Department of Defense news release (May 31, 2006): Standardization Program presents annual Achievement Awards.

Two individuals and three teams have received awards from the Defense Standardization Program Office (DSPO) for outstanding contributions to the Department of Defense last fiscal year. The awards were presented on May 23, during a ceremony in Arlington, Va.

Since 1987, DSPO has recognized individuals and organizations that have effected significant improvements in quality, reliability, readiness, cost reduction, and interoperability through standardization. The mission is to identify, influence, develop, manage, and provide access to standardization processes, products, and services for warfighters and the acquisition and logistics communities. In addition, the program promotes interoperability and assists in reducing total ownership costs and in sustaining readiness.

Following are the Defense Standardization Program recipients for 2005:

Individuals

* Dr. Jose-Luis Sagripanti, U.S. Army's Edgewood Chemical Biological Center laboratory, developed a quantitative three-step method for determining the sporicidal efficacy of liquids, liquid sprays, and vapor or gases on contaminated carrier surfaces. This method addresses the long-standing need for a proven test method to assess products and procedures used for decontamination and disinfection (DECON) and provides a standardized and validated test to ensure that the military services select DECON products and practices, affording adequate protection to their personnel.

* Andreas Pappas, Defense Information Systems Agency, led an effort on UHF SATCOM waveform standards and technology insertion to mitigate the tactical satellite shortfall. Efforts were initiated to provide systems enhancements that will more than double the present UHF SATCOM systems capacity. Implementing integrated wavelength standards into deployed software-programmable radios will provide tremendous operational and economic benefits for the warfighter.

Teams

* The Navy's Virginia Class Submarine Program team (PMS450) achieved tremendous savings by turning to standardization initiatives to help reduce overall acquisition and operation and maintenance costs of the program. The use of standardization succeeded in minimizing the program's overall logistics footprint, as well as reducing the class parts library. By investing $27 million in parts standardization, the projected cost avoidance over the life of the Virginia Class program is estimated to be approximately $789 million. Members are David Restifo, James Conklin, and Jimmy Smith.

* The Navy's Aircraft Wiring Support Equipment Commodity Program team developed the Aircraft Wiring Information System. This comprehensive database allows the standardization of repair tooling, specifications, and processes across all Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. The team's standardization efforts have reduced the proliferation of tools and support equipment and realized a total cost avoidance of $15.9 million. Members are Gail Edwards, William Peck, Leah Boise, Robert Petrie, and Benjamin Yearwood.

* The Air Force's Community Sensor Model (CSM) Program Team developed a CSM Interface that eliminated proprietary, technical, and political barriers across all DoD reconnaissance systems. As a result of this work, the CSM interface became an emerging standard through the DoD IT Standards Registry Technical Working Group. With more than 21 models created and four more in development, armed forces operators will be able to measure target quality coordinates at one-third the cost of previous systems. Members are Air Force Capt. Ricardo Garcia, and Lea Gordon.

Additional information on the Defense Standardization Program, this year's awardees, and their accomplishments may be obtained by visiting the DSP Web site at <http://www.dsp.dla.mil/awards.htm>.