COMMENTARY
For the Patriot missile, the meaning of “obsolete” is more complex. It’s not just the part itself, but the part’s impact on the larger system.
product office or system, is another way to support a more stra- tegic approach to managing production.
Te warfighter and FMS partners count on stable production for protection against current and emerging threats around the world as they execute multidomain operations. Equally important, acquisition professionals have a responsibility to U.S. taxpayers to ensure we optimize our investments of their resources. DOD is operating in a resource-constrained environment, so finding innovative ways to save funding over time is crucial.
I implore assistant product managers, especially other “newbies,” to keep asking questions, no matter how simple or silly you think you may sound. Like the great philosopher Socrates, your curi- osity and probing questions may break through some of the complexities and find solutions. You must become well-versed in your programs and use critical thinking to enable the learn- ing process.
EYES ON THE PRIZE
As a new assistant product manager, the author discovered how little she knew about obsolescence, among other complex ideas in acquisition. To make judicious use of taxpayer dollars, she said it is imperative to wade through the issues and associated mitigation techniques. (Image by GettyImages)
For more informat ion, contact the author at
megan.m.pekolevans.mil@
mail.mil.
Building out a product road map to see where the design will go over the years to meet objective requirements helps manage the risk of obsolescence. As the U.S. implements its road maps during design or redesign, risk of obsolescence should not be an under- valued criterion. Finding new suppliers for sole-source unique parts (specialized ones that are not easily replaced) is another way to manage obsolescence risk. Using “new” contracting meth- ods like multi-year contracts, even if they are not typical to your
MAJ. MEGAN M. EVANS is the assistant product manager for the Next Generation Squad Weapon in PEO Soldier. Her first acquisition assignment was in the Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space in Huntsville, Alabama, as the assistant product manager for PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, from November 2019 until June 2020. She then served as the Precision Strike Missile assistant product manager. She holds an MBA from Trident University and a B.S. in administration of justice from Penn State University, where she was commissioned as an air defense artillery officer through the ROTC. She deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 3rd Special Forces Group (A) as the team leader for Cultural Support Team-54.
https://asc.ar my.mil 139
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