ARLINGTON, Va. (NNS) -- On May 13, 2020, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Information Warfare and Enterprise Services (DASN IWAR), Jane Rathbun launched two new Program Executive Offices in a ceremony conducted virtually. The establishment of the new PEOs are part of an effort directed by Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) (ASN(RD&A)) James F. Geurts to enable more agile delivery of Information Technology (IT) to a complex and diverse set of customers across the Department of the Navy (DON).

The effort involves disestablishing the Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) and realigning its existing programs and projects to one of two new PEOs, PEO Digital and Enterprise Services (PEO Digital) and PEO Manpower, Logistics and Business Solutions (PEO MLB).

“The realignment allows us to better focus on digital transformation and IT application delivery, as technology evolves,” Geurts said. “With these two PEOs, we can better align our resources to meet mission requirements and deliver capabilities to the Fleet customers more effectively.”

May 4, 2020, Geurts directed Rathbun to oversee the realignment via two lines of effort (LOE). LOE 1 is focused on realigning existing PEO EIS programs into PEO Digital and PEO MLB, while transforming the organizations into a modern service delivery framework and operating model. LOE 2 involves assessing the Navy and Marine Corps portfolio of IT programs and projects, and aligning those efforts to the most appropriate acquisition organization in order to most effectively and efficiently deliver those capabilities.

As part of the initial phase of the realignment, the existing PEO EIS programs relating to networks, enterprise services and digital infrastructure will transition to PEO Digital, and the existing PEO EIS programs relating to manpower, logistics and other business solutions will transition to PEO MLB. The former program executive officer of PEO EIS, Ruth Youngs Lew, is designated as the program executive officer of PEO Digital. The former executive director of PEO EIS, Les Hubbard is designated as program executive officer of PEO MLB. The transition to the two new PEOs is expected to be complete by August 2020.

During the ceremony, Rathbun commented on how PEO EIS has continuously evolved over the years to meet changes in technology and to bring to bear the capabilities the Department of the Navy has needed to become a highly functional and operational organization.

“We recognize the need to continue evolving our business, manpower and logistics systems, as well as our digital infrastructure.” Rathbun said. “This realignment will allow us to move to a model of modern service delivery, reduce the redundancy in systems that come from the way we are organized, move to portfolio wholeness, streamline our processes, and improve our management of capabilities from end-to-end.”

Rathbun stressed this realignment supports focused attention on managing the digital platform as a core capability of the department, and treated as a strategic asset.

During the launch, Youngs Lew provided an overview of the new PEO Digital organization. Initially, it will include the Naval Enterprise Networks (PMW 205), Special Networks and Intelligence Mission Applications (PMW 260), Navy Commercial Cloud Services (PMW 270), Special Access Program Networks (PMW 280) and Enterprise Information Technology Strategic Sourcing (PMW 290) program offices.

“Aligning these offices under PEO Digital is just a first step,” Youngs Lew said. “Going forward, we will be focused on delivering our digital enterprise services and leveraging industry best practices to support digital transformation.”

Hubbard gave an overview of the new PEO MLB. Initially, it will include Navy Enterprise Business Solutions (PMW 220), Logistics Integrated Information Solutions-Marine Corps (PMW 230), Sea Warrior Program (PMW 240), Enterprise Systems and Services (PMW 250), and Navy Maritime Maintenance Enterprise Solutions – Tech Refresh (PMS 444).

Hubbard remarked about the momentous task of delivering IT to the Fleet, such as provisioning 450,000 devices, providing network services to 650,000 users, managing 56 percent of the Navy's Total Obligating Authority through Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and developing 28 mobile applications with more than 833,000 downloads to date. "What PEO EIS has accomplished has been vital to the mission of the Department of the Navy," Hubbard said.

Based on the direction of the DON’s future IT needs, this strategic realignment makes sense, Hubbard said. “PEO MLB’s role will be to provide end-to-end solutions that enable every level of decision maker in the Navy and Marine Corps to make data-based business decisions.”

In addition to launching the new PEOs, the ceremony honored the 14-year history and accomplishments of PEO EIS. Two former program executive officers, retired Rear Admiral Charles E. Smith and retired senior executive Victor S. Gavin attended the virtual ceremony. “Each of our former Program Executive Officers steered PEO EIS to meet similar changing requirements,” said Youngs Lew. “We can see how these former PEOs kept an eye to the future to help shape and guide the direction of PEO EIS.” Youngs Lew thanked them for their stewardship in driving and evolving the DON’s IT needs that paved the way for this realignment.

 

 

 

Originally published in CHIPS Magazine:
https://www.doncio.navy.mil/chips/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=13570