J4 Executive Agency RIT
Executive Briefing
Reinventing
The Department of Defense Executive Agent
Policy and Process
Report on RIT Findings and Recommendations
May 10, 2001
Forward
“We must move from a perception of Executive
Agents as merely one among many to a shared
recognition and acceptance of Executive Agents
as the First Among Equals”
Agenda
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
RIT Charter
Why reinvent the Executive Agent program?
What needs to change?
Keys to success
Proposed model for achieving a breakthrough for
Executive Agent performance
VI. Implementation strategy
RIT Charter
Reinvent the Executive Agent paradigm in order to:
 Significantly improve end-user satisfaction
 Eliminate redundancy where it makes sense
 Reduce costs of supply
 Improve cooperation and teamwork across the
process
RIT Charter
Develop recommendations for:
1. Criteria and process for designating new
executive agents and validating existing ones
2. Definition of roles and responsibilities across the
end-to-end executive agency process
3. Create Executive Agency Policy Directive
4. Redefinition of terms and establishment of a
clear, common vocabulary
5. Assessment of existing and “to be” Executive
Agent assignments
Why Reinvent the Executive Agent Program?
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Joint coalition warfare requirements
Shift in Operations and missions…more humanitarian efforts
Pressure to reduce non-combat support in theatre
Greater reliance on outside contractors and fewer contractors
available
Budget reductions
Changes in doctrine (increasing influence of CINCs..GoldwaterNichols Act)
Reduced infrastructure demanding more reliance on EA designations
New Administration
Parochialism reduced across Services
Decreasing inventories and adoption of new supply chain
technologies
CINC and Services awareness of this issue
Increasing roles of Defense Agencies as potential EAs
Increased mandate for cross service integration
Effective Executive Agents are critical to ensuring National Military
Strategy objectives are met now and well into the 21st Century
What Are the Problems That Prompt
the Need for Change?
 Lack of a central organization
 Lack of effective review process
 Lack of linkage between defense planning and EA process
 Lack of an accessible, comprehensive list of EA assignments in a
central location
 Lack of DoD policy, responsibilities and guidance
 Lack of a roadmap to create EA assignments
 Lack of a clear operational definition of EA (Duties and
Responsibilities)
 Lack of authority to assign and measure EA effectiveness
 Lack of a clear funding policy to include joint budgeting process
 Lack of a process to educate all stakeholders of EA process
 CINCs have Authority and Services have responsibility and
funding for resources
Keys to Making a Executive Agency
Effective
 Mechanism for coordinating and assessing
requirements
 Clear statement of requirements and responsibilities
 Flexibility to respond to changing conditions
 Meaningful EA performance measures and the
mechanism to provide feedback and ensure
performance improvement
 Full resources to the Executive Agents
 Inclusion of suppliers in operations plans and
process planning
Model for Executive Agent
Effectiveness
Consensus Mission
Clear and distinguishable
definition for Executive
Agents
Balanced Scorecard
Standard performance
requirements tailored to each
EA mission
Disciplined End to End Process
Documented steps; defined
roles and responsibilities;
and clear Decision Authority
Supporting Infrastructure
Resources, systems and
sub- processes aligned and
integrated to support EA
execution
Executive Agent Definition
A DoD component assigned a function by the
Secretary of Defense to provide defined levels of
support for either operational or administrative
missions that involves two or more organizations.
This assignment is non-transferable and remains
in effect until revoked. The exact nature and
scope of authority delegated must be stated in
the document designating the EA.
Executive Agent Mission
To provide defined levels of support for both
operational and administrative missions that
involve two or more organizations where
efficiency and or effectiveness gains must be
achieved
Criteria for Executive Agent
Assignment
Efficiency is defined as:
 Common tasks where economies of scale in
providing goods/services can only be
accomplished through assignment of single
point responsibility and authority.
 Everyone can do it, but only one can coordinate
and deliver more efficiently than everyone
doing it alone”.
Criteria for Executive Agent
Assignment
Effectiveness is defined as :
 Common tasks where capability to perform
mission critical requirements, can not be
duplicated without great expense and or risk.
 “Everyone needs it but only one can do it at the
level of performance required”.
