Q&A: Gary L. Winkler

ENTERPRISE NETWORKER:
Developing New Capabilities as Force Multipliers



Interview with Gary L. Winkler
Program Executive Officer
Enterprise Information Systems

Gary Winkler took command of the Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) in October 2007. In this assignment, he is responsible for large-scale Department of Defense and Army IT system development efforts supporting finance, logistics, personnel, communications infrastructure, biometrics, medical and warfighting functions. He leads a workforce of 1,400 military, civilian and contractor personnel to effectively execute approximately $3 billion per year.

Prior to his assignment as PEO EIS, Winkler was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in May 2003, working in Army Headquarters under the chief information officer/G6, as the Army’s first chief knowledge officer (CKO). As CKO, he was responsible for IT policies, programs and systems supporting the Army’s warfighting and business missions. He also led the Army’s IT human capital development efforts.

Before beginning his government career, Winkler worked in private industry with large defense manufacturers on the Army MLRS and ATACMS programs, and with smaller companies providing technical services to Army programs. He holds electrical engineering and mathematics degrees from Virginia Tech and an MBA from William and Mary.

Winkler was interviewed by MIT Editor Harrison Donnelly.

Q: After several months on the job, what do you see as the key challenges facing you as PEO for EIS?

A: Several key challenges directly impact the PEO mission to provide soldiers and civilians with new IT capabilities. The first one relates to managing the $3 billion in program funds that flow through the PEO each year to produce these systems. Congressional funding of the war effort is only incrementally approved, so funds from our programs of record are needed to help pay for the war until Congress approves the remaining supplemental funding this year. This requires a constant, precarious balancing act to keep PEO EIS programs on schedule.

Probably the next greatest challenge the PEO faces is to ensure we develop and field integrated, enterprise applications rather than ones that are stove-piped, like many of the systems we are replacing. For example, the Army has hundreds of applications in the logistics and finance areas, and we are working to field enterprise resource planning [ERP] systems within those functional domains. In doing this, we need to make these enterprise systems work seamlessly together to support end-to-end business processes.

Finally, related to the enterprise system challenge, is the ability to effectively field and operate enterprise systems on an enterprise network. The Army is working to achieve an enterprise network, but we are not there yet. For example, when an enterprise system or application is fielded or needs to be accessed at a specific post, camp or station, it may not work, or may not be allowed on the local network, because network access is controlled by local organizations that have different architectures and standards for firewalls, ports, system accreditation and so on. Lack of a standard network enterprise makes it tough to truly implement and leverage the full power of enterprise systems that we are working so hard to develop and field. To address this issue, the PEO is collaborating with the Army chief information officer [CIO/G-6] and other leaders to help the Army achieve an enterprise network.

Q: Before becoming PEO EIS, you were heavily involved with knowledge management (KM). How is that discipline influencing what you do?

A: Knowledge management is central to how the Army and DoD must operate, now and in the future, to maintain a competitive advantage. Everyone can see how quickly information and ‘knowledge’ traverses the globe, and therefore we must efficiently and effectively connect those who know with those who need to know. Our technology and the discipline of knowledge management have empowered teams to achieve unprecedented levels of performance. Power lies in collective versus individual pursuits; therefore we need to function more effectively as teams. Additionally, organizations that have single points of failure will not be able to adequately perform their mission, and effective knowledge management practices overcome such a weakness. All of the PEO’s enterprise programs and initiatives rely on effectively applying KM principles, and you simply cannot have an ‘enterprise’ without collaboration and knowledge management. I guess you can say that KM is a heavy influence in my approach to the PEO EIS mission.

Q: What do you hope to potentially accomplish through data center consolidation, and what benefits and drawbacks do you see from that approach?

A: The Army’s data center consolidation initiative has broadened to become the Army’s network service center-based global construct initiative, which includes data centers. There are several major operational benefits for our soldiers and civilians. The first one is better network performance and assured services in a ‘plug and play’ environment, regardless of the user’s geographic location. We have a CONUS-based Army, yet we operate globally, therefore our networks and IT systems need to serve us in that operational construct. Another major benefit of this initiative is substantially increased network security through fewer entry/exit points to the Global Information Grid, as well as standardized security architectures, products and processes.

