ESI International Introduces Earned Value Management Courses; Training Provides Federal and Contract Personnel the Skills Required to Improve Accountability and Project Performance.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- ESI International, the leading provider of performance improvement programs in project management, contract management and business analysis, today announced its new Earned Value Management (EVM) courses.

ESI's EVM courses are designed to help acquisition and project management professionals develop the skills necessary to evaluate cost, scheduling and performance metrics to support the value of their organization's major capital investment projects.

For years, defense agencies have used earned-value methodologies to continuously assess project performance, cost and status - helping ensure programs are delivered on time, on budget and within scope. In response to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) stated intention to more rigorously enforce EVM performance metrics, civilian agencies and government contractors have also begun implementation of EVM initiatives. OMB requires all agencies in the federal government to use an "Earned Value Management System that meets ANSI/EIA Standard 748" (OMB Circular A-11, section 300).

EVM processes, systems and software enable the continuous assessment of project performance and status - providing a methodology that can help agencies effectively measure project alignment with resources and goals by comparing status to original plans and end goals. EVM can help agencies get to "green" status on the President's Management Agenda scorecard. To achieve and maintain this score, agency projects must stay within a 10 percent variance from the project's baseline.

In August 2005, OMB issued a memorandum requiring agencies to utilize EVM Systems (EVMS) on all new major IT projects. The memorandum required development of written policies outlining agency-specific plans for EVM implementation by December 31, 2005. Agencies must also evaluate exiting, cost, schedule and performance of ongoing IT projects and take any necessary corrective actions by March 31, 2006, and before devoting any FY06 funds to associated projects. In support of this effort, OMB is working with the Federal Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council to develop a model agency EVMS policy for IT projects.

In order to meet the requirements of the OMB mandate, government contractors must first understand the technical specifications involved so they can then help guide their agency's compliance efforts. ESI's course offerings teach the technical nuances of the mandate as well as the contracting skills needed to meet the mandate requirements.

ESI's EVM courses include instruction in fundamental EVM concepts and language; EVM project baseline formation; the challenges of ongoing assessments and reassessments of cost, schedule and performance changes; objective ways to evaluate and control projects and to provide accurate summary information to management; and more.

These courses will help federal and contract personnel develop the skills to implement EVM programs, enabling the professional acquisition community to understand the principles of EVM, and accept increased accountability for major federal capital asset investments. The courses are open for enrollment now and can be delivered in ESI classrooms or on-site at government and commercial locations.

"EVM is a reliable technique for improving project and program performance, but the development of EVM policy and subject matter expertise is a challenge," said John Elsey, president of ESI International. "With ESI's new EVM courses, executive managers, acquisition professionals and project teams can develop the skills needed to develop and apply a comprehensive EVM program. In complying with OMB's mandate, agencies can improve accountability and achieve higher project success rates. We're committed to working with managers and project teams to optimize resources and deliver capital investment projects on time, on budget and within scope - all results more easily achieved with the use of EVM."

About ESI International

Since 1981, ESI has been helping Fortune Global 1000 companies and nearly every major agency of the U.S. government build talent and drive results. ESI's services include public classroom training in more than 75 cities worldwide, on-site training, e-training and professional services. With ESI's flexible approach to training, clients can create a unique, customized solution for their specific needs. To date, ESI Professional Development Programs have benefited 800,000 professionals from 100 countries. For more information on ESI's performance improvement programs, visit the company's Web site at www.esi-intl.com.