Criteria for Executive Agent
Assignment
 EA assignments are designated based on rigorous
business case analysis
 EA assignments must demonstrate the ability to
deliver levels of value to all stakeholders above the
current baseline
Executive Agent Authority
 Executive Agents are chartered only by signature of
the Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of
Defense
 Executive Agents are provided with “First Among
Equals” status, authority and funding within their
assigned support mission
 In any situation where a lead agent assignment and
EA assignment overlap, the EA is the dominant
authority. The lead agent will make all necessary
effort to work with the EA to avoid any conflicts or
redundancies in the execution of the mission
Executive Agent Scorecard
All Executive Agents are accountable for achieving the
following goals tailored to their missions:
Goal
1. End user satisfaction
2. Realization of dollar
savings through
economies of scale
3. Responsiveness to enduser mission requirement
changes
4. Reduction in support
footprint in end-users
theater of operations
Metric
1. Performance against
agreed upon plans
2. Performance against
baseline unit costs
3. Performance on exercises
4. Performance against
baseline
Executive Agent Scorecard
Goal
5. Single point of contact for
communication of needs
and problems by end-user
Metric
5. First call response
6. Provision of continuous,
sustainable, and global
support as required by enduser
7. Development of plans to
anticipate end-user needs
and matching resources
6. Y/N
7. Performance against plan
and target mission capable
rates; % of requirements
planned for; top box scoring
against agreed upon
standards
Executive Agent Process Stakeholders
Providers
Legal Authority
Executive Agent
Candidates/Designates
Executive Authority
EA process Owner
Subject Matter Experts
Funding Authorities
End Users
Executive Agent Process Roles and
Responsibilities
Role
Key Responsibilities
Who Plays This Role?
Subject Matter
Experts
Develop proposals for
Executive Agents
Principal Staff Assistants
Provide input for
business case
decisions
Service executive agent
representatives
Participate in EA
proposal and business
case decision
External consultants
Executive Agent Process Roles and
Responsibilities (cont)
Role
Key Responsibilities
Who Plays This Role?
End-user
Communicate needs
and requirements
throughout all phases
of the EA process
CINCs
Provide “balanced”
feedback on EA
performance
Service executive agent
representatives
Cooperate and
collaborate with EA on
problem resolution and
performance
improvement strategies
Executive Agent Process Roles and
Responsibilities (cont)
Role
Key Responsibilities
Executive Agent
Provide accurate, timely input
Candidate Designees on capabilities to EA process
owner for proposal and
business case development
Upon assignment, coordinate
and collaborate with support
providers, end-users, funding
authorities and other support
resources to develop clear
and comprehensive resource
and execution plans
During assignment execution,
gather end-user satisfaction
feedback, conduct periodic
provider reviews and
cooperate with formal
evaluations performed by the
EA process owner
Who Plays This Role?
Any DoD component
and Service executive
agent representatives
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
and Responsibilities (cont)
Role
Key Responsibilities
Who Plays This Role?
Providers
Provide accurate and
timely input of
capabilities to EA to
assist in accurate
performance planning
Any DoD component,
other Gov’t agencies,
coalition partners, and
commercial firms
During assignment
execution, gather enduser satisfaction data,
gather end-user
satisfaction feedback,
participate with EA in
periodic performance
reviews and cooperate
with formal evaluation
performed by the EA
process owner
Executive Agent Process Roles and
Responsibilities (cont)
Role
Key Responsibilities
Who Plays This Role?
EA Process Owner Facilitate effective and Executive Agent program
timely decisions on EA office
assignments/decommis
sion proposals
Provide support to EAs
in preparation and
support of their defined
mission
Coordinate periodic
evaluation of EA
performance. Facilitate
conflicts resolution
between EAs, enduser, providers etc.
Executive Agent Process Roles and
Responsibilities (cont)
Role
Key Responsibilities
Funding Authority
Provide input and
DoD comptroller
support for EA proposal PA& E office
and business case
analysis.
Upon EA assignment,
work with the EA to
prepare budget and
secure funds.
During EA assignment,
assist in resolving
funding problems and
issues
Who Plays This Role?
Executive Agent Process Roles and
Responsibilities (cont)
Role
Key Responsibilities
Legal
Provide input and
DoD counsel
support for EA proposal
and business case
analysis.
Provide support and
review during the EA
execution-planning
phase.
Who Plays This Role?
Executive Agent Process Roles and
Responsibilities (cont)
Role
Key Responsibilities
Who Plays This Role?
Executive
Authority
Make final decision on
EA assignment based
on recommendation
forwarded by the EA
process owner.
Secretary of Defense
Deputy Secretary of
Defense
Make final decision on
EA funding proposal
Make final decisions on
EA decommission
based on
recommendation
forwarded by the EA
process owner.