Equally important are the financial benefits to be realized through this initiative. Through economies of scale, standardization and implementation of best business practices, we will be able to provide Army personnel with increased network capabilities and security at lower costs than we can today. Army senior leadership recognizes the network service center-based global construct as critical to the Army’s success and supports this effort. There really are not any drawbacks to this initiative, although our challenges will be to effectively manage change as we shift our network-based operations to this construct.

Q: You recently asked industry for input on next-generation network infrastructure and applications. What is your vision of that future?

A: This relates to the network service center global construct and Army data centers. We need to be able to leverage the experience and best business practices of our industry partners. We don’t have a monopoly on good ideas and by leveraging what industry has already experienced and accomplished, we can turn good ideas into executable plans.

Q: Do you see a significant increase in the Army’s IT infrastructure requirements as a result of the 2011 BRAC law and the movement of many military installations?

A: The simple answer is yes, and this is another reason that underscores the need to implement the network service center global construct initiative. Over one-third of the Army is on the move and will feel the effects of the service’s largest organizational change since World War II. There will be a significant increase in the Army’s IT infrastructure requirements worldwide. These increases are the result of 2011 BRAC law, Global Defense Posture Realignment [GDPR], joint basing, Army Modular Forces [AMF], Grow the Army [GTA] and other Army transformation initiatives.

Under BRAC and GDPR, the Army was directed to move two European-based combat arms divisions to CONUS. The 1st Armored Division will relocate to Fort Bliss, Texas, and the 1st Infantry Division to Fort Riley, Kan. Additionally, in January 2007, President Bush approved an Army expansion of 65,000 active component soldiers. This GTA expansion includes standing up six new infantry brigade combat teams and eight combat support brigades. When the dust settles and the stationing is complete, the Army will be a CONUS-based expeditionary force capable of deploying and conducting full spectrum operations anywhere in the world.

The PEO EIS organization responsible for most of this work is the Project Manager for Defense Communications and Army Switched Systems [PM DCASS], currently located at Fort Monmouth, N.J. We will rename PM DCASS to PM NSC [Network Service Center] to better reflect the requirement and evolution of the Army’s infrastructure initiatives. PM DCASS will provide state-of-the-art networks for voice, data and video capabilities to support the Army’s transformation over the next three to five years and will prepare the Army to operate in a converged IT environment. Another important PM DCASS effort is expanding SIPRNet capabilities to units and levels never seen before.

Q: The Army has come under intensive scrutiny about the way it was implementing the big ERP systems. Specifically, concerns have been raised by the Government Accountability Office, external oversight and those within the Army about the high level of risk to the success of the projects. Since you became the PEO, what have you done to address these concerns and risks?

A: It is true that when I joined the PEO, the Army was engaged in a lively discussion about the way we were implementing our largest IT business investments. This discussion coincided with major decision points [Milestone B decisions] for the affected logistics and finance programs. To address the risks and concerns, I chartered a cross-functional team of experts in various disciplines to analyze our integration plans from a materiel developer’s perspective. The team worked quickly, and in 90 intensive days, compared the former ERP integration approach to several alternatives using agency-approved decision criteria. To make a long story short, the analysis supported, and the Army leadership approved, a major shift for these ERPs from the previous system-to-system, transaction-based approach to a federated integration approach, which optimizes the current programs, reduces complexity and risk, and keeps the programs on their current schedules. It is a win-win for all programs and organizations involved, and ultimately for the American taxpayer. As a result, both the General Fund Enterprise Business System [GFEBS], the financial ERP and the Global Combat Support System-Army [GCSS-Army] the program for tactical logistics, were approved for further development and completion.

I believe we addressed all of the GAO’s concerns and risks with this new ERP integration approach, which includes new governance processes, and the associated cost, schedule and performance baselines for these critical business transformation programs.

Q: Could you give a high level overview of what GFEBS will do for the Army?

