A collection of news and information specifically for the C4ISR community

Vol. 4, No. 1
January 10, 2008

ESC successfully wraps up first year of NSPS

By Kevin Gilmartin
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Electronic Systems Center recently wrapped up the first year of the implementation of the National Security Personnel System, a new pay-for-performance personnel system that rewards employees for their contributions to the organization’s mission, implemented at Hanscom Jan. 21, 2007 for all non-bargaining unit employees. ESC conducted seven pay pools to determine how each of the more than 900 ESC employees covered by NSPS will be compensated for their performance.

The majority of ESC employees, some 98 percent, were rated as a three or higher on a scale of one to five, earning pay pool payouts in salary, bonus, or both as a result of their evaluated performance. No one in ESC received a rating of one, or “unacceptable,” which means that all of the employees rated will receive at least the NSPS Government-wide Pay Increase (GPI) in base salary of 1.5 percent, effective the first full pay period in January. Those with a three or higher will receive the GPI in addition to any payout from the pay pool. The Local Market Supplement, more commonly referred to as locality pay, will be the same for both NSPS and GS workers.

“In accordance with Department of Defense and Air Force direction, approximately 75 percent of the performance payout dollars in ESC will go directly to base salary, effective Jan. 6, while 25 percent will be paid in a bonus,” said Bob Youtt, ESC’s NSPS program manager. “Employees can expect to see their pay increase and bonus reflected in their pay on Jan. 25.” (More)

Civilian and military air traffic management specialists from various Latin American nations try out individual work stations while participating in a Regional Coordination Center demonstration held in Eagan, Minn., last August. Fifteen nations attended and seven fully participated in the demonstration of the mocked-up coordination center. (Courtesy Photo)

By Chuck Paone
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

HANSCOM AFB, Mass. (January 9, 2008) -- The United States Southern Command could begin conducting site selection surveys as early as next month for a regional coordination center that would help synchronize airspace management among Latin American nations. Airspace management includes both civil air traffic control services and military air sovereignty missions.

The coordination center is one of several recommendations resulting from both individual nation and regional studies conducted by the Air Force Electronic Systems Center here. The studies found that the Central and South American countries would all benefit significantly from enhanced radar control and coordination, and especially from efforts to improve military and civil air traffic coordination.

U.S. interests in the region, including SOUTHCOM’s ability to operate and exercise there, underscore the importance of Defense Department participation. Then there’s the more basic benefit of enhanced safety and security.

“If we make their skies safer, we make our skies safer,” said Steve Wallingford, an air traffic control engineer with ESC’s International Operations Division, which has led the effort so far. (More)

Maj. Gen. Lord to speak at New Horizons Symposium Jan. 23

Maj. Gen. William Lord, commander of the Air Force’s provisional Cyber Command at Barksdale AFB, La., seen here addressing the Net-Centric Operations Conference in New Castle, N.H., Sept. 24, 2007, will serve as keynote speaker for the 2008 New Horizons Symposium Jan. 23. (Photo by Jan Abate)

Maj. Gen. William T. Lord, commander of Air Force Cyberspace Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., has been announced as the keynote speaker for the 2008 AFCEA New Horizons symposium to be held Jan. 23 and 24 at the Newton Marriott Hotel, Newton, Mass.

General Lord, a 1977 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, is responsible for establishing cyberspace as a domain in and through which the Air Force flies and fights
to deliver sovereign options for defense of the United States. Currently, General Lord is working to build the new command, which was stood up provisionally last year, and to organize, train and equip combat forces to operate in cyberspace.

General Lord's speech will be preceded by the State of ESC address presented by Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds, Electronic Systems Center commander. General Bowlds will deliver his address at a breakfast buffet on Jan. 23, beginning at 7:30 a.m. (More)

Center reaffirms $480 million engineering support contract decision

By Chuck Paone
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The U.S. Air Force’s Electronic Systems Center, after performing a technical reevaluation recommended by the Government Accountability Office, has reaffirmed its May 2007 decision to award a contract worth a total ceiling value of $480 million to an industry team led by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. The original award had, until recently, been under protest.

The contract will provide Engineering and Technology Acquisition Support Services, referred to as ETASS, for up to the next three years. The contract carries a three-year period of performance that would expire December 31, 2010.

“We expect ETASS to significantly enhance the center’s ongoing efforts to ensure consistent use of uniform engineering standards and procedures across all programs,” said the center’s acting director of Engineering, Col. Russ Kurtz. “Standardization of such processes will ultimately translate into new capability for the warfighter, delivered on-time and under budget. The ETASS team will also help to provide credible advice in assessing the center’s acquisition programs in terms of the development contractors’ process compliance, technical progress, and product performance.” (More)

554th effort streamlines business system acquisition

By Monica D. Morales
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The Electronic Systems Center has taken on an active role in shaping the Office of the Secretary of Defense Business Transformation Agency’s transition to a more streamlined acquisition process. That process aims to reduce paperwork and higher-level approvals associated with ACAT-1 (large dollar-value) business systems.

