During the past two years, the Department of the Navy laid the groundwork for information technology efficiencies that will enable business operations to better support the department’s warfighting and humanitarian missions. In support of the IT efficiencies effort, there were several foundational policies issued that were designed to clarify the DON’s goals and prepare for a more streamlined and efficient future. The DON is approaching these efforts from an enterprise-wide perspective with many of the policies signed by leadership from across the department’s business
operations. The following is a list of some key policies released during fiscal years 2011 and 2012.
UNDER SECRETARY’S DIRECTION TO DON CIO REGARDING AN EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS REVIEW OF IT SYSTEMS: Department of the Navy (DON) Information
Technology (IT)/Cyberspace Efficiency Initiatives and Realignment (Dec. 3, 2010) (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=2061) directed the DON Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead the efficiencies efforts surrounding DON IT procurement
and business processes and to define a department strategy to shape the way forward in the information management (IM), IT and cyberspace (excluding intel, attack and exploit), and Information Resource Management (IRM) domains.
BUSINESS CASE ANALYSIS REQUIREMENTS: The Department of the Navy (DON) Enterprise Information Technology Standard Business Case Analysis (BCA) Template (April 15, 2011) (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?ID=2211) required use of a standard business case analysis to provide all the relevant details to make an informed decision as to whether or not to go forward with a project and to determine a project’s place in the DON’s overall IT spending priorities. The DON CIO memo, Required Use of Department of the Navy (DON) Enterprise Information Technology Standard Business Case Analysis (BCA) Template (June 30, 2011), (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=2506) broadened the
requirement to use the BCA template for all DON IT related efforts requiring DON, functional area manager, or Echelon II enterprise-level board consideration.
CONSOLIDATION AND APPLICATION RATIONALIZATION: Dartment of the Navy (DON) Data Center Consolidation (DCC) Policy Guidance(July 20, 2011), (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=2504) placed a moratorium
to halt all DON investment in increased data storage capacity without first determining that existing DON data center capacity is insufficient and less cost effective.
Achieving Measurable Efficiencies through Data Center Consolidation, System, and Application Rationalization Guidance (Sept. 17, 2012), (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=4163) signed jointly by the DON CIO and Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy and Deputy Chief Management Officer (DUSN/DCMO), announced new processes to improve service delivery, cost transparency, and enable substantive system/application rationalization processes for shore-based applications, networks and systems classified as Mission Assurance Category (MAC) II and III, and DON data centers.
The Efficiency and Effectiveness Review of Department of the Navy (DON) Information Technology (IT) Systems (Sept. 19, 2011), (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=2835) charged the DON CIO — as the secretary’s senior advisor on IT/national security systems (NSS) performance, and as DON IT/Cyberspace Efficiency Lead — to analyze and assess the DON’s IT/NSS investments for efficiency and effectiveness and make recommendations for actions that could reduce the department’s IT costs while maintaining operational effectiveness and warfighter support.
UNDER SECRETARY'S MEMO TO DON CIO REGARDING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPENDITURE APPROVAL AUTHORITIES (ITEAA): Department of the Navy (DON) Secretariat Information Technology Expenditure Approval Authority (ITEAA) (Sept. 19, 2011) (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=2834) charged that no resource planning, programming or budgeting actions shall be initiated by any organization within the DON Secretariat for an IT expenditure with a projected lifecycle cost totaling $100,000 or more unless that expenditure has been approved by the DON Chief Information Officer. Likewise, DON CIO must approve any IT software, hardware or service expenditures of $100,000 or more.
METRIC REPORTING GUIDANCE: The Department of the Navy Information Technology (IT)/Cyberspace Efficiency Initiatives Metric Reporting Guidance (April 17, 2012),
(www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=3948) was jointly signed by the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy and Deputy Chief Management Officer (DUSN/DCMO), Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (DASN) Budget and DON CIO. It mandated standard reporting metrics to measure and validate progress in attaining IT efficiency goals.
DON ENTERPRISE LICENSING AGREEMENTS: The Mandatory Use of Department of the Navy Enterprise Licensing Agreements (Feb. 22, 2012), (www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=3777) signed jointly by Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) (Research, Development and Acquisition (RDA)), Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller (FMC)) and DON CIO, announced the establishment of DON enterprise licensing agreements (ELA) and mandated that where a DON ELA exists, any software products, hardware and related services offered by that ELA must be procured using that ELA, including those procured by government purchase cards.
REVISED BUDGET LINE ITEMS AND DEFINITIONS FOR PBIS-IT: Improving Cost Visibility for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Information Technology and National Security System (IT/NSS) Budget Exhibits (April 20, 2012), (http://www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=3962) was jointly signed by ASN RDA, Director, Civilian Resources and Business Affairs Division FMB4/Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Budget and DON CIO. It established a new cost categorization structure in NITE/STAR (PBIS-IT) definitions to provide greater insight into DON IT spending. It also reiterated the requirement to report commercial hardware, software and services in NITE/STAR (PBIS-IT) by contract, vendor, make, model and version.
For more information on all DON IT policies, please visit the DON CIO website at www.doncio.navy.mil.