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August 2006
AMM makes major strides forward
After a flying start this early spring, a lot of headway has been made by the Integrated Enterprise Management Program’s Aircraft Management Module. The AMM Project Team has been able to make the FDC Mission Management Aircraft Interim Release tracking operational. The team has also successfully released combined MMA database for HQ visibility into MMA flights for all centers, completed modifications to the FSA/FRC/FDC/WEB database structure to allow multi-center tracking and scheduling and completed coding for the back shop module for the NAMIS maintenance enhancement.
Non-Advocate reviews were also completed recently, as well as all NASA MMA flights into FDC.
The Aircraft Management Module Project (AMM) is a new project set to provide an integrated toolset for the management and oversight of NASA’s mission management aircraft, mission support aircraft, and research aircraft. The AMM was recently added under the auspice of the Integrated Enterprise Management Program (IEMP). The application is intended to eliminate the risk of flying aircraft with overdue inspections, grounding discrepancies, with unqualified or non-current aircrew, or in aircraft not properly configured for the mission. AMM also expects to provide positive control and reporting of all aircraft-related assets and reduce the cost of operations. Likewise, AMM is intended to give users timely and user-friendly access to the data and information they require to carry out their jobs.
Over the next year, the AMM team will work with their sights on the major milestone date of January 2007 when they are scheduled to complete their Phase 1 requirements. In the more immediate future, the team expects their Framework Documentation to be completed on April 24th. Towards that end, the team has most recently succeeded in distributing the AMM Center Budget Guidance and preparing the Interim MMA for go live. Initial drafts of all the Center Receiving Site Implementation Plans (RSIP) were also received. Also noteworthy, the Center/Aircraft specific crew currency requirements were received by the IEMP Office. Together this month’s varied achievements have given the project team more than a significant start towards reaching their ultimate goals.
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CMM takes testing one step at a time
August has been a month of tests for the Integrated Enterprise Management Program’s, Contract Management Module (CMM). The project has been running SIT Testing since the early part of the summer, and soon will be set to start the SIT Pass 3 Delta Test Readiness Review at the start of September. CMM, together with the SAP Version Update Project (SVU), run the examinations to check the integration and system interfaces.
Most of CMM’s accomplishments revolve around preparing, executing and reporting from the scheduled tests. Included in that list of related actions, the CMM team includes:
- Installed Compusearch Service Pack 26 in all environments except Training.
- Received 12 code fixes in COTS Service Pack 26 for defects logged in quality center.
- Prepared and participated in SIT Pass 2 Delta TRR
- Provided input for and participated in the SIT Pass 33 TRR
- Began building PRISM environments for Release 7.1 SIT Pass 3
- Executed PRISM to FPDS-NG tests cases in PRISM QA2
- Developed and presented the Roles and Responsibilities Mapping Presentation to the CIPMs
- Completed work sessions with each NASA Center and mapped user roles to end users
- Completed Data Call, in support of Ops Plan / Prod Support planning.
- Set up one-on-one meetings with Center Change Management Leads to bolster communication efforts between CMM and Centers in preparation for Go-Live.
- Created SIT 1 survey for feedback and performance measurement and shared questions with SVU for coordination and consistency.
- Completed graphical design phase of CMM Marketing Materials (Poster and Brochure). Submitted items for CMR? HQ approval.
- Conducted 1st Supplementary Training session for templates on 7/26/06
- Conducted 1st Supplementary Training session for the “deobligation” of converted line items on 8/8/06
- Compiled all required EUPs for training manuals and delivered to MSFC print shop. Approved proto-type binders and gave go-ahead for full printing for Facilitator training.
- Finalized the training environment and conducted facilitator training courses at Kennedy, Goddard, and the Competency Center (for Marshall).
Once implemented, CMM will provide a comprehensive tool to support contract/grant writing, contract/grant administration, procurement workload management, and data reporting/management for NASA. The functionality provided by CMM will provide added efficiency to procurement processes, and will be integrated with existing IEMP components.
To keep up to date on the latest information generated from the CMM team log on to http://procurement.nasa.gov/cmm/index.shtml.
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Communication efforts a centerpiece for eTravel in August
An eTravel All-hands on meeting kicked the month off on August 4, 2006, but mainly “workshops” have been the word of the month for the Integrated Enterprise Management Program’s (IEMP) eTravel project.
With the go ahead, earlier this summer, to move the project through the Realization Phase, the team has been working to educate appropriate audiences on their plans. Included in those sessions were the Center Reporting Leads, as well the functional and technical staff, including individuals who were able to address the NISE and NAMS interface requirements.
Communications has truly been the focus for the majority of the month. The eTravel Project team also counts among their August accomplishments, the completion of two Center Implementation Program Managers (CIPM) telecoms, as well as the addition of a brand new team member.
The eTravel team still remains set to take on the Critical Design Review (CDR) which is scheduled in mid September. The CDR will solidify the system’s interface design and initiate the development of the different interfaces.
eTravel is one of the original 24 eGovernment initiatives outlined by President Bush in July of 2001. The effort was designed to make better use of information technology and to eliminate billions of dollars in excessive federal spending, reduce paperwork and improve government response time to citizens. As a result, FedTraveler.com, an integrated application, will be implemented to give NASA online booking, travel authorization, and travel vouchering capabilities.
