Comm’s portfolio management mission a step toward tracking systems, software Published Feb. 11, 2010 By Brandice J. Armstrong Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Calling all program managers; the 72nd Air Base Wing Communications Directorate is on a mission to ensure systems and programs on Tinker networks are properly registered. The initiative is part of the portfolio management plan, a directive from the Department of Defense. Ultimately, the action ensures government money is appropriately spent, there is not a duplication of effort and it provides the Air Force with visibility on how software dollars are spent. As the Air Force moves toward the Expeditionary Combat Support System, an initiative to better support the warfighter by transforming the way logistics business is conducted, portfolio management is imperative. "We're ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data out there," said Kevin Smith, chief of the 72nd Air Base Wing Communication Director-ate's Base Support Branch. A system or application must be registered if used on base by more than four users or costs more than $10,000 per fiscal year to sustain or shares or exchanges data connected to or across the Air Force network; or, anything that requires certification and accreditation. If there is a doubt or question, program managers are encouraged to contact the communications directorate's portfolio management office. "The criteria are independent of each other," said Lora Leach, 72nd ABW/SC Management Analysis Portfolio manager. "It's not this and this and this; they're or. This or this or this and you have to register your system. That generally encompasses most of the stuff out here. Systems and registration needs will fall into one of three categories -- Enterprise Information Technology Data Repository database; government off-the-shelf systems and applications; or the commercial off-the-shelf systems and applications. If a system needs to be registered, program managers will be asked to fill out a workbook that asks questions about their systems and its uses. Portfolio management staffers enter information from the registration workbook, provided by the program manager, into the EITDR. The information is then reviewed, approved and registered by the Air Force Materiel Command Headquarters' Portfolio Management office, said Patty Johnson, 72nd Communications Directorate's Management Analysis Portfolio manager. "The EITDR has all the systems we know about," Ms. Leach said. "Different types of information are collected to show how funds are expended for those systems and what kind of information those systems collect." For more information, call Ms. Leach at 739-2677 or Ms. Johnson at 582-1235.