A: GFEBS is a Web-enabled ERP system that allows the Army to share financial, asset and accounting data. The system will impact more than 79,000 end-users at more than 200 sites, execute two million transactions per day and manage $140 billion in spending for the Army, National Guard and Reserves. GFEBS will standardize transactional input and business processes across the Army to provide accurate, reliable data in real time and tie budgets to execution. For the first time, the Army will have a single authoritative source for its entire General Fund [system of record].

GFEBS will replace 90 older financial systems with a single program allowing a common view of data across the Army, National Guard and Reserves. It eliminates redundant entry and the re-working of data in different systems. The GFEBS system also will help the Army eliminate waste and reduce variation to improve data quality and facilitate compliance with regulatory and legislative directives.

Q: How are things going with Defense Knowledge Online (DKO), which builds upon the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) site overseen by your office?

A: We are moving toward full operational capability of Defense Knowledge Online. The AKO/DKO project office is poised to enhance the DKO Portal, solidifying its place as the preferred portal for housing Web-based services for the Army and DoD. In addition to supporting the DKO Portal, the AKO/DKO project office serves as the foundation for the multi-service/agency initiative and is staffed with representatives from participating combatant commands, services and agencies.

AKO/DKO supports integration of core net-centric enterprise services [NCES] and communities of interest, and is postured to support non-DoD agencies as directed. In fact, the idea of DKO began in 2005 as a result of the need for NCES services to have a common portal for customers. DKO is that portal and as NCES capabilities get implemented, customers will go to one central place—DKO—to access them.

In support of our joint warfighting efforts in Southwest Asia, we recently developed and deployed AKO/DKO Forward in partnership with Army Central Command and the Navy. AKO/DKO Forward improves the reliability and responsiveness of AKO/DKO services, and provides robust collaboration tools to our deployed users.

Q: The biometrics office in PEO EIS was recently reorganized. What do you hope to accomplish with these changes?

A: The real driver for the reorganization was the need to institutionalize DoD and Army biometrics efforts as formal acquisition programs. Within Project Manager Department of Defense Biometrics [PM DoD Biometrics], the former Biometrics Enterprise Systems office was split into two entities, to allow continued delivery of advanced biometric capabilities today and to develop the next generation of capabilities. The goal is to ensure that future biometric systems are compatible and interoperable and can incorporate rapidly evolving biometric technology to meet joint warfighter needs.

The biometrics enterprise core capabilities consists of two products, the Next Generation-Automated Identification System [NG-ABIS] and the Biometric Common hardware and Software [BChS]. NG-ABIS is currently under development and will be the central, authoritative, multi-modal biometric data repository for DoD. NG-ABIS will replace the current prototype DoD ABIS database and will remain co-located with the FBI’s biometric data repository. BChS will provide a software framework that supports development of mission-specific applications to collect, format, match and transmit biometric data to support an enterprise-wide identity management system of systems.

The Biometrics Family of Capabilities for Full Spectrum Operations [BFCFSO] leverages current biometric collection systems, including the Biometrics Automated Toolset, along with new biometric capabilities and technologies for tactical biometric collection. BFCFSO focuses on ensuring that existing and planned biometric systems are interoperable and do not duplicate capabilities.

Although restructured, the PM DoD Biometrics mission remains to rapidly put capability into the hands of the joint war- fighter. With designation of these efforts as formal programs under a milestone decision authority, the office will be on a path toward efficiently and effectively executing these biometrics programs.

Q: What is the outlook for your office’s RFID programs?

A: The Product Manager for the Joint-Automatic Identification Technology [PM J-AIT] supports the warfighter with integrated automatic identification technology [AIT] and radio frequency identification [RFID] solutions. Recent efforts include working with DoD stakeholders to assess operational use-cases for passive RFID [pRFID] technology, which provides the same hands-free benefit of active RFID [aRFID], but with a much shorter read range at a lower cost. This technology allows automation of distribution center warehouse processes from receipt to issue, increases speed and accuracy and adds supply chain visibility down to the transaction level. PM J-AIT also provides subject-matter expertise to a portfolio of pRFID projects such as inventory management of medical supplies and equipment, patient records tracking, body armor size management and delivery tracking, parachute inventory management and other uses.

