Mod2 Flashcards
What law identifies the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the senior ranking member of the Armed Forces?
The Goldwater-Nichols DoD Reorganization Act of 1986
The military operational chain of command runs from the President to whom?
The Secretary of Defense to the Combatant Commanders
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the principal military advisor to which officials and/or organizations?
The President, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense
Who serves as the Chairman of the National Security Council?
The President
Name the three major phases of the PPBE process that result in the DoD portion of the President’s Budget that is submitted to Congress?
Planning, Programming and Budgeting
What is the title of the senior OSD official responsible for the planning phase of the PPBE process?
Undersecretary of Defense (Policy)
What is the title of the senior OSD Official responsible for issuing programming guidance?
Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (D,CAPE)
What is the title of the senior OSD official who is the principal advisor and assistant to the SECDEF for the budget and fiscal matters?
Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller) / Chief Financial Officer
The Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition & Sustainment) serves as the Chairman of what Board?
Defense Acquisition Board (DAB)
Assume today’s date is 1 March 2020 and your organization knows about a new project or requirement that will require its initial funding in FY 2027. What is the first PPBE-related document in which you could identify resources for the requirement?
POM 2023-2027
What is the title of the final document of the planning phase?
Defense Planning Guidance (DPG)
What is the name of the automated database that summarizes all forces, resources, and equipment associated with programs approved by the Secretary of Defense?
Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)
What is the phase of the PPBE process in which programmatic decisions are translated into requested resources in an appropriations format?
Budgeting (Budget Development)
What is the name of the document prepared by the Joint Staff after its review of POMs submitted by the Military Departments that focuses on the balance and capabilities contained in the POMs? (This document provides the SECDEF with the JCS evaluation of the Military Departments’ POM submissions.)
Chairman’s Program Assessment (CPA) [Chairman, JCS]
Following a review of a Component’s budget submission and a potential budget hearing in the fall timeframe, the reviewing USD(C) budget analyst prepares a draft document that is submitted to the DEPSECDEF of SECDEF for a decision. Once signed by one of those senior officials, what is that document called?
Program Budget Decision
Advance Procurement is an exception to what funding policy?
Full Funding
Within what type document does Congress specify the number of fiscal years that an appropriation account remains current and available for new obligations?
An appropriation bill (becomes a law when signed by the President)
Assume an agency has issued an Economy Act order to another federal agency for specific services, the cited appropriation has gone into an expired status, and the servicing agency has neither provided the ordered services nor has entered into an authorized contract with another entity to provide the ordered services. What must now be done with the obligated funds?
De-obligate
What is the term used for shifting funds between appropriations?
Transfer action
What is the long-term financial goal of a working capital fund?
To break even
A working capital fund has an officer (O-4) properly assigned to the organization and that officer is doing the work that would normally be performed by a GS-13. For managerial cost accounting purposes, is the “cost” of that officer’s pay and benefits “charged” at the military O-4 rate or the civilian GS-13 rate?
Civilian GS-13 rate (and the proper MILPER account is reimbursed for that amount)
Assume your organization overpaid a contractor on a contract awarded with an appropriation that is now in the cancelled status, and the contractor has sent in a check for that overpayment. What can your organization legally do with that refund from the contractor?
Credit the refund to miscellaneous receipts of the U.S. Treasury
Monies not appropriated by Congress that are generated primarily from the sale of goods and services are known as what?
Non-appropriated funds
The Defense Acquisition System is the management process that guides DoD acquisition programs and is basically the process by which programmatic risk is managed. What are the three programmatic risks that must be successfully managed?
Cost, Schedule, and Performance risks
What are the appropriations that may be used to fund an acquisition program?
RDT&E, Procurement, O&M, MILCON, and MILPERS
What is the term used to describe dollars shown in the life cycle cost estimate wherein the effects of inflation are not considered?
Base year dollars or Constant year dollars
What is the term used to describe dollars used for programming the budgeting purposes wherein the effects of inflation are considered?
Then-year dollars or Current year dollars
What cost structure does MIL-STD-881D represent?
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Which cost estimating method is based on direct comparison with historical information of one similar system?
Analogy Method
Which cost estimating method is known as a statistical method or top-down method?
Parametric Approach
Which cost estimating method requires extensive knowledge of the product or process?
Engineering Approach
What are the methods/steps in conducting a Delphi Technique?
Query expert opinion; Seek supporting rationale or information from each expert; Summarize results; Gather second opinion; Continue iteration until consensus or near-consensus is reached
What is the theory that as the quantity of output doubles, the man-hours required to produce the quantity decreases at a fixed rate?
Learning Curve Theory
What is the name of the integrated management tool intended to relate contractor actual performance on a contract to the contractor’s planned cost and schedule that measures the work progress in objective terms and that states the value of the work completed in dollars?
Earned Value Management System (EVMS)
What is the EVM-related term when there is a difference between budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) and actual cost of work performed (ACWP) on a cost reimbursable contract?
