ministry of defence - ideas management

Stuart LawsGEMS Scheme Manager

Ministry of DefenceIdeas Management

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Understanding the problem

• An inability to take tough, timely decisions in the Defence interest.

• Weaknesses in the Department’s ability to think strategically.

• Delivery arms which are disempowered and have their inputs micro-managed by the Head Office, but are not held to account for their outputs.

• Concerns with the profile and priority given to joint enabling military capabilities within Defence.

• Continuing inefficiency in the current model.

• Concerns over whether Defence makes the most effective use of the Service and civilian manpower.

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Defence Reform: Key Recommendations (of 53)

• Strengthen top level decision making - New smaller Defence Board chaired by SofS

• Smaller and more strategic Head Office- High level investment decisions, strategic direction, holding to account

• Focus Service Chiefs on running their Service- Empowered with greater freedom and accountability

• Strengthen financial and Performance Management- Legacy of affordability

• Improve ability to deliver joint capabilities- Create a Joint Forces Command

• Ensure enabling services are efficient, effective and professional- Create Defence Infrastructure and Defence Business Services

• Manage and use senior military and civilians more effectively- Longer postings, more transparency and career management

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New Defence Operating Model

Defence Secretary & Ministers

Head Office

DE&S

Air Command

Land Command

Navy Command

Defence Infrastructure

Defence BoardSofS, Min, PUS, CDS, DGFin, CDM, 3 NEDs

Defence BusinessServices

Fo

rce Elem

ents

Joint Forces Command

Enable Generate and Develop

Operate

Strategic requirement

& budget

CDS directive

Requirement & budget

Op

eration

s

Direct

Account

Ind

ustry

System

s & services

Acquire

Requirement

Proposed solution

Operations specific

requirement

Joint training requirement

Agree solution & budget

Proposed solution

PJHQDSFDSTL

Within Joint ForcesCommand

Prime Minister & National Security Council

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GEMS Background

• Introduced in April 1996 as the single Defence-wide suggestion scheme.

• Covers all MOD civilian and Service personnel, ex-employees, directly employed MOD contractors and their staff and agency staff.

• All staff covered by the GEMS Scheme have direct access to the scheme without the need for clearance or approval through their Line Management or Reporting Officer.

• Award decisions are devolved to the local level wherever possible to facilitate a prompt response to those contributing suggestions.

• Not a substitute for reporting shortcomings in materiel, design or health & safety procedures through the normal administrative channels or for rewarding good work.

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Purpose

Primary Aims of the Scheme– Promote and Encourage Ideas that

improve efficiency or organisation within the Department

– Improve Ways of Working

Secondary Aim of the Scheme– Save the Department Money

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GEMS – Past Suggestions

Rapid Deployment Vehicle Citadel ConceptThe proposal was to use the RDVs as a first echelon communications “Citadel” that could be quickly air transported into hostile environments. They would then operate independently, with little or no assistance from any other outside agencies.Communications equipment would be contained within four air transportable Land Rovers and trailers, providing satellite rear links, high speed data transfer, RAF CCIS, J2 systems, secure voice capability, as well as UHF, VHF and long hall H.F. communications.In addition to carrying the communications equipment, the RDV Citadel would also form the command post, and carry a purpose built tent designed and developed to facilitate this.

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Safe handling of splinted carbon fibre helicopter bladesMilitary helicopters are fitted with rotor blades constructed of carbon fibre composite which, in the event of a crash, tend to shatter producing shards of thin, strong carbon fibre composite. These may also be contaminated with body fluids or human tissue presenting a serious risk of injury or exposure to viruses to those responsible for recovering the wreckage.Traditionally, splintered rotor blades were placed into thick polythene tubing, but the shards frequently punctured the polythene, leaving the sharp ends exposed. This proposal suggested using a roll of industrial cling-film tightly wrapped around the splintered blade which gathered all the splintered ends together, thus minimising the risk of injury to personnel.

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Development of the Rail RackDue to the lack of maintenance facilities, the narrow gauge locomotive fleet at DMC Eastriggs was not being adequately being maintained. The Defence Rail & Container Services management declared this to be unacceptable on safety grounds and subsequently threatened to withdraw the locomotives used at DMC Eastriggs from service.To address this problem, a group of 3 suggestors devised a modified Drops Flat-Rack to transport the locomotives the 7 miles to DMC Longtown where essential maintenance and repairs could be carried out. The flat-rack was dropped at the end of an open section of track and the locomotive driven on. Safe transportation to DMC Longtown could then take place and then by putting the rack onto an elevating hoist, unimpeded access could be gained to the underside of the locomotive for servicing.

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Enhanced Vehicle Protection SystemInitiated by the upsurge of terrorist attacks on UK forces in Iraq, this GEMS suggestion proposed a method of providing additional protection to the cabs of “B” type vehicles such as Land Rovers and Trucks etc.The suggestion consists of fitting locally manufactured armour packs to the vehicles. The packs are made up of curtains containing body armour plates fixed to the front, sides and rear of the cabs, with further enhancements made to the crew seating and floor pans of the vehicles. This additional armour has been fully assessed for engineering quality, safety, and cost and has now been fully endorsed by the equipment IPTs for use in theatre.

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RN Mobile Learning Project

The RN Mobile Learning Project’s principal aim is to improve the pre-career course preparation (and subsequent pass rates) by RN trainees through the utilisation of innovative mobile technology. The use of rapid authorising software has enabled MWS staff to capture the content of mathematics and engineering lessons and publish them in recognised multimedia formats and bandwidths, both for on and off-line use. The Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) is one such Mobile Learning Technology and utilises the most recent hardware and software developments, harnessing the gaming platform understanding of today’s young trainee in a way never before exploited.

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Development of Apache Helicopter’s Forward Servicing PackageThe suggestion was to replace the 300 hour service, which took 75 days, with a smaller Forward Servicing Package. This package would cover all critical depth inspections in the forward area whilst dropping all non-necessary airworthiness checks. The Forward Servicing Package was trialled in OP HERRICK, with the time taken (approx 2 days) being equivalent to that needed to prepare an Apache for Air Transportation back to the UK for depth servicing – no additional manpower was required for the trial. Evidence from this trial and other concurrent trials were presented to the MOD and Boeing, to allow a direct, real time comparison of design assumptions with in-use experience. Subsequent development has led to the consideration of a 450 hour Forward Servicing Package and a 900 hour Depth Service, which is estimated as creating savings in excess of £11.9M over the first 3 years of implementation.

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Financial Achievements

Fin Year # Suggestions # Awarded Value of Awards

Value of Savings

05/06 972 732 £239,010 £12,144,090

06/07 520 672 £173,318 £6,686,410

07/08 2,284 259 £68,466 £16,214,665

08/09 1,174 560 £334,132 £9,489,764

09/10 1,800 881 £220,992 £28,528,454

10/11 1,621 597 £148,273 £13,800,000

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Questions?