PM J-AIT is in the process of establishing multiple three-year ID/IQ pRFID contracts for DoD to purchase tags, readers, printers, software/middleware, integration services and Electronic Product Code Class 1, Gen 2 compliant products. With an estimated award value of $75 million, the contracts will facilitate turn-key solutions for pRFID implementation. To meet changes in DoD requirements, a request for proposal [RFP] was released in early May, with an anticipated award in the fourth quarter of FY 2008.

In support of aRFID requirements, PM J-AIT is establishing multiple three-year ID/IQ contracts to purchase ISO 18000-7 compliant products with an estimated award valued at $407 million. A pre-solicitation conference was held in early March and the draft specification/statement of work is now available on PM J-AIT’s Web site. The draft RFP release is planned for the third quarter, with anticipated contract award in early 2009.

Q: What are your current plans for developing an Armywide records management system?

A: The Army is looking at an enterprise-level Army records management system [RMS] that will be the single, standard system that supports collection, storage, retrieval, and preservation of official records. Under the guidance of the administrative assistant of the secretary of the Army and the CIO/G-6, the PEO will implement this new enterprise-level system. In February 2008, the Information Technology, E-Commerce, and Commercial Contracting Center [ITEC4] released a request for information to conduct market research for potential sources capable of providing COTS software, subscription/software licenses, technical support services and implementation services for an Army RMS. The Army is currently analyzing how it would like to proceed with such a program, and I anticipate that in late summer we will know more regarding future requirements. ITEC4 will provide further guidance to industry at that time.

Q: Are you satisfied with the overall Information Technology Enterprise Services (ITES) program? If so, why are you moving to create a separate small business program under it?

A: The ITES program is working very well. Since award of the contracts, more than 6,000 task and delivery orders have been awarded totaling almost $1 billion. The ITES ID/IQ contracts make available valuable services and hardware to enable Army enterprisewide IT solutions. ITES provides streamlined ordering procedures, state-of-the-art products/solutions, a range of contract types and industry partners who know how to implement enterprise solutions.

The Information Technology Services-Small Business [ITS-SB] contract is intended to give the smallest of companies—-smaller than those on ITES—an opportunity to provide capabilities not included on ITES or other Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions [CHESS] contracts, capabilities that larger companies do not typically provide. For example, we are looking at the ITS-SB contract to provide electronic product environmental assessment tools, to fulfill an emerging requirement not currently covered in any CHESS vehicle. Other task areas we are considering include Internet Protocol version 6, information assurance, migration/integration IT services, and warranty and maintenance. The ITS-SB contract will give small business an opportunity to share in PEO EIS IT business as prime contractors rather than as subs.

ITS-SB will be an ID/IQ, multiple-award performance-based contract. The term will be for two years, with three one-year options, for a total of five years, with a ceiling of $400 million. That’s a pretty good amount of work.

The Army has a long-standing commitment to the small business community, and these requirements reinforce that commitment.

Q: Is changing of the name of the Army Small Computer Program (ASCP) to CHESS indicative of more fundamental changes in the program?

A. We changed the name from the ASCP to CHESS to more accurately reflect the scope of products and services the organization offers. ASCP implied ‘small computers,’ and too many people didn’t think about other enterprise-level products and services the organization provides. The only real change is the emphasis on enterprise solutions. When the Army thinks enterprise solutions, we want them to think CHESS. ASCP just didn’t provide that recognition.

So, although the name has changed from ASCP to CHESS, their mission remains to be the Army’s primary source to support the information dominance of the war-

fighter. CHESS continues to develop, implement and manage IT contracts that provide comprehensive hardware and software with enterprise-focused support services.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: Just a final comment that the focus of all of our efforts on these various programs and initiatives is to put new capabilities into soldiers’ and civilians’ hands that effectively serve as force multipliers and enable them to be more effective in accomplishing their unique missions. We aren’t doing our job if we cannot give them better tools to do their job. ♦