r DI-Z-PlZ. E rom lack a ToE A (Quarter Century of Service to the Defense Acquisition Community Wilbur D. Jones, Jr. [Y971-1996] Defense Systems Management College DI. 2: p\2 FROM PACKARD TO PERRY A QUARTER CENTURY OF SERVICE TO THE DEFENSE ACQUISITION COMMUNITY DEPT Wilbur E>. Jones, Jr. Defense Systems Management College Press Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060-5565 June 1996 Digitized by the Internet Archive 2016 in https://archive.org/details/frompackardtoperOOfort 1 CONTENTS Dedication iv In Memoriam - David Packard v Acknowledgments; A Note on DSMC Vis-a-Vis DSMS (Disclaimer) vi Secretary Perry Letter vii Senate Armed Services Committee Letter viii Packard's Challenge ix Commandant's Welcome xi Brigadier General Richard A. Black, USA xiii Making It Happen: The DSMC Faculty and Staff 1 Proximity to the Pentagon: Distinguished Speakers and Other Visitors 27 Excellence in Acquisition Support: The DSMC Mission, Customers, Products, and Services 35 Steady Student Growth: Coming of Age to Meet Customer Needs 45 The Heart ofthe DSMC Mission: Academic Courses of Instruction 55 Bedrock and Flagship: The DSMC Program Management Course 7 Looking for a Better Way: The DSMC Acquisition Research Program 86 Expert Advice and Process Facilitating: The DSMC Consulting Services 91 Getting Out the Word on Acquisition Management: The DSMC Information Dissemination Program 103 Providing the Means: The Division ofCollege Administration and Services 109 Fort Belvoir Nationwide: The DSMC Campuses 115 Former Commandants 123 The Governing Bodies: The Policy Guidance Council and the Board ofVisitors 149 To Achieve Greater Things: The DSMC Alumni 169 About The Author 173 To The Future 175 iii ^ Ps *0 O O o DEDICATION Our people are the reason the Defense Systems Management College (DSMC) is celebrating our 25th Anniversary of providing high quality products and <V)>io^ services totr imsition com- munit^^^ ^f^culty mid stall, has achieve^ tnj^^ | i,WVliaw11m-1— Podm ipJnrroAffepsc^T^^ sionalispi, ted hard Pi DSMC the primary goal of beentoantici fcustomer requirements. Meeting this continuing challenge over the years, the DSMC faculty and staff, pastandpresent,haveearnedthehonor of having this 25th Anniversary book dedicated to them. IV IN ML MORI A M David Packard 1913 1996 - Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Founder, Defense Systems Management College v Acknowledgments The author wishes to thank the fol- DSMC lowing colleagues for their highly professional, dedicated, and timely assistance in helping to pro- duce this commemorative book in four (very) shortmonths:Mrs.Janice Baker, Secretary to the Provost and Deputy Commandant; Mr. Greg Caruth, Director, Visual Arts and DSMC Press; Editor Mr. James Wittmeyer; and Visual Information Specialists Ms. Margaret Brown and Ms. Debbie Gonzalez. A Note on DSMC Vis aVis DSMS From our inception in 1971 until 22 July 1976, the Defense Systems Man- agementCollege (DSMC) wasnamed the Defense Systems Management School (DSMS). Throughout this book, the DSMC full name and acro- This book displays the photos ofmany nym is used to connote nearly all DSMC photographers including Rich- referencestothis institution, evenfor ard Mattox, Jim Pleasants, Ed Baxter the time we were the DSMS. The andJeanScanlon.Theeverpopularsnow exceptions when DSMS is used are scene ofthe front steps ofbuilding 202 Cover design by Paula Croisetiere obvious. wasbyPFCJohnMorehead,circa 1974. vi THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1000 25th Anniversary of the Defense Systems Management College Greetings and hearty congratulations to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the Defense Systems Management College (DSMC) as you celebrate its 25th anniver- sary. All of you can be justifiably proud of the College's quarter century of accomplish- ments and your individual contributions to that success. It has been my privilege to have a long and continuing association with the