We have been supporting the Chief of Naval Operations since the 1990s. Our services focus on four highly specialized groups:
Policy and Programming
Our OPNAV Policy and Programming Group provides direct , on-site support to the Chief of Naval Operations. In addition to strong, first-hand working knowledge of the Plans, Programs and Budgeting System (PPBS), the group tracks policy at the Navy-wide level for applicability to the Surface and Expeditionary Warfare communities. Our personnel actively track and report on how new or changing Navy policies directly impact Surface Warfare interests. Critical areas include the evolution of mission capability-based analysis, "Vision, Presence, Power" and the Strategic Planning Guidance.
Our budget and programmatic support requires exacting proficiency in PPBS and a practical knowledge of how the process directly affects budget formulation and execution. Budgetary responsibilities include monitoring fiscal controls across appropriations, tracking execution year issues, executing reprogrammings and coordinating directed changes to the President's budget. Our Policy and Programming Group also plans and coordinates prominent Surface Warfare functions, manages information Web sites used by the Surface Warfare Officer community and identifies significant trends in officer retention.
All of our personnel are adept at developing and delivering briefs to all levels of Navy leadership and preparing senior-level documents, such as ESMs and Point Papers. The ability to research, organize, and prepare well-written reports and recommendations for action is also essential. Our personnel are experts in presenting to senior audiences and representing OPNAV interests to other communities and staffs, including Naval Sea Systems Command, the Joint Community, research laboratories, Congressional offices, and Industry. Above all, our personnel must be assertive, knowledgeable and articulate in representing OPNAV interests.
All personnel possess a SECRET clearance.
Surface Warfare Requirements and Liaison
We provide technical, analytical, and administrative support to several branches of the Surface Warfare Directorate within the Office of Naval Operations (OPNAV), including the Network Centric Systems and Integration Branch (N766), the Program and Budget Branch (N760) and the Surface Warfare Strategy and Alignment Branch (N761). Responsibilities of the Action Officers include developing and managing OPNAV requirements documentation, defending program budgets, developing point papers, correspondence, executive memorandums, and impact statements, working with the Program Offices for Program Objective Memorandum/Program Review process products, and representing OPNAV at meetings, events, tests, and exercises.
Congressional liaison support includes working with the Director of Navy Programs in analyzing Congressional legislation:
- Working with the Department of the Navy Program Information Center in answering Congressional inquiries
- Working with the Office of Legislative Affairs and the Department of the Navy Budget Office
- Providing updates of outstanding taskers assigned by DONPIC
- Providing legislative news updates along with House and Senate floor schedules
- Assisting Action Officers on proper response format for Congressional inquiries, hearings and briefs
- Providing periodic updates of Navy legislative events (Professional Staff Member briefs, Congressional visits, etc.).
We also track major hearings of the HASC/SASC and HAC-D/SAC-D, provide information on potential plus-ups or reductions in program funding, disseminate information for authorization/appropriations conferences, and answer general inquiries dealing with Congress.
All personnel are required to have a SECRET clearance.
Surface Warfare Budget and Plans
All action officers working in the Surface Ships and Missile Defense Group work within the framework of the Planning, Programming and Budgeting System (PPBS). Members of the group validate and in many cases develop individual, defendable program budgets in order to effectively advance the Navy's ships, combat systems, and infrastructure and shore facilities to meet current and future threats.
There are three budgets that define the Navy's current, future, and long-range plans. These are the Execution Year, President's, and Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP) budgets respectively. Our action officers are participants in the development and management of all three budgets simultaneously. We engage all stakeholders to include Navy Program Offices, Fleets, NAVSEA, OPNAV, SECNAV, and many others to ensure congruence amongst all budgets. Our continuity becomes a critical attribute.
Surface Warfare Finance and Administration
The Assessments and Programming Group provides financial management, program management, and administrative support to SEA 06. Financial services include planning program budgets and creating required budget submissions, developing a spending plan in conjunction with the program manager and using AUTODOC to send funds to various activities and contractors. These analysts are also actively involved in the strategic planning for POM and PR cycles.
We maintain a significant presence within the Warfare Integration and Assessments Directorate (N70). This group provides financial and program management functions to the Programming Branch (N705). Analysts in N70 are responsible for filling the role of appropriation analysts alongside both military and civilian personnel. They use PBIS, WINPAT, and NBTS to program funding. This group acts as a liaison between N70 and the Resource Sponsors within N6/N7. We also provide administrative support to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and to the Surface Warfare Development Group (SWDG), the latter located in Virginia Beach, VA. At MDA, we provide office management support.
The administrative and technical support at SWDG assists the development of Battle Groups' Interoperability Tactical Guides. An analyst also maintains a point of contact database with more than 6,600 entries. |