Executive Agent Process
Step 1
Identify and
Validate the
need
Step 2
Create the
business case
Step 3
Make the
decision to
assign or not
assign
Step 4
Communicate
the decision
and educate
on impact
Step 5
Resource and
prepare to
execute
Step 6
Execute the EA
assignment
Step 7
Conduct
formal EA
performance
evaluations
Step 8
Decision to reassess or
divest
An end-to-end roadmap for effective assignment,
execution and evaluation of Executive Agents
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
Step One: Identify and validate the need
Purpose of These Step:
 Provide transparent, disciplined and efficient process for
bringing forward and qualifying proposals.
Keys to Success:
 Use of templates for EA proposal document
Output:
 EA proposal approved for business case analysis
Target Cycle Time:
 45 days
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
(cont)
Step Two: Create the business case
Purpose of This Step:
 Provide a thorough data based cost-benefit analysis of the
EA proposal.
Keys to Success:
 Use of a template EA business case document
 Assign of a cross-discipline business case analysis team
that can provide a timely and objective analysis.
 Access to provider and End-user performance data.
Output:
 A completed business case forwarded to the EA process
owner for decision coordination.
Target Cycle Time:
 90 days.
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
(cont)
Step Three: Make the decision to assign/not assign
Purpose of This Step:
 Make a timely”consulted”final decision on Executive Agent
assignment.
Keys to Success:
 Use of a template decision process to expedite necessary
reviews prior to Secretary of Defense decision.
Output:
 A clear “go/no go decision on EA assignment
 Signed policy directive from Secretary of Defense giving EA
authority to execute its mission.
Target Cycle Time:
 90 days
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
(cont)
Step Four: Communicate the decision and educate on Impact
Purpose of the Step:
 Ensure all parties impacted by and/ or in the EA assignment are
fully aware of the EA mission, authority and responsibility and the
impact and implications for action
Keys to Success:
 Global education on the EA process prior to EA process
assignment
 Web based knowledge sharing and education portal
Output:
 EA assignment and implications are understood by all
impacted/involved parties.
Target Cycle Time:
 90 days
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
(cont)
Step Five: Resource and Planning
Purpose of the Step:
 Effective joint communication and planning between the
Executive Agent, End users, Providers and funding sources
to ensure effective and timely execution of EA mission
Keys to Success:
 Use of a templated EA execution plan document
Output:
 EA, End users and support providers are fully prepared to
execute the EA mission.
Target Cycle Time:
 90 days
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
(cont)
Step Six: Execute the EA assignment
Purpose of the Step:
 Execute the EA assignment in a manner that achieve all
goals specified on the balanced scorecard for the EA
Keys to Success:
 Process for periodic EA performance review
 Process for fairly resolving EA, End user, supplier conflicts
Output:
 End user requirements consistently met and
efficiency/effectiveness goals achieved.
Target Cycle Time:
 Situational
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
(cont)
Step Seven: Conduct Formal Performance Evaluations
Purpose of the Step:
 Perform an objective, rigorous analysis of EA performance
against
 The EA balanced scorecard
Keys to Success:
 Use of template EA evaluation process
Output:
 Objective assessment of EA performance and
recommendations for action forwarded to the EA process
owner action
Target Cycle Time:
 30 days
Executive Agent Process Core Roles
(cont)
Step Eight: Make the decision to Reassign or Divest
Purpose of the Step:
 Make a timely and analytically based decision to continue or
terminate an EA assignment
Keys to Success:
 Documented, transparent decision process.
Output:
 Decision to “Recommission” or “Decommission” an existing
EA
Target Cycle Time:
 60 days
Barriers to Implementation
 Political and cultural Resistance to change--What’s
in it for me to support a new EA approach?
 Lack of Dollars and Cents case for action
 No policy or Executive Champion to push the
proposal forward
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Getting data for business case analysis
Lack of marketing plan poor promulgation
Process as designed will dilute
Other DoD processes will dilute this
Action Strategy for Rapid EA Program
Implementation
 Strategy 1: Accelerate development of all policy
“backbone” required to prepare for signature of the
recommended EA program
 Strategy 2: Accelerate validation of the new EA
process with “live” EA opportunities and develop all
tools and guidance required for effective
implementation
Action Strategy for Rapid EA Program
Implementation
 Strategy 3: Accelerate the “buy-in” to the new EA
program by effective ; marketing of the case for
action, key program feature and benefits
 Strategy 4: Accelerate the development of a
pro forma set of new EA assignments with a
projection of benefits
Action Campaign Infrastructure
EA Executive Sponsors
EA Policy
Backbone
Action Team
EA Process
Validation
Team
EA Marketing
Team
EA Pro
Forma
Benefits
Team
Action Campaign Timelines
What
Who
When