Q&A: Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch

SATCOM STRATEGIST:
Optimizing Commercial Satellite Communication Capabilities



Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch
Director, SATCOM, Teleport and
Services Program Executive Office
DISA

Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the director of the SATCOM, Teleport and Services Program Executive Office within the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). In this role she is responsible for managing her portfolio’s resources to ensure the upgrade and integration of communications assets providing the commander in chief mission capability anytime, anywhere, and in any environment. PEO-STS has the responsibility for being the provider of choice for SATCOM while delivering SATCOM services that are truly responsive, cost effective, mission oriented, and customer focused. PEO-STS also delivers DoD Teleport capabilities to the warfighter, and ensures services are acquired using a strategic, enterprisewide approach resulting in innovative acquisition solutions for DISA and the Department of Defense.

Since her appointment to the Senior Executive Service in 2002, Cowen-Hirsch has held leadership positions as director, Defense Spectrum Office, where her responsibilities included the development of national security spectrum strategic plans and policy, and national and international negotiation of defense spectrum issues and as the DISA Vice Component Acquisition Executive, where she had executive management responsibility for the acquisition oversight and horizontal integration of DISA’s products, services and programs.

Cowen-Hirsch was interviewed by MIT Editor Harrison Donnelly

Q: What is the mission of the PEO SATCOM, Teleport and Services?

A: Our Program Executive Office is one of four within the Defense Information Systems Agency. Our mission within PEO-STS is to provide acquisition oversight, program management, advocacy, and support for the SATCOM, Teleport and Services portfolio.

Our value proposition is that we optimize the commercial satellite communication capabilities with the gateway environment for the global information grid and ensure programmatic, technical, and horizontal integration and cross program synchronicity across the portfolio. While our primary capabilities are associated with the transport aspects of the GIG, we are also focused on enterprise services acquisitions, spectrum transformation, and insuring the president continues to have modernized communication capabilities.

My vision for PEO-STS is to remain ready, reliable and relevant by providing the best value capabilities and services for the warfighter and the commander-in-chief as rapidly as possibly, while continuously improving our processes to provide operational excellence. I strive to accomplish this by ensuring consistent, transparent and cost-effective program/project/services planning and execution within all the programs and services throughout the portfolio in support of DISA’s mission.

Q: Can you give readers an overview of the programs under your office?

A: I am proud that our portfolio of capabilities includes much of the communication capabilities for our commander-in-chief and the deployed warfighter. Our programs and capabilities include commercial satellite communication [SATCOM], the Department of Defense Teleport [DoD Teleport], the Joint Internet Protocol Modem [JIPM], the Global Electromagnetic Spectrum Information System [GEMSIS], and the Presidential Communication Modernization [PCM] projects. The PEO-STS has also been delegated responsibility for the execution of enterprise acquisition of services within the Defense Information Systems Agency. Let me go into a little more detail about the mission of the programs within our portfolio.

Allow me to begin with PMO SATCOM. DISA is the sole authorized provider of commercial SATCOM for the Department of Defense. This mission is executed by the professionals within our PMO SATCOM. In today’s environment commercial SATCOM provides more than 80 percent of satellite communication for the DoD. PMO SATCOM strives to be the provider of choice through consistently providing cost-effective and responsive commercial SATCOM services to the joint warfighter. These capabilities include the full range of commercial SATCOM services to include: fixed satellite bandwidth, service management, leased bandwidth terminals, and commercial teleport services; global mobile satellite airtime, terminals and services for multiple systems and platforms.

Among the first joint programs designated as transformational by OSD, the DoD Teleport program is a collaboration among the services and the Department of Defense that provides deployed warfighters with seamless worldwide multi-band SATCOM reach-back capabilities in a robust architecture.

Leading the way to net-centricity, the DoD Teleport capabilities provide a ten-fold increase to the throughput and functional capabilities of its sites. The teleport program enables the deployed warfighter worldwide access to voice, video and data services as well as access to critical command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems. The DoD Teleport is currently being deployed incrementally—using both a multi-generational and multi-incremental program strategy. Generation 2 is well underway with the build out of Ka-band terminals and the migration to Internet Protocol [IP].