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IAM reinitiated and ready
This summer saw a milestone of sorts. The Integrated Enterprise Management Program reinitiated the start of the Integrated Asset Management (IAM) Project. IAM was originally intended to re-engineer NASA’s asset management capabilities within four cross-functional business processes: Planning, Acquisition, Maintenance, and Disposition before the project was delayed indefinitely in 2005. The end of July 2006 was the start of the newest chapter of the project, which included the start of the Project Preparation phase for the Property Plant and Equipment module. Further, a Formulation Authorization Document has been approved by the Program Office and is now in the approval process at the Center level.
The functionality to be implemented in the PP&E module will focus on the accountability, valuation, and tracking of internal use software, theme assets, and personal property that is either NASA-owned/NASA-held or NASA-owned/contractor-held.
The project team plans to use the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory version of SAP PP&E implementation as a model for processes and configuration. The DOE system uses standard SAP functionality for creating asset records within the SAP Asset Accounting module. These components are part of either SAP R/3 or the SAP web application. Custom transactions within SAP R/3 are provided for the property management team to perform its functions. The web-based interface is provided for the general user community to manage property. NASA will use SAP to manage all capital assets and all those controlled assets that qualify for management currently under the NASA Equipment Management System (NEMS) and the NASA Property Disposal Management System (NPDMS).
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i-View tech team tweaks and maintains, readies for center of communications
All NASA eyes will soon be on i-View, over the next several months, as the Integrated Enterprise Management Program’s two projects set to Go Live in October, will use the portal as a main means for communication. Still, little work needs to be done in preparation for the launch. Just the same, however, the SVU i-View page has been upgraded and is in tip top shape, ready for the much anticipated traffic, this fall.
In the meantime, the i-View team is preparing to stay in tip top shape, completing its regular list of maintenance fixes. Several minor breaks introduced through the recent upgrade, in fact, have now been repaired. Additionally, the team improved the error codes returned from the portal site.
In part, the i-View team’s mission is to help bring everyone involved in the IEM Program, together, in one central location. In an effort to keep that goal in sight, the Shared Services Center’s portal page was also developed and published this month. The Integrated Asset Management page was made public within the environment, as well and given an anonymous login access to the production environment (August release.) If you haven’t taken the time, you should visit i-View, along with the portal’s four thousand users who are enthusiastic about such a useful tool!
i-View allows the ease of single sign on access (SSO) to all IEM applications and many other applications employees need to use, such as Employee Express, WebTads, USA Jobs, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP.) SSO will simplify and reduce, but not totally eliminate, user ID and password management requirements. i-View also provides the means for the IEM Program Office to communicate effectively to all IEM users without relying on email. In the coming months, the i-View team will continue to focus on adding new users and additional functionality. Looking ahead, the team will lend added support to the Contract Management Module Project (CMM), and i-View plans to play host to the SMRT reports which will soon be moved to a production environment.
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SVU polishes off preps towards implementation
The countdown is on towards the implementation of the Integrated Enterprise Management Module’s (IEMP) Contract Management Module, and the SAP Version Upgrade October 30, 2006. This late summer, the SVU team has focused on completing testing requirements, and reaching out to those within the NASA community who will help users train and educate for the implementation.
In a reach towards the homestretch, the SVU Process Team began presenting demonstrations on their weekly Core and Extended Process Team telecons to highlight changes in functional areas. Meanwhile, the SVU Change Management team has been working alongside the process team to develop training materials. Two “Train the Trainer” sessions have been set take place include. One session will run August 21-22 with a curriculum to prepare Headquarters trainers for Agency budgeting courses. A second session was set for September 11-14, will prepare Center trainers for information delivery courses. Both sessions will be held at the Competency Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Meanwhile, the SVU Process Team has been conducting testing existing end user procedures and job aids. Project documentation will be updated and validated throughout the SVU implementation preparation activities.
A “Training Delivery Overview” was presented by SVU Change Management on August 1 during the Change Management weekly telecon. Lessons learned from PMI2, center training responsibilities, training environment slot allocation and environment schedule, and training and communication events schedule were all discussed as a part of the call.
SVU marketing materials are also starting to pop up at NASA Centers across the country! This, after the project team distributed the materials to SVU sponsors and Center Implementation teams. The team asked that the materials be used to develop project awareness throughout the Agency. The same materials can also be found on the SVU i-View page.
Agency and Center Implementation Teams continue to conduct role mapping activities throughout August to prepare users for SVU impacts to roles. SVU Project Team participated in two workshops hosted by OCFO and One NASA, July 14 and July 24-27. The workshops focused on fine tuning the details of NASA's Budget Execution process, understanding SVU impacts for 2007 execution, and developing communications to facilitate a smooth October implementation.
SVU stakeholders are participating in the Stakeholder Readiness Survey. Results will be used to analyze stakeholders’ understanding of SVU scope and schedule, as well as to identify areas for communication improvement.
SAP Version Update (SVU) provides the Agency’s Mission Directorates and Mission Support Areas with financial and acquisition information and tools that help enable effective program planning and decision-making. The SVU Project will implement a set of functional enhancements, improved processes, and a software version update. The software update will also expand Core Financial functionality to better meet the needs of the project management community, contribute to improvements in NASA’s financial recording and reporting, and improve financial management.
Notably, the SVU team is NASA’s first project to use i-View, the IEMP’s portal, as their primary source of communications.
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