The Army Study Program Management Office -- More Than Just Studies!

By Ms. Shannon Russ, Army Study Program Management OfficeDecember 2, 2013

The Army Study Program allows commands to compete for funding to perform studies on important issues affecting Soldiers and their families.
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ARLINGTON, VA (Dec. 2, 2013) -- Army Study Program Management Office (ASPMO) falls under the Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA), Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8. ASPMO has overall responsibility for policy and guidance regarding coordination and management of Army Studies and Analyses as defined by Army Regulation 5-5. While ASPMO's primary responsibility is to manage the Army Study Program (ASP), this small office does much more.

ASPMO works tirelessly to coordinate analysis efforts among Army Analytical Organizations, working closely with the Center for Army Analysis (CAA), the Army Materiel Systems Analysis Activity (AMSAA) and the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Analysis Center (TRAC). CAA, also a component of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8, is an analysis organization that supports HQDA and Army Commands. CAA develops information that helps Army leaders address the issues of greatest importance to the Army. AMSAA supports the full range of Army decision makers (Army Materiel Command, TRADOC, HQDA) with system/item level analyses. Its mission is to conduct responsive and effective materiel and logistics system analyses to support decision making for equipping and sustaining the US Army. TRAC primarily supports the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Its mission is to conduct the tactical and operational analyses to inform decisions about future concepts, requirements, capability development and integration, and programs while also supporting the needs of the Operating Force. From assisting with funding issues to strategic communication initiatives, ASPMO supports collaborative efforts, and, when possible, makes certain the relevance of the research is made public and ties in to current events and issues that affect the Army. ASPMO accomplishes this through various articles utilizing both online and print mediums and social media.

The team in ASPMO maintains a database of all Army studies funded through the ASP and the RAND Arroyo Center, and ensures that all study coordinators and study houses have access. This supports other analysis organizations by ensuring the data is available to them at any time. It also provides a source for historical data and a method for tracking studies and ensuring that there is not a duplication of effort.

The annual Army Scoring Conference, which occurs in late summer and provides the venue for Commands to present their top study priorities and compete for the ASP funding, is planned and executed by ASPMO. The study rankings are based on evaluations and rankings provided by the study coordinators. Additionally, monthly Senior Analyst Advisory Board (SAAB) and biannual Study Program Coordination Committee meetings are hosted by ASPMO as part of the management and oversight of the Army Study Program. ASPMO also participates in monthly Synchronization of Army Analytic Community (SAAC) Meetings.

ASPMO is responsible for managing two Management Decision Packages (MDEPs): VSTD and VARY. MDEP VSTD is for the purpose of centrally funding studies for HQDA. Studies under this program adhere to Army Regulation (AR) 5-5, "Management of Army Studies and Analysis", the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFAR). MDEP VARY funds the RAND Arroyo Center, the Army's primary Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). This program adheres to AR 5-21 "Management of the RAND Arroyo Center", the FAR and DFAR.

Further, ASPMO serves as the advisor and manager of the life cycle reporting requirements for Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS), which are Congressionally reported under the President's Budget Exhibit 15 (PB-15). ASPMO develops and manages the life cycle financial data reporting requirements for A&AS in support of the PB-15 Exhibit via the annual Schedule 10 reports, which contain the financial requirements for A&AS from commands for the POM cycle. A&AS are required to support or improve organization policy development, decision making, management, administration and engineering and technical services. The products of A&AS may include data research and development, analyses, evaluations, recommendations, training or technical support.

ASPMO also maintains AR-14, "Management of Contracted Advisory and Assistance Services". The regulation is updated by ASPMO as required, and the team works with the Army Publishing Directorate to have the regulation reviewed by the Judge Advocate General and the Office of General Counsel, finally releasing the regulation at the completion of the process.

The RAND Arroyo Center furnishes the Army with information and findings derived from analyses of Army technical and policy issues. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) allocates Staff Years of Technical Effort (STEs) annually to each of the DoD sponsored FFRDCs. The Arroyo Center has been authorized 96 STEs to conduct analytical research for the Army. The Army's FY14 allocation of STEs is comprised of a combination of "core" funding and "add-on" projects throughout the year. While RAND Arroyo is an FFRDC, and not eligible to compete for funding from the Army Study Program, ASPMO works with RAND Arroyo to ensure the successful execution of the "add-on" projects, which are funded by the sponsoring command and are not a part of the RAND Arroyo core funding.

The Army Study Program Management Office may be small, but the team performs numerous functions, manages multiple programs, oversees Army Regulations and works closely with both Army internal analysis agencies and FFRDCs. The ASPMO Facebook page (www.facebook.com/armystudies), managed by the ASPMO team, constantly publishes news that highlights both the Army analytic community and the applicability of their work to issues that affect the Army family on a regular basis. Please visit the page to learn more about this dynamic little office.

Related Links:

Army Study Program helps inform diverse array of Army decisions, solutions

Army studies range from virtual marksmanship to waste water reuse

ASPMO Facebook Page

U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8

Army Study Program Management Office