Defense Contract Management Agency team members will experience enhanced visibility into completed records and associated data across the agency through a new dashboard on the Contractor Effectiveness homepage (login required).
The capability group recently merged Power BI functions with the Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program to create the new PDREP Completed Records Power BI Report. Training on the new dashboard is available this week.
Headquarters, operational units, and center personnel including contract management office site group directors, group deputy directors, group chiefs and supervisors. Leadership positions within quality assurance, engineering, manufacturing, software, aircraft operations and NASA are required to take the training July 24. “This requirement is in accordance with DCMA tasking 24-096, which required these personnel to attend one of the training sessions offered,” said Ben Chupp, engineer and dashboard developer, DCMA Program Support Division.
The session will be recorded and additional materials such as micro-training and overview videos will be available on the Contractor Effectiveness Report SharePoint site (login required).
The capability group launched the PDREP Completed Records Power BI Report to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of DCMA’s operational processes through better data management and analysis capabilities. The new dashboard creates an enhanced visual and accelerated approach to leveraging System of Record data during the acquisition process. The developers focused on providing leaders with a management tool for reviewing completed record information, ensuring data quality and identifying contractor performance trends.
“Specifically, being able to quickly access and aggregate data based on specific user needs helps develop and update surveillance plans,” said Chupp. “The report allows filtering applicable to all levels of the agency and expedites access to the data to support timely and informed decision-making by agency leaders.”
Employees around the agency participated in a pilot program earlier this year to help the capability group create this version of the PDREP Completed Records Power BI Report.
“As a first-line supervisor, my feedback was well received and quickly adjudicated,” said Steve Andrews, an engineering team supervisor at DCMA Chicago. “Once this tool is released to the workforce, I recommend that field personnel similarly provide ideas for improvement as this tool can only get better from here.”
Other users expect the report to become a crucial management tool, especially for the newly constructed DCMA Vision contract management offices.
“This report can be used to validate compliance to the DCMA Surveillance Manual, manage workload from a risk-based perspective and validate execution of our multifunctional surveillance plans,” said Ronald Leong, an engineering and manufacturing director, DCMA Southern California. “Its capabilities would help identify opportunities for improvement such as more training and improved efficiencies. I’m looking forward to using all the features available from this tool.”
The report will include various functionalities to enhance data visibility and analysis. Users can filter information, review record-inputs over time and collect details. It will also allow users to view records and track trends, with the ability to facilitate meaningful discussions within operational units. The capability group will provide bi-weekly updates and anticipate providing even more updates once a direct connection with the PDREP server is developed.
“Tentatively scheduled for migration in fall 2024, DCMA’s PDREP data will be hosted on the Department of Defense Amazon Web Service govCloud, which will facilitate an increase in data drops or a direct connection to the data,” said Peter Lavallee, engineer and PDREP program manager, DCMA Technical Directorate. “Though unlikely to be a real-time connection, daily updates would provide timely and actionable information to field users.”
Key uses of the report include first line supervisors reviewing individual records, group chiefs ensuring completion of scheduled events, and operational unit leads sampling records for compliance with policy requirements. The report also aids in improving internal reviews and data quality for agency initiatives like resource workload modeling and forecasting.
The PDREP Completed Records development team began working with project managers last summer.
“(We worked) to identify and correct issues, which previously precluded the ability to present accurate data to the end user,” Chupp said. “While updates to PDREP happen frequently, the report has matured to the point where the team is confident it can be an effective management tool.”
The Contractor Effectiveness Capability group continuously works to provide and update tools for agency team members to drive, measure, and track the outcomes of overall DCMA contract management and surveillance efforts.
“The Contractor Effectiveness Capability aims to ensure contractors meet and achieve contract cost, schedule, and performance through proper implementation of effective DCMA policies, tools, and training,” said Dr. Juanita Christensen, executive director of DCMA’s Technical Directorate. “In regard to tools, this and all the Contractor Effectiveness Dashboards aids (contract management office) management controls, improve workforce productivity and helps leaders make decisions to meet the needs and priorities of the agency.”