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Update: Defense Security Assistance Management System - DSAMS - software evaluation

DISAM Journal, Fall, 2000 by Nels E. Berdahl

The feature article of the summer DISAM Journal of 1998 discussed the background and development methodology of the Defense Security Assistance Management System (DSAMS). This article describes some of the new features of DSAMS and also provides an update on changes to case processing that were delivered when Release 6 was deployed to all DSAMS sites in August 2000.

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DSAMS was first used by some Navy activities to write foreign military sales (FMS) cases in February of 1998. This first module was called the Case Development Module or CDM and is represented by DSAMS Releases 1 through 5. Army went live with DSAMS CDM in December of 1998, and Air Force began use of DSAMS CDM in July of 1999. The initial use of DSAMS presented a number of challenges for both users and developers. Case data had to be converted from the old systems, some business processes (and jobs) had to be redesigned, software installation problems had to be resolved, and the initial group of users had to be trained. Since the implementing agencies moved into DSAMS over a period of time, there were adequate resources to address and solve problems. Release 6 deployment, however, was the first deployment of significant new functionality to all users at one time. Release 6 represents the Case Implementation Module or CIM, although it also builds considerably on CDM.

The DSAMS team tested and deployed DSAMS Release 6 (R6) in August 2000 following a year of intensive programming, testing, program fixes, and training. Implementing agencies, the development team at the Defense Security Assistance Development Center in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, the DSAMS Program Management Office, and DSAMS contract personnel all contributed to a successful launch of Release 6. Because of the nature of Release 6 functionality, the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) also became actively engaged in Release 6 deployment. Defense Finance Accounting Service-Denver users received training and the software is now part of the DFAS software environment.

Release 6 - New Functionality

Leases

New DSAMS functionality deployed with Release 6 includes the ability to write leases. Leases can now be developed, tracked, and printed using DSAMS. A link can be made between the lease and the related support FMS cases. Leases may be authorized under the AECA, Chapter 6, when it is determined that there are compelling foreign policy and national security reasons for providing such articles on a lease, rather than a sale, basis and that the articles are not currently needed for public use.

Processing of leases in DSAMS is similar to the processing of an FMS case in terms of recording milestones and changing document status. The lease detail window is similar to the case detail window in structure, and is linked to a DSAMS customer request. Lease lines are alpha characters, and all line information including pricing is entered into a single lease line window.

Both leases and lease amendments can now be produced in DSAMS, in addition to:

* Lease Certificate of Determination - The certificate of determination is included with the draft lease when it is forwarded for Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) coordination and countersignature. The certificate provides the detailed rationale for leasing the proposed items versus selling them.

* Lease Certificate of Delivery - The certificate of delivery is often included with leased items when they are delivered to a foreign customer. The certificate lists the name and quantity of items being delivered for the specified lease.

* Summary Lease Report - This report lists the number of all leases by country.

* Summary of Leases Expiring in (..) Days - This report lists all leases (by country) that are scheduled to expire in the number of days specified by the user. Only implemented leases are included in this report. Any leases where the material has been returned or the lease renewed will not be included.

* Summary of Expired Leases - This report will list the summary of all leases (by country) that have expired as of the date entered by the user.

* DSCA Quarterly Lease Report - This report lists significant information about all open leases (including expired leases that have not been closed). This report is submitted to the DSCA Operations Directorate Management Division (with a copy to DFAS-DE) no later than thirty days after the end of each quarter. The leases printed will be selected based on a date entered by the user upon initiating report generation from the menu. Only leases that have not been closed out by this date will be printed.

Before R6 deployment, these documents (lease, lease amendments and required lease reports) were prepared "off line" and tracked manually or with manual input to a spreadsheet. Each implementing agency with open leases indicated an intent to "retrofit" open leases to DSAMS to consolidate and simplify the tracking and reporting of leases.

Letters of Intent

DSAMS now provides for the development and tracking of Letters of Intent (LOI). Letters of Intent are used on an exceptional basis to authorize expenditures for a relatively small portion of a major Letter of Acceptance (LOA), which has not yet been implemented. Examples of use might include early purchase of castings or start of training to allow a program to proceed on schedule.

Manufacturing Industry

Update: Defense Security Assistance Management System - DSAMS - software evaluation

DISAM Journal, Fall, 2000 by Nels E. Berdahl

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