Leveraging from the IP transformation within the DoD Teleport program, the JIPM program was added to the PEO-STS portfolio within the last year. The JIPM supports the department’s goal to implement a secure means for transmission of Internet Protocol over DoD-leased and DoD-owned transponded satellite communication systems in support of the warfighter. The JIPM vision aligns with DoD transponded SATCOM capabilities to achieve joint interoperability, security, and efficiency. It is doing so in a streamlined acquisition manner capitalizing on industry standards, commercial off-the-shelf technology with the addition of military transmission security. Significant attention is placed on maintaining synergy of requirements and schedule alignment with both DoD Teleport and the Global Broadcast System programs.

Our PCM Program Office in support of the White House Communication Agency is providing state-of-the-art, modernized voice, video, and data communications capabilities for the president, vice president, National Security Council, United States Secret Service, and others as directed by the White House Military Office. Additionally, the PCM Program Office is in the process of acquiring IP-based, interoperable, net-centric solutions and operational capabilities for the president and his staff so that he can continue to communicate anywhere, anytime, by any means to anyone in the world to effectively lead the nation into the 21st century.

The most recent addition to the PEO-STS portfolio is the GEMSIS program, a new start for FY08. As your readers know well, spectrum access is critical to our warfighters and DISA’s Defense Spectrum Organization is actively involved with transforming the DoD’s use of the electromagnetic spectrum. GEMSIS is instrumental to the new and exciting initiatives in this transformation. The GEMSIS program will enable the overall spectrum transformation to achieve transparent spectrum access for net-centric operations. Specifically, GEMSIS will provide commanders with an increased common picture of spectrum situational awareness of friendly and hostile forces, integrated spectrum operations across the entire Department of Defense, interoperability with federal, state and local government spectrum agencies and coalition forces. The overarching goal of GEMSIS is to transform spectrum operations into a responsive, agile and on-demand capability to request, assign, allocate and de-conflict portions of the electromagnetic spectrum to assure spectrum access when and where needed to our warfighters.

We are also the transition manager for two joint concept technology demonstrations or JCTDs. They are the IP Router in Space [IRIS] and the Combined Joint Spectrum Management Planning Tool [CJSMPT] JCTDs. Following a determination of military utility, IRIS will transition to PMO SATCOM and CJSMPT capabilities will be integrated into the GEMSIS program of record.

And finally, our Acquisition of Services Office is dedicated to ensuring that the agency’s services acquisitions are executed using a strategic, enterprisewide approach resulting in innovative solutions for DISA and the Department of Defense. We are keenly aware of the recent statutory changes and Congressional interest in this business space and are responding with intentional planning and execution as we develop strategies and implement services acquisitions for IT services, engineering services, program office support services and the like. The AoS Office accomplishes this by ensuring effective service acquisition through leadership, processes, and information and focusing on buying the right thing, the right way, while still getting the desired outcome in a performance based, best value construct.

While we have a wide variety of efforts, programs, capabilities and services across the portfolio we also have amazing professionals dedicated to the mission and to the warfighter we support. I am inordinately proud of our team in PEO-STS.

Q: How would you assess the effectiveness of the DISA Network Satellite Transmission Services-Global program in acquiring commercial satellite services for the warfighter?

A: There has been much debate over the advantages or perceived disadvantages of our primary contract vehicle for acquiring commercial SATCOM services. And yet it remains an incredibly successful tool in acquiring fixed satellite services, bandwidth for our customers. It continues to provide the warfighters great flexibility at some of the best prices in the industry. In fact, we have shown that the DSTS-G contract has provided service globally tailored to the unique needs of the warfighters with prices that are on average 25 percent lower than market averages. This value is derived principally by openly competing COMSATCOM requirements across the commercial marketplace and leveraging the benefits of competition, DoD’s buying power, and DISA’s strong partnership with the commercial satellite industry. We are able to procure very short duration leases, say on the order of a few days or a month, or long multiyear leases. The competition created by our vendors has been very beneficial to the department. Additionally, we have been able to add within the scope of our existing contract capabilities the warfighter values such as protection, access to commercial X-Band, portability, responsiveness and additional flexibilities.

