By John D. Johnston, NAVAIR Public Affairs, Headquarters

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, MD -- The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has been the undisputed home of cutting edge aviation for more than half a century. Now it is looking to bring that same pioneering spirit to the business side of its mission. NAVAIR has one mission: Support the Warfighter. Using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) business software, NAVAIR will gain unprecedented efficiency and integration that will help better meet that goal.

NAVAIR previewed its new business software recently at Naval Air Station Patuxent River for senior Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy leaders.

NAVAIR's Enterprise Solutions Program Office (ESPO) unveiled its Sigma Project, a prototype for revolutionizing business processes that may eventually be utilized throughout the Navy. DoD and Navy leaders attending the demonstration included Charles Nemfakos, the Department of the Navy's Senior Civilian Official for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) for Financial Management and Comptroller, Gladys Commons, Principal Deputy ASN (Financial Management and Comptroller), and Vice Adm. Joseph Dyer, NAVAIR Commander.

"We went down this hole to chase the ubiquitous rabbit, which is to save money, but this really isn't about saving money on the margin. It's about radically reforming a culture," Nemfakos said in his welcoming speech. "Where the future lies is to take dramatically different ways of doing business and integrate them across the Navy."

Sigma is one of the Navy's four pilots for ERP. This is the Navy's chosen method to automate, integrate and standardize functions such as logistics, human resources, budgeting and planning. Under ERP, departments create and share real-time data using commercially available software. This gives program managers near real-time access to the information they need to make timely decisions and to monitor performance.

As demonstrated at NAS Patuxent River, Sigma's ERP software can track an acquisition from start to finish, and eliminate redundant data entry.

"The power of an integrated business system connecting us all from coast to coast will be immense in today's climate in the public sector," said Dennis Distler, who leads ESPO's Sigma implementation team at Patuxent River. "In doing so we will be able to eliminate hundreds of legacy systems and data bases and bring the entire organization together on one system".

NAVAIR currently uses more than 400 different data systems to handle everything from ordering materials to reconciling budgets. Little or no interconnectivity exists among these systems, which can result in outdated and unreliable information. As illustrated in a video shown for the DoD group, this setup can frustrate program managers searching for critical data.

Sigma replaces those systems with an integrated system featuring a single database. Using the E-2C Hawkeye Program as the testing ground, ESPO has set up Sigma to integrate weapon systems acquisition, program management, financial management, and asset tracking/configuration management.

NAVAIR has employed KPMG as the integrating provider for the Sigma Project, with IBM and SAIC as principal partners. SAP of Walldorf, Germany, provides the core Sigma software package.

"Implementation of the Sigma Project across NAVAIR will finally enable us to do what all companies must do -- (1) enable us to know how we spend our money and know what things really cost; (2) provide the ability to match our workforce to demand and position ourselves for competing in the marketplace for talent in the future; (3) provide end-to-end asset tracking and configuration management capabilities within the Naval Aviation community at large; and (4) provide the system to support decision making at all levels of the organization with speed and accuracy," said Distler.

ERP will be deployed by function at all 8 NAVAIR sites. The first wave of Sigma begins April of 2002, and will reach all sites by October 2002. During this 6-month period, all sites will receive capabilities that support human resource management, financial operations, project management, document management, and limited procurement operations.

Follow-on versions will include capabilities for asset management, range management, procurement, and supply chain management.

The Naval Aviation System Team includes Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, PA; Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, MD; Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division China Lake, CA; Naval Aviation Depot Cherry Point, NC; Naval Aviation Depot Jacksonville, FL; Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst, NJ; Naval Air Station North Island, CA; Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in Orlando, FL; and Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Point Mugu, CA.

--USN--

(Photo available--contact NAVAIR Public Affairs 301-757-1487)