NASA HQ IFM Newsletter 4 April 2005
All,
Welcome again to the “Letter from the 5th Floor,” your guide to what’s been going on from the 5th floor at Headquarters, the home of the IFM Program.
Competency Center head Jonathan Pettus wins prestigious IT award:
Well here’s some good news to report for a change. You know, around Washington they hand out awards two to the penny, but this is one of the more prestigious and meaningful events to showcase real achievements. Our own Jonathan Pettus was one of 100 leaders from government, industry, and academia to receive a Federal 100 award from Federal Computer Week. The Federal 100 awards recognize government and industry employees who have played pivotal roles in the federal information technology community. Jonathan’s recognition? For establishing an integrated architecture for IFM Program systems and standing up an operating the Competency Center.
As it was a “black tie” event, Jonathan was fortunate enough to garner the limitless sartorial opinions of the IFMP Program Office before the big evening. It wasn’t easy, but we finally convinced him that his powder blue high school prom tux, complete with burgundy velvet butterfly (of tropical size) bowtie just was not going to cut it here in the heart of the nation’s capital. But who are we to opine you may ask? And quite right too. Whilst we may have made it out of the 70’s, there’re some amongst us here in the PO whose wardrobe still lingers in the 80’s…and now we’re almost into spring, used ankle warmers anyone? Regardless…JP, good one mate!
Integrated Asset Management project manager Pam Cucarola moves out on detail:
More news on the personnel front…Pam Cucarola, our Integrated Asset Management (IAM) Project Manager will be detailed to the Agency’s Office of the CFO (OCFO) for the next ninety days effective from next Monday. Pam will be supporting the the preparation for NASA’s forthcoming FY2005 Financial Audit. Although potentially challenging in the near term, given the criticality of our forthcoming Audit, the IFM Program Office and the Asset Management functional leadership, represented by Jeff Sutton, both unconditionally support the timing and the goal of this detail. Pam’s knowledge and previous experience as Project Manager for the Core Financial implementation will greatly contribute to an efficient start for our forthcoming audit. While she is away on her temporary detail, the day to day management of the IAM Project will be assumed by Terry Whaley. Finally, the OCFO has agreed that Pam will continue to participate in all relevant strategic-level IAM meetings and dialogues during this detail. Welcome to Washington DC Pam! And remember, it’s not that it’s a tough town nor that the politics can sometimes be rather petty or anything but – you’ll know who your friends are…they’re the ones that stab you in the front!
Are you a satisfied customer?:
Would you like to complain about IFMP? Well here’s your chance to let it rip. Or even, heaven forbid, pay a compliment….maybe we should have one of those “American Idol” type dial-ins every now and again…until then, here’s what we’ll be doing. Very soon you will hear much more regarding the Customer Satisfaction Survey that will be conducted by the Competency Center in mid-April. This particular survey serves two purposes: first, it provides the Competency Center with important feedback regarding the support it provides to the Agency, including areas needing improvement. Second, the results will be used to help satisfy a request by the Agency Program Management Council (PMC) for status information that gauges the health of IFMP operational applications and business processes. Status information presented to the PMC will focus on three different areas: business performance, customer support, and customer satisfaction with the IFMP tools. Neil Rodgers and Bernadette Buzzell are working it, and feel free to contact them for more information. The survey will be completely anonymous. We hope you will participate in this important assessment, and as well, that you will encourage others to participate fully also. We’ll be reporting out to the PMC (tentatively) scheduled for May.
NASA to get new eGov travel management solution:
We’ve finally made an award…and our thanks to the evaluation team of; Jean Brantley (IFM CC), Keaven Moreau (IFM CC), Helen Harris (JSC), Johnetta Thomas (JSC), Lonnie Tate (HQ), Amber Sutton from the Program Office, and all the travel representatives that helped along the way. Here’s the meat from the press release on Friday… “NASA awarded a task order today to Electronic Data Systems (EDS Corp.), Fairfax, VA, for the implementation and maintenance of an eTravel system, which will be available to all employees by September 2006. The task order to EDS has a maximum potential value of $20M over 8.5 years.
“NASA is committed to the President’s Management Agenda goals for electronic government (eGov),” said Patricia Dunnington, NASA Chief Information Officer. “The selection of an eTravel vendor is a milestone to achieving NASA’s eGov goals and to ‘maintaining green’ on NASA’s eGov scorecard. NASA looks forward to EDS providing improved services that will support the travel requirements necessary to achieve mission success,” said Dunnington.
eTravel, an integrated application including online booking, travel authorization, and travel vouchering capability, is one of the original 24 eGov initiatives outlined by the President designed to improve the internal efficiency and effectiveness of the federal government.
“This new fully integrated travel system will provide all NASA employees a more productive tool for managing their travel needs, and will further enhance NASA’s overall business practices,” said Bobby German, Program Director for NASA’s Integrated Financial Management Program who will be responsible for the implementation of eTravel at NASA.
eTravel is a collaborative, interagency program. Its purpose is to realize the cost-savings, and increased service associated with a common, automated, and integrated approach to managing the federal government’s travel function.
OK, that’s all for this week, and as always, feel free to drop me a line.
Cheers, Owen