The Business Capability Lifecycle process was developed by the BTA to accelerate the release of business system capabilities to the war fighter. In May, the under secretary of defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics directed that two ESC programs – the Expeditionary Combat Support System and the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System – operate under interim guidance for the BCL process. ECSS and DEAMS are major Air Force transformational programs, intended to modernize Air Force supply chain and financial management business processes and underlying information technology systems.

“Under the BCL approach there is a potential for a 50-percent reduction in documentation and OSD-level approvals, representing a substantial workload reduction to our program offices laboring under existing manpower challenges,” said Richard Honneywell of the 554th Electronic Systems Wing. (More)

Giving back to vets for the holidays

Master Sgt. Lisa Gipson (clockwise from right), Airman 1st Class Jeremy Twidt, Airman Laurence Burden and Airman 1st Class Evan Ree,  delivered 14 fleece blankets and four boxes of personal hygiene items collected by the 554th Electronic Systems Group's Financial Systems Division, Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Ala., to the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care Facility in Tuskegee, Ala. The much needed personal items are distributed to the veterans in the facility’s nursing home, homeless care shelter, post traumatic stress unit and mental health facility. (Courtesy photo)

By 1st Lt. Geoff Buteau
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The 2007 Air Force Materiel Command Contracting Awards were announced Dec. 14 with two units and three individuals from Hanscom earning honors.

The ESC AFMC-level contracting award winners are:

The 66th Contracting Squadron earned the designation of Outstanding Operational/Specialized Contracting Unit for the Small unit category. The unit's management team successfully navigated through contracting challenges like the installation of the new fitness center, renovations to the command management and child development centers, and negotiations with various contracted government service providers, saving the Air Force and Hanscom significant costs, while opening up budgets for additional quality-of-life projects. The organization also instituted a customer feedback tool, implemented an automatic invoice-tracking system and crafted a Voluntary Protection Plan for 66th Air Base Wing contracts, which now makes contractors accountable for safety.  (More)

For a more ‘holistic approach’ . . .
JFCOM eyes cyberwarfare, non-kinetic attack in virtual training
-- Inside the Air Force
U.S. Joint Forces Command plans to develop a slate of new simulated training applications to school military personnel in conducting cyberwarfare and non-kinetic attacks, according to the command’s chief of training operations.

Air Force seeks command and control system for cyber ops
-- Federal Computer Week
As part of its evolving cyberwarfare strategy, the Air Force is looking for input on how to construct a command and control system that would support defensive and offensive operations ...

Jacobs Engineering Gets 3-Year Air Force Pact For Up To $480 Million
-- CNN Money
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (JEC) said it has received a three-year contract, worth a maximum potential value of $480 million, to provide acquisition support services to Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts.

U.S. JTRS Moves Toward More Competition
-- Defense News
A new competitive approach to the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program has persuaded U.S. lawmakers to approve DoD’s entire $853.6 million request ...

Iraqi Air Force now has air operations center
-- Air Force Times
The fledgling Iraqi Air Force now has what is the hallmark of all modern air forces: an air operations center, complete with flat-screen monitors and a general officer coordinating operations across the theater.

Wideband Global Satcom heralds new era of U.S. Air Force communications  
-- C4ISR Journal
After launching its first Wideband Global Satcom spacecraft in October, the U.S. Air Force is on its way to providing a tenfold increase in the throughput of the “unprotected” military satellite communications ...

command comments ...

"As we set the stage for the future, we will also break new ground by applying innovative technologies in areas such as alternative energy and cyberspace. Building on last year's certification of the B-52 to fly on synthetic fuel and the first-ever transcontinental flight on 'synfuel' by a C-17, we are taking aggressive steps to certify the entire fleet to reduce dependence on foreign oil. We will also achieve a major step towards providing global effects across our air, space and cyberspace domains when the new Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYBER) reaches Initial Operational Capability status targeted for October 2008. This new command will lead our cyberspace forces and ensure dominant air, space and cyberspace power for the 21st century..."
 

-- Michael W. Wynne
Secretary of the Air Force
 

The Integrator is a weekly product of the 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office designed to give ESC decision makers a snapshot of news affecting the C4ISR community.  This e-publication is approved by Kevin Gilmartin, Chief of Public Affairs, (DSN) 478-4110 or commercial (781) 377-4110.  Back issues are available online.  To facilitate service, please select a link for your e-mails:  
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