SEA, Arke unveil new procurement approach

SEA and Arke have developed a new procurement approach designed to help military decision-makers define and deliver projects at reduced risk, SEA announced on 24 July.

The rapid advance in future soldier technology, from exoskeletons to weapons, helmets, torso protection and night vision systems, is placing additional pressure on choosing the right procurement route.

In order to ensure decision makers can effectively assess whether the technology they are being offered is what is needed, provides value for money and can be delivered successfully within budget, SEA and Arke have devised a method of ‘achievability’ analysis which helps to establish exploitation barriers and therefore reduce programme delivery risk.

The approach integrates architectural, cost and benefits analyses with an assessment of achievability. In turn, this enables the early identification of issues relating to dependencies, constraints, cultural problems, industrial behaviour and capability management.

The approach links battlefield missions to use cases in both training and operational activities. These activities can then be examined from a strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management perspective to determine the investment case. The outcome is an effective achievability assessment based on comprehensive modelling and simulation to deliver robust and grounded evidence to support decision makers.

SEA principal consultant Darren Stinchcombe, said: ‘The approach provides an agenda for programme risk reduction, allows realistic planning for capability exploitation and can be used to support the agile acquisition of capability. The approach is aligned to HM Treasury’s ‘5 Case’ approach, enabling project teams to develop business cases that can withstand robust scrutiny.

‘Using this assessment of achievability model identifies and manages ‘real’ programme risk from the outset, provides insights to ensure budgets are invested in deliverable capability, and helps to deliver optimised capability for least cost.’