The V-22 Cost per Flight Hour (CPFH) Reduction Team was presented a 2011 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award on Nov. 1 at a ceremony in conjunction with the Program Executive Officers’/Systems Command Commanders’ Conference at Fort Belvoir, Va.

“This is a tremendous achievement and I’m extremely proud of this team” said Rear Adm. Steve Eastburg, vice commander of the Naval Air Systems Command. “They represent the best of NAVAIR and its stakeholder organizations.”

The V-22 CPFH Reduction Team was established in 2009 with the specific purpose of reducing the operating cost of the aircraft.

“Drawing personnel from across several agencies and multiple disciplines, this team was truly multifunctional and had an immediate impact,” said Col. Greg Masiello, V-22 joint program manager. “Improvements were, and continue to be, achieved through team execution of a comprehensive plan.”

The plan included reliability and maintainability improvements, maintenance concept changes, stand-up of additional repair capability, component repair price reductions, and alternate contract strategies.

After collecting data from initial deployments, it became apparent that there were opportunities to reduce the cost of operating the aircraft. Using an improved cost model which enabled the team to forecast the results of individual component improvements, the team set off on a course to make changes which would have the highest return on investment. As a direct result of the CPFH Reduction Team’s work, the actual costs for fiscal year 2010 were lower than estimated. This trend of decreasing operational costs has continued as the fiscal 2011 CPFH figures are more than 15 percent less than the previous fiscal year.

“The team promoted innovative and practical ideas which provided tangible benefits to our warfighters and taxpayers,” Masiello said. “The work of this team will continue to yield benefits for years to come.”

The V-22 CPFH Reduction Team was the only team from the Department of Navy to be honored with a Packard Award this year.

Individuals contributing to the team include Mike Ahern, V-22 senior program analyst; Greg Ashley, V-22 logistics management specialist; Sam Brown, director of Defense Support Programs for Pioneering Decisive Solutions; Mike Belcher, V-22 R&M team lead; Don Fincham, logistics management specialist; Marine Liaison, Noreen Klevence, V-22 Deputy for the Integrated Weapons Support Team; Don Schmitt, PMA-275 director of logistics; Randy Stalvey, V-22 Fleet Support Team acquisition logistics lead; Mike Stanaland, V-22 In-Service Product Support Team lead; Lt. Kelly Weaverling, Supply Corps, CV-22/MV-22 Weapons System Support manager at the Defense Logistics Agency; Duke Wells, V-22 cost team lead, and Steve Vannote, Naval Supply Systems Command’s Weapon Systems Support contracting officer.

The Packard award is sponsored by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. It was established to recognize organizations, groups, and teams who have demonstrated exemplary innovation using best acquisition practices that achieve acquisition excellence in the Department of Defense. It is the department’s highest acquisition team award and was first awarded in 1997 in honor of the late David Packard, a former deputy secretary of defense during the Nixon administration. Packard was also co-founder and chairman of the Hewlett-Packard Company and chairman of the President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management chartered by President Ronald Reagan in 1985. He founded the Defense Systems Management College in 1971 and was a strong advocate of excellence in defense acquisition practices.

Don Schmitt, director of logistics for the V-22 Joint Program Office, was presented the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Workforce Achievement Award in the Life cycle Logistics Category at the same ceremony.

“This is a great honor for the V-22 program,” Schmitt said. “I’m thankful for my good fortune to have aligned with and be able to lead an already high-performing logistics team.”