Cost Variance
What is the systematic approach to the problem of choosing the best method of allocating scarce resources to achieve a given objective?
Economic Analysis
Cost Savings, Cost Avoidance, and Productivity Improvements are examples of what type of cost benefits?
Quantifiable Benefits
In regards to measure of central tendency, what is a mean? A mode? A median?
Mean is the arithmetic average; Mode is the most frequent score in a distribution of scores; Median is the middle of arrayed values
What does correlation measure?
Correlation measures the degree of relationship between two or more variables
For a perfect correlation to exist, what would be the coefficient?
1
When evaluating a proposed investment or project with costs and benefits occurring not only in the current year but also future years, it is necessary to “bring back to today’s dollars” all those costs and benefits. What is this process determining?
Net Present Value of the proposed investment or project
What is a radical redesign of key business processes that involves examination of the fundamental process itself?
Business Process Reengineering (also called Business Process Innovation
To be successful, a BPR team should include individuals possessing what competencies and experiences?
A member who does not know the proves being reviewed; a member who knows the process being reviewed very well; Customer(s) of the process being reviewed; at least a member from organizations that would be impacted by a change; At least one technology guru; One or two of the “best and brightest” individuals of the organization; at one member from outside the impacted organization; and at least one senior person of the organization considering a change in the process (to provide support of the effort)-probably not an active member of the team
What is the suggested maximum number of participants on a reengineering team?
10
What is the process of measuring and comparing one’s performance against “best-in-class” organizations and then adapting the best practices of those organizations to improve one’s own performance?
Benchmarking
What law or regulation has as its goal the improvement of federal program effectiveness and public accountability by promoting a focus on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction?
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
in federal agencies, how often must strategic plans required under the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 be updated?
Every 4 years
Federal agencies are required to submit to OMB and Congress several financial-related reports on an annual basis. If the agency chooses to submit a consolidated report to satisfy that requirement, it is called the Performance and Accountability Report (PAR). Alternatively, the agency may submit separate financial reports. What report or reports has DoD chosen to submit to satisfy the requirement?
Agency Financial Report; Annual Performance Report; Summary of Performance and Financial Information
What is the term for anything produced by an organization that can be tabulated, calculated, or recorded and can be expressed in quantitative or qualitative measure?
Output or Output Measures
What is the term for an assessment of the manner and extent to which a program activity has achieved its intended objectives?
Program Evaluation
What is the name of the process in which the intent is to shift functions and responsibilities, in whole or in part, from the Government to the private sector?
Privatization
What is the name of the process in which a Government entity remains fully responsible of the provision of affected services and maintains control over management decisions, while another entity operates the function or performs the service?
Outsourcing
There are certain situations in which a DoD organization may retain funds that it receives from sources other than its normal appropriations or from providing reimbursable activities rather than sending those funds to the U.S. Treasury as Miscellaneous Receipts. What must exist in order for the organization to retain such funds?
Federal level legal authority (otherwise these funds must be sent to U.S. Treasury
What is the purpose of the National Security Strategy?
The purpose of the National Security Strategy is
Highest level strategy document in the US government
Not just military security
Includes global and regional trends, political, economic, and defense strategies
Published due in January of the second year of each Presidential Term
Updated annually or as needed (emergent changes ie Ukraine)
Who creates the National Security Strategy?
The National Security Strategy (NSS) emerges from the National Security Council.
What is the NMS and who created it?
The NMS is the National Military Strategy and is developed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) to address objectives in the DoD Strategic Plan that require a military response.
What is the SHD&CS and who creates it?
The Strategy for Homeland Defense and Civil Support (SHD&CS) is prepared by the Secretary of Defense to focus on demands on the Department of Defense concerning direct threats to the US and support of civil authorities.
Concerning the PPBE process, what does it stand for?
PPBE stands for Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution Process.
Concerning the PPBE process, who is responsible for the first P? And what is the goal?
The first P in PPBE is the Planning and is the responsibility of the Undersecretary of Defense (Policy) (USD(P)) . It is also known as the ‘What’ part of the process.
Concerning the PPBE process, who is responsible for the Second P? and what is the goal?
The second P of the PPBE is the Program and is the responsibility of the Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (D,CAPE) and is also knows as the How part of the process.
Concerning the PPBE process, who is responsible for the B?
The B of the PPBE is the Budget and is the responsibility of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer (USD(C)/CFO) and the goal is the “How Much” part of the process.
Concerning the PPBE process, who is responsible for the E?
The E of the PPBE is the Budget and is the responsibility of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer (USD(C)/CFO) and the goal is the “How Much” part of the process.
Concerning the PPBE process, what are the primary goals?
During the PPBE process, DoD:
Articulates its strategy to support the President’s larger National Security Strategy (NSS) and identifies the forces (equipment, basing, and personnel) necessary to execute its strategy.
