9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2005 - Page 0055
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
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REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) 53 Requirements Management - the Golden Challis or Bust! he Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) is responsible for the majority of the new procurements for the Armed Forces. The broad portfolio of the DPA stretches as far as FRES, Submarines, Aircraft, Warships, and equally can be as low level as Combat Body Armour or new binoculars. The DPA itself does not produce many tangible assets (less paperwork and hot air), but the impact that it has within the Defence Industry is substantial. Located in the North West of Bristol, the DPA lies close to the M4 and M5 corridors, and is a short stones throw from large Industrial stakeholders such as Rolls Royce, General Dynamics, Thales and BAe. To give an idea of size 7 the DPA has approximately 5,500 staff, of which only about 400 are Tri Service Military, and the way the DPA adds value is via the Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) of which there are around 53. The last 3 years have passed at a sharp gallop and indeed the MSc in Defence Technology at the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, seems but a fond and distant memory 7 though when dealing with the occasional Techno Geek in indus- try, I sometimes wish that is was not quite such a faded past. The world of the Special Projects Procurement is fast, high energy, demanding and relentless. Special Projects account for almost 25% of the DPA procurements and over 50% of the Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR). Most projects are delivered quickly 7 around 6 months or less and usually push the boundaries of available technology, such is the nature of the beast. The end users are focussed, imaginative and don’t take ‘No’ lightly! The equipment, once delivered, is put into action quickly and both the feedback and constructive criticisms are equally fast and thorough. So what can a 9/12L bring to the party? Well perhaps unsur- prisingly, a large amount. Though collectively we do not come from a technical background (in the way the R Signals or REME do), we do however have a wide and informed experience base and perhaps more importantly; flexibility, professionalism and good interpersonal skills. Jack of all trades and Master of none 7 can be viewed as a compliment in the DPA, after all there are many Subject Matter Experts to give advice and guidance. Not being a Technical Expert has many merits and indeed stating the “Blinding Obvious” is a personal career objective. Life in the DPA is better than the stigma implies. The majori- ty of the offices are open plan which is conducive to problem sharing (even by mistake), and most of the Civil Servants with- in the IPT are now aware ofthe recent exasperations andpitfalls of flat buying in central Bristol. A Requirements Manager is responsible for capturing and staffing the concepts and needs of the end users, trading the requirements as they become unachievable or change and overseeing the acceptance and delivery processes. A Requirements Manager is usually out of the office and on the road with an average of only 2 days per week back at the desk. Travel is as varied as the job; occasional- ly a decent flight and a friendly visit though often the motto of fast in and fast out is most applicable. Defence Procurement is fraught with problems and challenges, invariably the original ideas are not achievable, if indeed understood and agreed by the Armed Forces. On a lighter note the number of 9/12L current- ly in the DPA has doubled in the last year with Maj Clifford’s arrival in Aug 05. Indeed as I depart this summer Maj C-B will be hot into the chair. Finally, the end of the 2 year posting to the DPA is drawing to a close, and with the prospect of Regimental Duty there is truly light at the end of the tunnel. A SOZ desk job is by and large just like another SOZ desk job, but Bristol is certainly a decent place to live and open fields are onlya short stroll from the quar- ters. jAF EasyJet does us proud, |
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