Robbins-Gioia Refines PDMSS on Helicopters; Program Management Keeps the Rotors Turning.

Business Editors

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2003

Robbins-Gioia, LLC, the leading provider of project management services, today announced it begins work on October 1 on the UH-60 Blackhawk, MH-60 Pavehawk, SH-60 Seahawk, CH-47 Chinook, UH-1N Huey, AH-1W Cobra and AH-64 Apaches at Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD), Corpus Christi, Texas.

The $184,000 minimum contract goes through Sept. 30, 2003, and includes a team of six, which will be augmented as work surges require.

Robbins-Gioia came to CCAD in 1993 to implement the Programmed Depot Maintenance Scheduling System (PDMSS) as part of a Joint Logistics Systems Center Department of Defense-wide initiative. PDMSS implements program management techniques and incorporates automated scheduling tools to improve Corpus Christi Army Depot's competitiveness in the aircraft repair industry.

As part of its reporting capability, PDMSS functionality includes obtaining the status of the repair process (materiel, manpower, and scope of work) on any particular aircraft.

In 1997, CCAD requested Robbins-Gioia tailor a PDMSS application to the Apache Pre-modification Helicopter program, which was undergoing some challenges. The Apache program involved removing, classifying, repairing, routing, and shipping more than 3,000 fuselage and component parts as kits.

These parts were listed in the Boeing-generated Input Configuration Document--a document that had changed hundreds of times and will continue to do so until a design lock is made on the AH-64D Apache configuration. The ICD defines the common parts used from modifying the AH-64A into the AH-64D model.

To date the ICD continues to evolve. Robbins-Gioia CCAD PDMSS staff downloaded the ICD with its changes and created a database tailored to the seven operations that put the project together (ordering, accounting, removing and inspecting, inventorying, shipping, zoning, and reporting.)

"Inventory accounting was one of the greatest features that PDMSS first put together," said Larry Simone, the project manager at the time and now director of aircraft production at CCAD. "The aircraft is disassembled and each piece is accounted for from the time the inspector has it removed to the time it is repaired, returned, and shipped."

"With PDMSS, we know our kit status and can accurately reconcile any issue that Boeing may have with accountability," he added. "And because our system is online, our customers and higher commands can access the file per aircraft and get the necessary information--very seldom do we have to fax or mail them our inventory reports."

Based on the success of the PDMSS Apache LongBow Pre-Modification (PMOD) application, CCAD again turned to Robbins-Gioia to modify the other PDMSS-incorporated CCAD product lines to provide visibility to the task level and to provide similar management and floor production visibility. "CCAD wanted task-level detail for these product lines," explained Sal Reza, Robbins-Gioia operations manager. "Right now their legacy systems reporting is augmented by personal spreadsheets, databases, and logbooks. Our work is to get the scope of work defined to satisfy CCAD's management review requirement while maintaining daily focused floor operations, integrate shop floor materiel requirements with supply information, and to fuse information from several production systems into a single cohesive enterprise scheduling and reporting application."

"PDMSS is a solid yet flexible program, and we have a wise and experienced R-G team to help CCAD implement it," said Ben McCarter, Robbins-Gioia vice president of industrial operations. "We are confident that the same success the original Apache project had will be replicated and even surpassed this year."

About Robbins-Gioia

Robbins-Gioia has been dedicated to delivering management consulting solutions to government agencies and Fortune 500 companies for 20 years. Robbins-Gioia combines thought leadership, disciplined processes, industry-based knowledge, and integrated tools to help global customers optimize their business processes, accelerate change, and establish time, cost, and quality improvements to transform their businesses.

For more information, please call Robbins-Gioia, LLC at 800/663-7138, or visit the web site at www.robbinsgioia.com.

About Corpus Christi Army Depot

The CCAD vision is to be the recognized source of excellence for rotary wing aviation national maintenance. CCAD's mission is to provide worldwide readiness, sustainment, and training support for all DOD rotary wing Aircraft.

CCAD overhauls, repairs, modifies, retrofits, and modernizes DOD rotary wing aircraft united with industry partners and worldwide DOD customers; provides hands-on training for reserve, National Guard, active duty, and foreign military personnel; and provides additional depot maintenance including on-site maintenance teams, crash damage analysis, chemical, metallurgical and technical support.

For more information contact Carol Bullington at 361/961-3132 x360 or [e-mail] or visit the web site at www.ccad.army.mil.