Formulates a one-year budget and a four-year program plan
Decides what programs will be funded and how much of the total funds available will be spent on each program
What are the responsibilities of the 20 defense agencies?
The 20 Defense Agencies are responsible for select centralized support and service functions on a Department wide basis.
What did the Inspector General Act of 1978 accomplish?
The IG act of 1978 aligned the IG directly reporting to the SECDEF in order to conduct independent reviews of agency functions, they were not subordinated to any organization.
What was the initial name and acronym for the DoD?
The first name and acronym for the DoD was the National Military Establishment ie NME ie enemy…..
What year is the Budget Year?
The budget year is always 2 years out so if the date is April 2017 then the prior year is FY17, the ‘current year’ is FY17 (the funding year that is currently in congress being worked), the budget year is FY19 (the year that the budget is being worked for) and the following 4 years are part of the FYDP, FY21-21-22-23
What 5 things must be a part of the reimbursable order ie MIPR ie iwi?
1-in writing
2-between at least 2 parties
3-for a legal purpose
4-before funds expire
5-for a definitive level of goods and services
what enabling legislation was a part of the 2020 NDAA?
The 2020 NDAA included authorization for the creation of the Defense Counter Intelligence and Security Agency
What series of DoDD & DoDIs govern acquisition?
The 5000 series of DoDD & DoDIs governs all things related to acquisition.
What is the CCDR?
The CCDR is the Contractor Cost Data Report
What is one of the items included in the WBS?
The WBS - Work Breakdown Structure - Scope of a contract - must include all recurring and non-recurring costs which are to be included in the CCDR
What is the CAIV and how must it be managed?
CAIV is Cost as an Independent Variable and means that if costs rise in order to hold funding level one must cut back on the # of units or the performance characteristics or budget overrun will occur.
Who is responsible for preparing logistical, mobility, and strategic plans?
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff is responsible for preparing logistical, mobility, and strategic plans.
Who is responsible for preparing the National Defense Strategy and when?
The National Defense Strategy (NDS) is prepared by SECDEF and is required every 4 years.
What does RAM mean?
RAM is an acronym for Reliability, Availability and Maintainability
What are the 4 phases of team dynamics?
The 4 phases of team dynamics are Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing
What is another name for the NDS?
Another name for the National Defense Strategy is the DoD Strategic Plan
What is the strategic document sequence?
The sequence of strategic documents are:
National Security Strategy NSS - Signed by President
National Defense Strategy NDS - Signed by SECDEF
National Military Strategy NMS - Signed by CJCS
Strategy for Homeland Defense and Civil Strategy SHD&CS - Signed by SECDEF
What is the JMIP?
The JMIP is the Joint Military Intelligence Program which encompasses 7 Non-Defense elements, 2 Independent Agencies and 8 DoD elements. Part of the JMIP is the NIP - National Intelligence Program which supports CFO, ODNI Office of the Director of National Intelligence brought about by EO12333 and 50 USC section 3002 the National Security Act of 1947
What is the MIP?
The MIP is the Military Intelligence Program which is all Intelligence of the Military Departments that support tactical US Military Operations as in capabilities at COCOMs he and is overseen by USD(I) and is directed by DoDD 5205.12
What is & what is the method for computing APUC?
APUC is the Average Procurement Unit Cost which is computed by taking the total procurement $$$$ / total procurement quantity
What is the PAUC and how is it computed?
The PAUC is the Program Acquisition Unit Cost and it is computed by taking the Development $$$ + the Procurement $$$ + the MILCON $$$ / total # of fully configured end items (includes procurement and some RDT&E quantities)
From Bruce Tuckman’s Stages of Group Dynamics, what are the 5 ways of ‘Dealing’ with conflict?
According to Bruce Tuckman’s Stages of Group Dynamics, the 5 ways of ‘Dealing’ with conflict are:
Collaborating - 2 heads are better than 1
Competing - the person who takes the firmest stand wins - often the most senior (positional power)
Compromising - each person gives something up to reach consensus
Accommodating - 1 gives in
Avoiding - ‘walk away’ at the first sign of conflict
Concerning the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, what are its aims?
For the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, it’s aim is to make information on federal expenditures more easily accessible and transparent for the public
Concerning the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, what does it require?
For the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, it requires Treasury to establish common standards for financial data provided by all government agencies and expand the amount of data agencies must provide to the government website USA Spending.
Concerning the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, what are its purposes?
For the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, it’s purposes are to:
Disclose direct federal agency expenditures and link federal information to federal programs
Establish government-wide financial data standards
Simplify reporting for entries receiving federal funds
Improving the quality of data by holding federal agencies accountable of the completeness and accuracy of data submitted to a centralized data web site
Concerning the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, what is its bottom line?
For the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, it’s bottom line it to Focus on standardization of accounting terms, systems and report contents to enable the public to better understand the reported information and making the information available via a centralized web site.
