GovernmentExecutive.com

The leader of the Coast Guard on Tuesday attributed problems, including recent revelations of troubles in a massive fleet modernization contract, to a lack of focus on employees.

Adm. Thad Allen said in a speech Tuesday night that there were not enough employees with the expertise necessary to oversee the Deepwater program, a $24 billion joint contract with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to replace aging equipment. Both The New York Times and The Washington Post ran stories last week detailing costly delays and equipment damage.

"We created a cultural cleavage," Allen said, where employees could not voice differences of opinion in a proper way on the contract.

His focus on the importance of employees rather than financial or technology management came in a keynote address at a symposium on a new report from The George Washington University about the importance of "human capital" in the federal government.

Allen said the most important part of managing employees is making sure every employee feels an attachment to the mission of the agency. Whether employees are procurement officials, rescue swimmers or charged with cleaning up oil spills, "they're protecting the homeland," Allen said.

He said there has to be more integration across the agencies within the Homeland Security Department. To that end, he said DHS officials are beginning talks on a Homeland Security Academy that would train employees, and on possible joint-duty requirements that would require employees to work in various agencies across the department to receive promotions.

On pay for performance in DHS, Allen said the budget process needs to be fixed so that employees know they can rely on yearly raises once Congress doesn't have control over them.

COMMENTS

• Bill, Re-read the article. He said focus on employees, not by employees. Several employees told them the 123's would crack and at what frame when that wild idea to lengthen the 110's came up. Guess what, that is exactly where the hulls cracked, and then with the Mickey Mouse patch they designed, the hull crack just moved. And now they have tied them up, hopefully for good. If Collins had listened to the in-house engineers, they would have less mess than they have now. Even during Allen's confirmation hearings, he said Deepwater had problems and was searching for other solutions. Now if he will convince the CG blue suiters that the CG is not really that unique, and just because Defense Department does something one way, does not mean the CG can't do the same thing. The Navy buys ships every day, but no way would CG contracting ask the Navy how to buy a ship, the CG is too unique. And now the fruits of not seeking experienced opinions, but letting Lockheed Martin (the prime contractor) write the contract for them are coming home and Deepwater is in deepwater. He really needs to work on that culture change (and you can read that as some 05s/O6s and especially O7s and above need to go home). GovExec.com reader Posted December 21, 2006 8:54 AM
• In defense of the Commandant, he inherited this fleet and was responsible for the direct oversight of this construction. He acted swiftly to the news of the deficiencies and took action to protect his men and woman. He should be commended. As for the Coast Guard appearing not to care about its employees in regards to HPO and A-76 issues, again, they inherited this beast. They had no choice but to move forward and implement a program they were directed to. Good news: The Commandant and the government as a whole can see the dangers of outsourcing to a degree where life safety is jeopardized. And in the case of these Coast Guard patrol boats, it is clear some things have to change in regard to engineering and construction. Maybe this will slow down the HPO/A-76 beast? Scott Arsenault Posted December 15, 2006 8:04 AM
• So Lockheed/Northrop Gumman had nothing to do with why things went wrong. What a story! The admiral makes his employees the scapegoat! Why? Could the admiral be contemplating a career move to the private sector and need to show where his true loyalty lies? The real problem here is someone who's in a command position and cannot use sound judgment about wayward contractors and is corrupted by an environment of greed and self-promotion. Bill Kuzma Posted December 14, 2006 11:57 AM