While DSTS-G has been very effective is supporting the DoD, it will come to the end of its life cycle in 2011 [with all options exercised]. We are actively strategizing for our future services acquisition to build on our past experiences and to put in place the DoD’s next generation of commercial SATCOM services. We will continue to rely on DSTS-G while we plan for the future.

Q: How do you respond to satellite providers who say it would be more efficient for agencies to acquire services directly, rather than through the three DSTS-G contractors?

A: It is DoD policy for all commercial SATCOM services for the department to be acquired through DISA, and while DSTS-G is our primary tool for this strategic purchasing, it is not the only tool available to us.

As I mentioned previously we are benefiting from significant cost advantages resulting from the competition within DSTS-G, we also know that those customers who do not use this vehicle today will likely pay approximately twice our average rates. Though some user requirements may result in different business arrangements, what DSTS-G brings is the ability of our three vendors to reach out industry-wide to obtain a wider variety of technical solutions at a cost lower than available commercially by global satellite operators. For example, regional operators sometimes offer bandwidth at significantly lower prices that we would likely not obtain through the global carriers.

Secondly, the satellite operators vary widely in their ability to provide integrated solutions and support capabilities. At the end of the day, our experts at PMO SATCOM are prepared to get the best-value solution for the DoD commercial SATCOM needs.

Q: How do you envision DoD’s long-term strategy for acquiring commercial satellite services?

A: The long-term strategy hasn’t been determined, and we have a lot to work through, but what we do know is that we need to ensure our acquisition approach maintains the benefits of competition and the flexibility our warfighters require. We have begun our dialogue with industry to help inform our strategy through our first request for information [issued in February] and plan to have industry days to aid in our market research. Much work remains with continued strategic dialogue with industry, our customers and other stakeholders.

Q: You said a while back that the issue of ease of use of SATCOM services was a critical one. Why, and what are you doing to maintain and improve that?

A: Last year we undertook a business process re-engineering [BPR] effort using Lean-Six Sigma analytics to reduce inefficiencies and decrease variation in our own processes. We have reduced the provisioning time from previously reported timeline of 79 days in 2003, to the current median of 21 days, and DISA stands ready to meet more urgent warfighter needs within hours, when required.

The BPR is not completed and we are still in the process of implementing many of the recommendations and will stay on this journey of continued process improvement as a way of doing and improving our business. One area where I am particularly proud is the implementation of some of the quick wins and we have seen customer satisfaction increase in the past year from 3.9 to 4.5 on a scale of 1 to 5 [5 being excellent]. Not a bad start, if you ask me.

Q: What is the current status of the Teleport program, and what initiatives are underway to expand and improve its services?

A: Today, the Teleport system is available to support worldwide military operations with six core sites strategically placed around the globe. The next increment of capability is in the process of being implemented. Generation 2, as it is known, will provide expanded access to the new DoD Wideband Global SATCOM [WGS] constellation as well as enhancing the DoD Teleport system to support netcentric communications. Through the addition of the netcentric capability, the warfighter will gain greater capability through the more efficient use of SATCOM.

Currently, Generation 2 is scheduled to be operational by the end of second quarter fiscal 2009. As new SATCOM systems come online, the DoD Teleport system will be ready to support critical communications.

Q: What do you see as the significance of the Joint IP Modem program?

A: The JIPM will enable transmission of IP over transponded satellites using a commercial standard which includes transmission security for certain network topologies. Additionally, the JIPM will implement enhanced information assurance to the deployed warfighter. When deployed the JIPM will greatly enhance the Information Assurance posture of our satellite communications, a significant focus for DoD. While it is only a component acquisition, this JIPM will be instrumental across the entire Joint Network Operations portfolio to increasing the information assurance posture, benefiting not only the DoD Teleport program, GBS, but all other satellite communications capabilities.

