Section 1 is an introductory section which discusses the DMO's internal management arrangements for the project. It puts the project in a context of its approval background, what it is about, its major industry suppliers, any project unique features, challenges it faces as well as the current status of its cost, schedule and capability performance. The Project Maturity Score provides a measure of the "as is" versus the "should be" maturity status of the project at a point in its acquisition lifecycle.
Section 1.1 - Project Management: There are two components to this data element:
● The Project Director and line management; the Project Director is accountable for delivering the project under a Project Charter issued by CEO DMO. The Project Director usually reports to a DMO Branch Head (an SES Band 1 or military one star officer) and in turn to one of six Systems Division Heads (an SES Band 2 or military two star officer), each of whom report to the General Manager Systems. DMO's highly complex and high value ACAT 1 programs are managed by a Program Manager (usually a military one or two star officer or an SES Band 1, depending on the program). DMO's major programs come under the General Manager Programs.
● Project Director history lists the project directors who have managed the project since Government approval for acquisition and their tenures in the position.
Section 1.2 - Project Context: There are five components to this element:
● Description: This is a brief outline of the scope of the project and the capability it will add to the ADF.
● Background: This is a summary level statement that covers the history of Government approvals for the project, any significant changes that have occurred to this approval, major contracts covering the supply of mission and support systems and major events that have happened.
● Uniqueness: Describes those features of the project that distinguish it from the other projects reported.
● Major Challenges: These are the major challenges ahead for the project that will require particular project management attention.
● Current Status: Is a high level status account of the project's cost, schedule and capability performance.
Section 1.3 - Project Approvals:
Identifies the dates when Government provided First and Second Pass approvals for the project or, for pre-Kinnaird projects, the closest equivalent to these events.
Section 1.4 - Prime Acquisition Contract(s) Details: This section lists the major supplies contracts. It identifies the contractor and when the contract was first entered into, a brief description of the scope of the supplies, the price basis58 and the form of contract entered into; pre-DMO formation (i.e. pre 2000) contracts were based on a standard DEFPUR 101 form of contract. Since then DMO's ASDEFCON series of standard contracting templates has been used.
Section 1.5 - Other Current Project Phases or Sub-Projects: Some DMO projects are undertaken as separately approved phases or sub-phases designed to achieve a total capability effect in a progressive manner. These phases or sub-phases are unique projects in their own right and managed as discrete projects. An example of this is the various phases of the F/A 18 Hornet Upgrade project.
Section 1.6 - Project Maturity Score and Benchmark: This section presents the actual and benchmark score for the seven attributes of a project's maturity score and explains variances between them.
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58 Price basis for major contracts are usually "variable" i.e. a base price that is varied for price indexation and/ or foreign exchange fluctuations. For FMS the price basis is set out under standard US Government Foreign Military Sales arrangements.