De- fense Systems Management College. My appreciation for DSMC's good work began in 1977, with the opportunity to serve as the Policy Guidance Council's chairman. Over the years, have been glad to return as a guest lecturer, not so much for what convey but I I for what can learn. To me this is the essence of DSMC, an exchange of ideas and I knowledge that enriches not only the faculty and students, but our nation. The Defense Systems Management College's unique benefit is its focus on, and enhancement of, the ways our government does business in defense acquisition. In a po- litical and business world that is ever changing, Americans can feel secure in knowing — that the personnel trained at DSMC are well prepared to meet the challenges and — opportunities they face. We are counting on the College to keep on developing the confident, professional acquisition leaders who will help guide us in ever better systems management for many years to come. You have my sincere best wishes for continuing success. Vll STROMTHURMOND,SOUTHCAROLINA,CHAIRMAN JOHNW.WARNER.VIRGINIA SAMNUNN.GEORGIA WJIOLHLNIAMMCCSA.iCNO,HAERNI,ZMOANIANE JC.AJRALMLEESVIENX,OMNI,CNHEIGBARNASKA United States Senate TRENTLOTT,MISSISSIPPI EDWARDM.KENNEDY.MASSACHUSETTS DBOABNSCMOIATTHS.,NIENWDIHAANAMPSHIRE JJEOFHFNBGILNEGNANM.ANO,HINOEWMEXICO COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES DIRKKEMPTHORNE.IDAHO ROBERTCBYRD,WESTVIRGINIA KAYBAILEYHUTCHISON,TEXAS CHARLESSROBE,VIRGINIA WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6050 JRIACMKESSAMN.TIONRHUOMFE.,POEKNLNSAYHLOVMAANIA JROICSHEAPRHDIHL.IEBBREYRAMNA,N,NECVOANDNAECTICUT RICHARDL.REYNARD,STAFFDIRECTOR ARNOLDL.PUNARO.STAFFDIRECTORFORTHEMINORITY March 26, 1996 BrigadierGeneral Claude M. Bolton, Jr., USAF Commandant Defense Systems Management College 9820 BelvoirRoad Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060-5565 DearGeneral Bolton: Ontheoccasionofthetwenty-fifthanniversaryoftheDefenseSystemsManagementCollege,wewouldlike to express ourappreciation for the outstandingwork ofthe College in the field ofdefense acquisition policy. Overthepasttwenty-fiveyears,substantialimprovementshavebeenmadeintheskillsandexpertiseofDoD’s program managers, contracting officers, and other acquisition specialists. These improvements are due in no small measure to the excellent training and education offered by the College. The College also has servedas an importantsourceof information and ideas abouttheacquisitionprocess. The members and staffoftheArmed Services Committee have benefittedfrom numerous briefings by thefacultyof the College, as well as from yourexcellentpublications, such as “Program Manager.” The Committee’s confidence in the College was reflected in section 800 of the National Defense AuthorizationActforFiscal Year 1991, which specificallyrequired the SecretaryofDefense to “establish underthe sponsorshipoftheDefenseSystemsManagementCollegeanadvisorypanelonstreamliningandcodifyingacquisition laws.” The Committee’s expectations were more than fulfilled. The detailed, extensively documented report of the Advisory Panel reflected the expertise and outstanding support provided by the College. TheAdvisoryPanel’s thoroughanalysisandcomprehensive legislativeproposalsprovidedthefoundationfor the comprehensive acquisition reform legislation passed by Congress in the last two years. The Federal Acquisition StreamliningActof1994 and the FederalAcquisition ReformActof1996constituted the mostsignificantchanges in lawsgoverningtheprocurementofgoods and services bythefederalgovernmentsince World WarII. The Defense Systems Management College can justifiably be proud of the major role that it played in the development of this landmark legislation. On behalfof the Armed Services Committee, we congratulate you on this important milestone and look forward to the continued excellent work ofthe College in the future. Sincerely, Strom Thurmond Chairman Bob Smith Chairman Subcommittee onAcquisition and Technology viii