Abstract
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) has a critical mission to provide weather watches and warnings, all hazards and other emergency messages to the public and emergency managers. WRIP-2 was initiated on April 3, 2012, and at the request of the WRIP-2 Program Manager, Logapps LLC was tasked as a sub-contractor to Compumatics Group to provide two Independent Cost Estimates; 1) Threshold requirements and 2) Objective requirements, using cost estimation techniques that are consistent with the GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide. Compumatics and Logapps LLC delivered two cost estimates (IOC & FOC) to the client that supported the program’s budget leading to the Milestone Decision Authority for project implementation approval.
Background
The Weather Radio Improvement Program (WRIP) was established in 2005 within the NWS Operations and Services Improvement Process (OSIP). The intent of WRIP was to merge the National Weather Wire System (NWWS) and National Weather Radio (NWR) dissemination systems, facilities, and processes into a single centralized data dissemination infrastructure to provide timely, robust, cost-effective, and scalable network. Funding constraints, obsolescence issues, and increasing risk associated with the acquisition approach forced NWS to conduct a Business Case Analysis that presented an evaluation of four alternatives.
Challenge
The NWR CRS service life was exceeded in 2006 and sustainment has been at high risk due to parts obsolescence. If a CRS fails then the system will revert to a manual mode, delaying emergency broadcasts from seconds to minutes. If CRS units in the field are not replaced within the next several years then, NWR is at risk of losing broadcast capability at individual transmitters, thereby increasing risk to life and property. Also, the CRS design is not able to support all Department of Commerce (DOC) and NOAA IT security requirements without significant additional development.
Approach
Our approach is consistent with that of guidance GAO-09-3SP GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide; Best Practices for Developing and Managing Capital Program Costs.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Impact
The team prepared, presented, and delivered two ICE’s to the program manager and upper management of NOAA which showed enthusiasm and appreciation for the team’s estimates. The Program Manger himself gave the team high praised for how the risk analysis was conducted and own we were able to produce such credible and reliable results in a short period of time. For such a commendable job on the WRIP-2 program estimate the team has been invited back to NOAA by the Program Manager to conduct some follow on analysis.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
