the relative fuel cost differences between competing systems and helps the Navy make trade-off decisions.

 Q:  How will you prepare program managers for these new energy requirements?

AIR 1.6 is here to help support program managers as they begin implementing and executing the Navy’s energy requirements. We are in the early stages of developing energy awareness and training modules. You can expect to see a NAVAIR Energy Policy and Awareness handbook that will identify NAVAIR management structure, DoD and Navy directives and policies, and acquisition energy requirements. The handbook will be followed with the development of a two-day course with modules that identify learning objectives and what PMs should know about energy. Finally, we have recently modified one of our primary environmental tools, Programmatic Environmental Safety and Health Evaluation Document Authoring Tool (PESHE.DAT), to include an energy chapter consisting of a questionnaire that will assist PMs with assessing energy requirement compliance.

 Q: AIR 1.6 has developed widely used tools and process on the environmental compliance side. What are your plans for energy compliance?

A: We’ve had great success managing environmental compliance by employing business practices and creating an infrastructure of great people and great tools. Now, we want to leverage that infrastructure on the energy side because we see a value.

ABOUT HERMAN VARMALL

TITLE: As director of the Environmental and Energy Programs Department (AIR 1.6), aligned under the Program Management (AIR 1.0) organization, Varmall promotes policy and assists acquisition managers with environmental and energy compliance.

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Southern University of A&M College

WHY HE LOVES HIS JOB: "We are in a unique position in acquisition. We collaborate with industry partners, academia, DOD and other agencies to influence science and technology investments that encourage energy efficiency, while potentially enhancing capability and supporting fleet  readiness."

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: New Orleans Saints football team.