Program Summary

In FY 1992, Headquarters conducted a Policy & Procedures Options Study, which showed that existing data systems within the O&M community were not standardized, they weren't linked together, and they were not universally available across all levels of the organization. Because of this, there was no way to assess or measure the O&M program accurately. Out of this study came the idea for a system that would identify, link, and standardize existing databases and combine performance measurement and project data in order to make it readily available within all organizational levels of the Corps. Thus began the planning effort for OMBIL (Operations & Maintenance Business Information Link). The following principles were established to provide a guide to the development of the OMBIL system:
• Reduce data calls
• Utilize existing information systems
• Integrate systems
• One-time data entry
• Automate efficiency-based performance measurements
• Data accessible throughout all levels of the Corps
• Automate roll-up of information

To begin the development process, Business Function Working Groups were established and brought together in both Washington and Fort Belvoir, VA. These groups were tasked to:

• Provide information, analysis, and data requirements for each business function
• Identify existing systems and associated data
• For every existing data field - ask the question "Do We Need This Information?"
• Eliminate unneeded data
• Identify new information and data needs, not available in existing systems

In January of 1997, the Recreation Business Function working group met for the first time; it was composed of the following subject matter experts (SME) from all levels of the organization:

• Bill Irwin/Judy Rice, HQ
• Brad Keshlear, SAD
• Michael Owen, SWF
• Elaine DeVoe, MVR
• Roger Hayes, MVS
• Toni Rushing, Laurel River Lake, LRN
• Bill Bond, Lake Sidney Lanier, SAM

With the help of the OMBIL contractor, this group used a complex modeling system and process to:

• Identify activities, functions, facilities, services, and products associated with the Recreation Business Function
• Identify information and data needed for effective management, operation & maintenance of the Recreation Business Function
• Identify relationships of all information and data associated with the Recreation Business Function
• Establish and define consistent definitions for data and information within the Recreation Business Function

From that modeling process, the OMBIL contractor developed the initial recreation business function model and integrated it, along with the other business function models, into one data model, which was called the OMCDM (Operations and Maintenance Command Data Model).

From 1997 through 1998, the working group continued to meet periodically and work with the contractor to test and evaluate the model. A beta test version was then launched in early 1999 and made available to all of the O&M community. Unfortunately this beta test was generally considered a failure, due in large part to connectivity problems all across the Corps. Therefore, the working group made the decision to stay together and continue to work with this model until it was ready for deployment.

The working group evaluated and revised the recreation feeder system several more times during the next two years. Along with development of the feeder system, the group also helped with:

• Development of help screens for the feeder system
• Integration of existing NRMS static data into OMBIL
• Establishment of District & Division Recreation OMBIL - POC's
• Establishment of the Recreation User's Group
• Development of a series of workshops designed to train the District & Division POC's

In November 2000, the first workshop was held at Fort Belvoir to introduce the new Recreation User's Group to the module and finalize the format of the workshop to be used for the train-the-trainer sessions. Then from January through early March of 2001, three regional workshops were held in Baltimore, Portland, and Little Rock to train the District and Division POC's so they could then go back to their home offices and train their field level users. The Recreation Business Function module was then deployed in March of 2001. While there have been some connectivity problems and other minor issues, the system is now functional.

Development of the EIS (Executive Information System) for the Recreation Business Function is ongoing, and a working EIS should be deployed later in 2001.