ESC awards $627.8 million task order Published Sept. 11, 2006 By Monica Morales Electronic Systems Center Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFPN) -- The Electronic Systems Center's 554th Electronic Systems Group awarded a $627.8 million task order Sept. 7 to Computer Sciences Corporation for systems integration support.The order includes configuring, deploying and conducting training and change management activities for the Expeditionary Combat Support System. CSC officials will be responsible for providing expertise and resources to launch the commercial-off-the-shelf enterprise resource planning, or COTS ERP, software. This effort will transform Air Force logistics operations to a more dynamic and responsive state, enabling greater support to the warfighter. This decision follows a recent ESC award to Oracle Corporation for the ERP software suite, called Oracle 11i. CSC will not only deploy the COTS ERP software, but also provide leadership and resources to redesign and transform operations to more rapidly and dynamically meet warfighter needs. "(The Expeditionary Combat Support System) will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Air Force logistics, while decreasing support costs by implementing COTS software and improving associated support processes, procedures, and policies consistent with the Logistics Enterprise Architecture," said Col. Tom Hamilton, ECSS program manager. As a result of this selection, CSC will use processes within the Oracle 11i product suite to support all logistics functions including product lifecycle management, advanced planning and scheduling, repair and maintenance, and distribution and transportation. The integrated suite will replace more than 400 legacy systems. ECSS will be deployed on the Global Combat Support System-Air Force infrastructure to ensure availability for up to 750,000 projected Air Force users. "This is one of several significant awards within the 554th ELSG acquisition portfolio which is providing the Defense Department and Air Force with new capabilities and efficiencies," said Col. Kenneth Fielding, 554th ELSG commander.The selection of CSC as the ECSS System Integrator is a key step in support of the Defense Department's modernization of logistics systems, said Frank Weber, 554th Electronic Systems Wing director. "With the completion of ERP blueprinting by May 2008, this selection will enable the first ECSS capability to be implemented soon thereafter, with deployment of full operational capabilities by January 2013," he said. "This capability will more readily support operational requirements such as aerospace expeditionary force rotations and the global strike concept of operations." The firm-fixed price task order was awarded through DOD's Enterprise Software Initiative Blanket Purchase Agreement under the General Services Administration Schedule.The ECSS competitive selection team was comprised of representatives from major commands, HQ USAF/A4, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, air logistics centers, Air Force Logistics Management Agency, 554th ELSW and ESC staff.