Project

Prisoner Operations Division Business Integration Center

Challenge

The Prisoner Operations Division (POD) Business Integration Center (BIC) was created to facilitate communication and information sharing among the seven POD offices and to update and standardize POD policies and standard operating procedures.  The BIC is also responsible for developing and managing POD courses provided to the 94 USMS districts.

Solution

• SiloSmashers standardized POD policies and developed a template for standard operating procedures (SOP) based on lean six sigma principals.
• Revised POD SharePoint portal to enhance document sharing, improve search functionality, and more intuitive site structure.
• Worked with the Training Division to develop an online Conditions of Confinement Training for District jail inspectors to become certified to conduct inspections of Intergovernmental agreement (IGA) facilities that house USMS prisoners.
• Facilitate working group sessions to develop the first job-specific training course for POD focused on preparing General Operating Supervisors with the knowledge and skills to manage $1.6B detention management operations.

Results

POD operational and administrative staff are more collaborative and better able to share information as a result of clearly defined SOPs for division functions and better document sharing due to improvements in SharePoint design and structure. POD has developed mission essential training to the 94 USMS districts and is developing career training for new supervisors supporting detention management.  Finally, Silosmashers has facilitated working groups and developed policies and SOPs to support the continuing integration of POD and the legacy Office of the Detention Trustee (OFDT) organizations.

Project

Web-based Training and Content Development

Challenge

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) had a requirement for eLearning development. The requirement was to update existing web-based training using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) desktop authoring tools and work with eFLETC management staff to develop new eLearning content for inclusion into an academic Learning Management System (LMS). This effort was in direct support of FLETC’s new university level online campus for federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement training.

Solution

• Establish SiloSmashers team of content developers with Instructional System Design experienced personnel to support FLETC’s requirements.
• Collaborate as a team to ascertain the actual size and requirements of the project.
• Develop a process to update current available web-based training that includes quality assurance and 508 compliance.
• Work directly with Subject Matter Experts (SME) to ensure newly developed training is of the highest quality technically, functionally, and grammatically.
• Develop a tracking tool that allows total visibility of the process and progress of each individual WBT or new training for eFLETC’s reporting requirements.
• Assist in the alignment of all WBTs to existing FLETC lesson plans.

Results

Created a highly skilled development team – Through collaboration the team converted 140 hours of eFLETC’s web-based training courses updating the functionality and quality assurance.  All WBT’s were published and functional in Adobe Connect, their current Learning Management System and Blackboard, their new Learning Management System. The team developed a thorough process that addressed design, development and a rigorous quality assurance program. The process applies to all new training and sets a base for accreditation of eFLECT. The team aided in the creation of a tracking and verification process of all WBTs to an existing FLETC lesson plan. The team then updated all WBTs to meet the requirements of the lesson plans and SMEs.

Client Benefits

• Enabled a repeatable process in accuracy and quality of all WBTs.
• Reduced systemic problems of users and WBT functionality on the Internet
• Provided the Module Development Tracker (MDT) that tracks the process and allows visibility of development progress in every stage.
• Provided the means to use metrics derived from the MDT to determine actual development time and isolate areas that may delay the development process
• SiloSmashers/eFLETC team efforts provided:
  • Awareness of the benefit of WBTs in the classroom to current instructors.
  • Awareness of enhanced capabilities of WBT as prerequisite for existing classes reducing time and cost for ”stand up” instruction.

Project

Information Assurance and ISSO Support

Challenge

The DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is tasked with researching and organizing the scientific, engineering and technological resources of the United States and leveraging these existing resources into technological tools to help protect the homeland. To assist in that effort, SiloSmashers provides information assurances services and project management through an ISSO team that is responsible for securing and fully supporting the authority to operate (ATO) and transition to Ongoing Authorization for classified and unclassified S&T systems to further their mission. SiloSmashers provides thought leadership on security posture, drives process improvement, assesses and analyzes risk, recommends mitigation and remediation strategies.

Solution

• Led an aggressive, integrated effort between Operations, Engineering and Information Assurance to address wide-spread vulnerability and patching issues which led to aggressive remediation activities.  This ensured a more current, near real-time representations of data used to develop the FISMA scorecard.  Took S&T from ‘worst to first’ in FISMA scorecard standings for the Department.
• Developed standardized scanning profiles and methodology for all S&T laboratory components and headquarters.
• Created Review/Comment process for S&T and began policy document review.
• Authored a Vulnerability Management Policy that provides the structure, process and procedures for a Vulnerability Management Team.
• Developed root cause analysis for systemic programmatic and operational issues within the S&T environment.
• Worked closely with the CISO to drive the current IA standardization project which includes creating ‘Gold’ system images for S&T, (pilot/rollout/phased migration for Windows, Mac, and Linux).

Results

Through these efforts, changes in the applications, data processing and transfer have had a positive impact DHS-wide, resulting in more accurate and timely data being presented through the scorecard to DHS leadership. S&T’s FISMA scores now lead the Department and have set a benchmark for all of the agency components.  In addition, SiloSmashers was recognized as the Information Systems Security Officer of the Year for S&T.  Integration of teams and purpose, building an ‘economy of effort’ and providing leading edge expertise are hallmarks of the SiloSmashers team.

Client Benefits

• Enhanced security posture.
• S&T Recognition from peer DHS components as a thought leader in integration and methodology.
• Significantly improved patching and vulnerability ‘time to remediate’ response.
• Repeatable processes to ensure continued integration of effort and resources.

