Certificate program will help train rising cadre of senior federal procurement executives: “Improve Yourself, Improve Your Organization”
 
MCR, LLC, a premier provider of integrated program management services to the federal government, has partnered with American University in Washington, D.C., to create a Senior Program Manager Certificate Program that provides government acquisition executives with leadership training and technical skills for successful integrated program management.
 
The program, which begins in February 2010, combines the substantive skills of federal acquisition strategy, execution and performance with the leadership capacity to implement what is learned. The program is sponsored by the American University Key Executive Leadership Certificate Program within the School of Public Affairs. MCR executives will participate as core faculty in the program, bringing decades of experience working in and with major government acquisition programs.
 
“We are very excited to be working with American University to help train promising federal acquisition executives,” said Neil F. Albert, President and CEO of MCR. Albert, who serves on the faculty for the new program, has provided management consulting support to numerous government agencies and is the Past President of the Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis and the Project Management Institute College of Performance Management. “As more of our senior government acquisition professionals approach retirement, we need to develop a strong cadre of procurement leaders who have mastered the necessary disciplines and approaches for effective integrated program management,” he said.
 
Robert M. Tobias, Director Public Sector Executive Education, said the partnership with MCR advances the American University program’s goal of helping federal employees move from being technicians and managers to extraordinary leaders. “MCR has been an industry leader in applying earned value management (EVM) and other advanced techniques to acquisition program management. The MCR team brings well-honed leadership skills and broad-based experience in the federal acquisition environment to our program,” said Tobias, who is also a member of the program’s faculty.
 
The program is aimed at federal employees who have at least four years of program and project management experience and are on a career path to Senior Executive Service or equivalent positions within the military or industry. Participants will learn such skills as effectively using federal resources and acquisition policies and regulations, as well as developing partnerships among acquisition stakeholder to implement a successful strategy. In addition, they will study leadership skills and technical approaches, such as EVM, risk management, cost estimating, and technology development. “One of our goals is to help program officials apply systems-level thinking to understand the interrelationships between products, people, resources, tools, functions and other processes, which is key to success when managing complex acquisition programs,” Albert said.
 
The Key Executive Leadership Certificate Program will help agencies meet new Administration requirements for training and developing the acquisition workforce, as outlined in the “Acquisition Workforce Development Strategic Plan for Civilian Agencies -- FY 2010-2014,” released by the Office of Management and Budget in October. Together, the program’s six courses provide more than the requisite hours required to meet Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) Senior Level Certification Requirements. In addition, the Federal Acquisition Institute—the agency charged with fostering and promoting the development of the federal acquisition workforce—gives the courses its highest rating of “5.”
 
“We offer practical skills, not just theory,” Tobias said. “Our program helps federal acquisition managers develop the leadership skills that public managers need to deliver more effective and efficient acquisition programs and services to the public.”
 
MCR, LLC, is a McLean, VA-based professional services firm with over 500 professionals that specializes in Integrated Program Management services for the federal government. MCR is recognized as one of the nation's premier providers of strategic planning, cost/schedule analysis, acquisition management, and program assessment services. Since 1977, MCR has been providing management consulting and research support for a variety of federal and commercial clients. More information on MCR can be found at www.mcri.com.
 
Ranked among the top 10 schools of its kind, American University’s School of Public Affairs offers public affairs education on the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. The school is also home to research centers and institutes in the fields of political science, public administration, public policy and justice. Graduates of the school are active in global policy legislation, advocacy, and in the nonprofit and private sectors.
 
For more information about the program, contact the Academic Advisor, Key Executive Leadership Certificate Program, School of Public Affairs, American University, at 202-885-6256, or visit the program website at http://www.american.edu/spa/key/program_manager_certificate.cfm.
 

MCR, LLC, a premier provider of integrated program management services to the federal government, has been awarded a contract by the Air Force to provide acquisition management, security and administrative services to the 77th Aeronautical Systems Wing (AESW) based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
 
Under the contract, MCR will provide Human Resources and Manpower support for a variety of manpower initiatives, including the formulation of manpower data requirements and reporting for the Air Force Manpower Model, Work Breakdown Structure, and Base Realignment and Closure. In addition, MCR will provide security support to assist in implementing the Information Security program that pertains to the handling of classified and unclassified information and development of security requirements. The company also will participate in all aspects of the Program Protection Planning process, such as evaluating security and administrative procedures associated with handling unclassified Critical Program Information/Critical Information (CPI/CI), integrating U.S. export and technology control laws, and addressing Department of Defense and Air Force policy and instructions. MCR’s administrative responsibilities will include supporting the National Security Personnel System and related applications, Defense Travel System, Defense Civilian Payroll System, Electronic Records Management and other programs.
 
“Our work for the 77th Aeronautical Systems Wing demonstrates the depth and breadth of the program management expertise that MCR brings to its customers,” said Neil F. Albert, MCR Chief Executive Officer and President. Albert noted that the 77th AESW is a new customer for MCR, adding to the company’s growing stable of Air Force and defense clients. “We are pleased to be assisting this key Air Force acquisition organization and its important mission,” he said.
 
The 77th AESW is part of the Aeronautical Systems Center, which is the largest of three product centers within Air Force Materiel Command. The contract includes a base year and has two one-year options.
 
MCR, LLC is a McLean, VA-based professional services firm with over 500 professionals that specializes in Integrated Program Management services for the federal government. MCR is recognized as one of the nation's premier providers of strategic planning, cost/schedule analysis, program assessment and acquisition management services. Since 1977, MCR has been providing management consulting and research support for a variety of federal and commercial clients. More information on MCR can be found at www.mcri.com.
 

MCR, LLC has completed the purchase of Aerodyne Inc., a Huntsville, Ala.-based company that provides aeronautical and technical services to the military. Founded in 1995, Aerodyne has 75 employees. The company specializes in aeronautical systems and provides full spectrum technical solutions, including program management, aviation integration, testing and certification, training and requirements development, testing and evaluation and system lifecycle management for manned and unmanned systems. Aerodyne has supported numerous UAV programs and initiatives, including the One-System Ground Control Station, Shadow, Fire Scout, Small UAV, Hunter MQ-5B Upgrade and Tactical SIGINT Payload. The acquisition will enable MCR to expand its offerings of integrated program management services, while also providing opportunities to serve new government customers.