Q: What do you see as the most significant achievements of you and your staff during your tenure so far?

A: First and foremost, I am honored to serve with the amazing professionals in PEO-STS and DISA to provide critical support to our warfighters. These men and women regularly go above and beyond the call of duty to get the job done. And done extremely well, I must emphasize. There are so many successes from this team, I have the great fortune to have a multitude of accomplishments from which to choose. I think I am personally most pleased with the successfully establishment of the PEO-STS itself in 2006.

As DISA matures in the joint acquisition business and continues to strive for acquisition excellence, the standup of the PEO structure in 2006 was a significant step in implementing a structure conducive to insuring professional acquisition excellence in providing SATCOM, Teleport, spectrum transformation and other critical services to our customers. We are on the leading edge of insuring horizontal portfolio integration of enterprise capabilities for the joint community.

Each of the programs in the PEO-STS portfolio has great successes and stories to tell on how they have increased the speed of acquisition, taken the protected information to the edge, provided best value, and most important of all improved the capabilities’ and their operational excellence.

Q: What are the most difficult challenges facing your office?

A: While we have accomplished much over these last two years, there continue to be challenges that we need to address. An ongoing concern is the identification and hiring of a qualified staff of acquisition professionals to support the PEO-STS mission. As you are aware, acquisition professionals are at a premium within the DoD and other federal agencies and it is a continuing challenge to find those people with the requisite training and experience in acquisition management and oversight to effectively support the PEO missions.

We are also working hard to effectively plan the integration of the DoD Teleport capabilities with the JIPM capability to ensure secure, seamless worldwide multi-band secure satellite communication reach-back capabilities. The goal for beginning this integration of the JIPM in the teleports is 2009 and there is much planning that needs to happen before we can declare success.

Finally, successful development of a long-term strategy for acquiring commercial satellite services is also an extremely high priority challenge for the PEO. We are diligently working toward a solution with an eye toward development of a win/win solution to implement. This solution will take into account the deployed warfighters need—flexibility in communicating from the theater—technology advantages, as well as industrial base considerations.

Q: You have had a distinguished career with the Air Force as well as DISA. How has your experience with one of the military services shaped your approach to your current duties?

A: My experience working with the Air Force prior to coming into the joint and defense arena gave me a much better perspective of the unique culture and demands of the individual military services. This experience also made me appreciate the complexities of providing enterprise solutions that support the joint community.

Q: What role does your office play in developing broader DoD communications initiatives, such as the Transformation Communications Architecture?

A: Our SATCOM Program Management Office is designated the Commercial Satellite Systems Expert for the Transformation Communications Architecture. As such, they are involved in the preponderance of initiatives being worked. The SATCOM PMO has actually performed a leadership role in the development of the architecture by leading the commercial satellite team for the TCA-3. This third version of the architecture is actually the first time DoD’s continued reliance on commercial SATCOM was incorporated.

Q: What are your primary goals for 2008?

A: On the program side, I want to insure we get GEMSIS up and running well so we can rapidly get spectrum capabilities out to the field. Maintaining the synergy between SATCOM, Teleport and JIPM remains essential.

I want to ensure we are taking all the necessary steps to ensure our acquisition business across PEO-STS is accomplished in accordance with statute, with the highest integrity and with great transparency. My job is to expect nothing less and to remove any barriers for the programs’ unparalleled success. While rapidity is important, operational excellence is paramount.

We will continue to emphasize continuous process improvement so we remain ready, reliable and relevant. Finally, I want to continue to refine the culture of our organization to increase its value proposition. We want PEO-STS to be the recognized as a great place to work for acquisition professionals who wish to serve our great nation by providing essential capability to the joint warfighter and the commander-in-chief.

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

A: While it has never been my great ambition to be a cover girl, it has been an honor to highlight some of the exceptional work and successes of the professionals in the organization that I merely have the privilege to lead. Thank you for honoring the men and women of DISA and the Program Executive Office for SATCOM, Teleport, and Services. ♦