Project

IT Service Management Integration Support

Challenge

The EPA established a seven-vendor BPA to provide support under the Information Technology Services (ITS)-EPA II contract, replacing a previous one-vendor contract While the EPA gained significant benefits, they also assumed the challenge and risk of managing multiple vendors, deliverables, and invoices with multiple Task Order Contracting Officers Representatives spread over three divisions. This creating significant difficulties in achieving a big picture view of IT performance, risk, trends, and financial information.

Solution

• SiloSmashers designed a Business Intelligence workflow and reporting solution with a graphical dashboard display capability known as STAR – Service Tracking and Reporting.
• Deliverables are tracked and approved using a deliverables workflow tool that also provides automated submission notifications, late submission escalation processes, graphical progress charts, overdue notifications, and archival storage capabilities.
• Standardized invoice submission workflows were created with sub-task and labor delineations for ease of tracking expenditures and time frames .
• Daily service outage reports, with associated notifications, were created to keep upper level management instantly informed of current issues and potential problems.
• Information technology change management performance reports and dashboard displays were created giving managers and upper level management insight into IT change performance and risk exposure.

Results

EPA IT management personnel, Task Order Managers, and Service Managers now have instant information into vendor, financial, and IT change performance, as well as  trends and risk exposure. Alert notifications for deliverable due date and overdue status are automated, providing government managers as well as vendors near real time insight. IT issues and challenges are promulgated throughout the organization, giving management increased awareness, oversight and proactive problem solving data.

Client Benefits

• Up to date “Big Picture” and detailed deliverable, risk, trends, and financial performance information is instantly available to EPA IT staff.
• Vendors and managers have standardized, automated workflows for deliverables and invoices.
• Managers receive daily reports and dashboard displays giving them instant access to trends, issues and performance statistics.
• Vendor deliverable performance increased by upwards of 50%.
• IT change management risk exposure is reduced by enabling daily views of emergency and expedited changes.

Project

Project Management and Financial Management Planning Support

Challenge

The Federal Protective Service (FPS) is a federal law enforcement agency that provides security and law enforcement services at federally owned and leased buildings and facilities. FPS engaged SiloSmashers to provide project and program management support to ensure the effective and efficient management and implementation of the FPS Mission Action Plans (MAPs), a portfolio of internal projects designed to improve operational and financial performance. FPS created the MAPs to focus organizational efforts in addressing recommendations of the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In addition, SiloSmashers provided support for FPS divisions in the areas of Financial Management, Uniform Operations, Threat Management, Administrative Services, Compliance, Strategy and Policy, Program Review and Risk Management.

Solution

• Managed the MAPs Program Management Office (PMO).
• Analyzed and compiled a Financial Management Performance Dashboard to provide an at-a-glance overview of key financial functions to improve financial reporting.
• Worked closely with FPS to identify performance measures and corresponding targets in alignment with strategic goals and mission requirements.
• Facilitated a process for expanding the availability of data, which results in cutting monthly processing time by 75%.
• Provided standardized financial management processes and tools to support the establishment of a rate structure linked to costs and plans for future years.
• Researched an Alternative Funding Model to link key activities to expenses and associated costs, to eliminate budgetary shortfalls.

Results

SiloSmashers enabled FPS to evaluate its operational and financial performance, implement changes, and improve effectiveness and efficiency in its organization. SiloSmashers also established standardized financial management processes and tools to support the FPS mission, ensure integrity of financial data, and support management decision-making.

Client Benefits

• Increased program visibility, transparency of reporting, and accountability as a result of progress in MAP areas.
• Before automation of the ABC model and SPM template, there was a 60-day lag time in processing monthly information. Processing time was reduced to 15 business days.
• As part of the Financial Management Improvement Plan (FMIP), SiloSmashers successfully employed an innovative training approach to presenting highly technical information to FPS regional management staff and other DHS components, which helped trainees learn how to use their financial tools, and increase their confidence in the integrity of their data.

Project

IAE Program Management Office

Challenge

The Federal Government used disparate and de-centralized systems, processes, and tools for the acquisition of goods and services. The Integrated Award Environment (IAE) mission was to integrate, unify and streamline the federal acquisition, grants and loans processes in order to make them more cost-effective, competitive and transparent.

Solution

• Established Program Management Office (PMO) to manage operations.
• Collaborated with 24 CFO-reporting agencies to transform multiple stove-piped systems into a nine-system acquisition environment, providing back office services for the entire federal acquisition community and updating the framework for expanded service to include federal grants and loans while streamlining business processes.
• Provided project management; financial management; EVM reporting; budget support; systems architecture development; business analysis; capital planning and investment control; change management; communications and outreach support; information security support; quality assurance; and configuration management support.
• Completed business and technical alternative analysis for this $800 million IT program; created multiple high-level architectural alternatives mapped to the program’s strategic objectives, as well as a business model with program attributes such as cost, schedule and quality constraints.
• Performed analyses and reviews of IAE’s modules and government-wide guidance in compliance with statutory, regulatory, policy, and mandates

Results

Created a true Acquisition Central — a single point where federal buyers and sellers could access information and support services. Designed with input from over 300 representatives from 65 agencies, IAE is under the governing auspices of OMB’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Chief Acquisition Officers Council.

Client Benefits

• Enabled the increased use of technology to perform shared business services.
• Reduced duplication, achieved economies of scale and leveraged federal investments.
• Targeted technical alternatives analysis including cloud hosting and service-oriented architecture cost/advantages; approach endorsed by OMB, GSA, and DoD.
• IAE Mission success resulted in these awards:
  • Top 21 Excellence Gov. Award: Industry Advisory Council (IAC).
  • Outstanding IT Achievement in Government: Government Computer News.
  • Intergovernmental Solutions Award: Finalist.
  • Commendations from GSA, OCIO and Deputy Director, IAE