Performance Consulting Case Study

Client: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Area of Focus: Performance Consulting
Contract Vehicle: OPM TMA

Abstract

Program managers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were not using their Program Planning, Budgeting, and Execution System (PPBES) effectively. Carney was engaged to create program manager and PPBES training.

Background

NOAA creates plans and budgets using the Program Planning, Budgeting, and Execution System--known throughout the federal government as PPBES. The agency found that their employees were having difficulty with PPBES, even after training courses. NOAA contacted the Office of Personnel Management’s Training and Management Assistance (OPM TMA) for assistance with creating an effective training course. OPM TMA invited several companies and compete for the project, and Carney partnered with Management Concepts, Inc. (MCI) a company that had a PPBES expert who could provide support for the project. Together they submitted a winning presentation.

After winning the contract, however, Carney helped NOAA realize that the problem could not be adequately addressed through just better training—though that was a key component of the solution—but rather would require the agency to address organizational, communication, and program manager role issues that were inhibiting its employees from performing their duties correctly and completely.

Challenge

NOAA and many other federal agencies use the PPBES for long-term program projections. After some training on PPBES, many employees were still not using PPBES correctly.

In addition, NOAA has two types of program managers—those who are scientists acting in the program manager capacity, but may not have the program manager skill set, and those who were hired as program managers but were frustrated by their lack of authority based on NOAA’s organizational structure. The training need included both basic program manager skills and PPBES implementation and skills.

Carney Solution

Carney partnered with MCI to deliver a winning solution. Carney realized that the need for training was not the sole cause of the problems and we requested to do an analysis to determine the root causes of the issues in order to propose effective solutions. All levels of the NOAA organization were interviewed, including the CFO of the agency, to determine the root causes of the issues in implementing program management and PPBES. The solution involved having MCI deliver basic program manager training.

Results

NOAA conducted an internal review of the organization’s structure, lines of communication, and program/project manager role. The final report confirmed Carney’s findings that tactical training was necessary, but was only a small part of the solution. Carney helped NOAA develop a series of narrowly targeted training sessions while offering recommendations about improving its organizational structure, lines of communication, and program manager role in order to help the employees effectively use program management and the PPBES.

Delivering Remarkable Client Experience

Though NOAA initially requested help in designing a more effective slate of training courses, Carney exceeded the terms of the contract by approaching NOAA not as a client, but as a partner. Together Carney and NOAA determined that the contract as it was written would not adequately address the underlying needs of the agency and that it would waste the agency’s resources if it failed to solve the pressing concerns. The contract was rewritten so that the goals could be accomplished by improving the organization’s structure, lines of communication, and effective use of the program manager role as well as deliver the targeted training to meet their specific needs.

Carney – A trusted partner

Carney, founded in 1994, provides government and military clients with innovative knowledge management solutions that accelerate workforce performance. Carney’s products and services help agencies accomplish mission-critical objectives and improve readiness.

Through best practices and a thorough examination of the challenges facing military and government leaders, Team Carney identifies new ways to capture, control, and transform knowledge through competency analyses, knowledge transfer strategies, and assessment evaluations.

Carney strives to provide remarkable client experiences by delivering quality performance solutions at the speed of need.