Project Management support for businesses in need
Chemring Australia, the leading Australian manufacturer and supplier of airborne countermeasures, reached out the Systematiq for professional services support to deliver LAND 500 to the Commonwealth Government.
The contract, valued at up to $18 million, saw Army’s obsolete inventory of Manpack Electronic Surveillance systems replaced by Chemring’s ‘Resolve 3’ system.
Although Chemring had a small project team in the UK where the systems were manufactured, they required localised support in Australia to guide the delivery of the ASDEFCON Statement of Work (SOW).
Systematiq provided Project Management Organisation (PMO) services to Chemring in Australia to coordinate their Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and ensure successful delivery of the project.
Steve Dartnell, the then General Manager of Force Protection at Chemring Australia, commented:
“Chemring Australia’s core business is manufacturing, and Land 500 was our first major capital acquisition project win. We didn’t have the expertise in-house to guide us through the process of delivering a complex capital acquisition project for Defence, so we looked for a partner to provide us with that capability.”
Through discussions with Chemring, Systematiq assessed that they required a dedicated Project Manager who would be embedded into Chemring to assist with delivering the Statement of Work (SOW). This resource would also become the coordinator for additional services required to meet the SOW as needed by the contract.
Dougal Pidgeon, the Systematiq Project Lead of the contract at the time, commented on the importance of Defence industry knowledge and expertise when engaging with clients and the Commonwealth: “Knowing the contract and having a thorough understanding of the ASDEFCON framework is essential when leading a client through the delivery process.”
Comprehensive PMO and Surge Support
Systematiq provided a range of PMO services to Chemring through the course of the project delivery, including a dedicated project manager with specialised experience in managing the ASDEFCON Statement of Work.
As the project progressed, other Systematiq personnel were called in to assist with elements of the delivery. This supplemental team provided additional support when required across a range of deliverables and responsibilities throughout the project, such as updating the Contracted Master Schedule, compiling Contract Status Reports and managing the successful conduct of Mandated System Reviews.
Dougal Pidgeon notes the value of flexibility on the capability side of Systematiq, and having a range of resources on standby to support projects: “The ability to have embedded people into the client organisation helped to maintain effective relationships, which could also quickly call upon external support as required.”
Unlocking success for complex projects
Through the provision of Systematiq’s expert PMO support, Chemring successfully delivered the LAND 500 project.
Steve Dartnell commented on the value Systematiq brought to Chemring: “Systematiq was an ideal fit, providing us with access to a range of personnel with an understanding of Defence’s acquisition process – not just the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’.”
He continues by attributing Systematiq’s contribution to the successful delivery of the project. “That we were able to deliver the Resolve systems along with the range of engineering and support CDRLs required as part of the contract –on time and on budget, was due in the main to the excellent professional support we received from the Systematiq team.”
Through Systematiq’s effective management of a large team of Chemring's people based in the UK, and the support of the additional surge resources when necessary, the cost of the project was maintained, and LAND 500 was delivered on time and budget.
In addition, having an experienced Systematiq project manager embedded into the Chemring team helped them identify opportunities to bring forward deliverables and realise cashflow faster than anticipated. Overall, this resource enabled Chemring to secure an additional $3M in revenue on the project, as he was able to assist in negotiations in providing additional value to the Commonwealth.
Filling capability gaps and creating value
Systematiq offers expert project management specialists that can deliver large-scale, complex projects end to end.
Where greater capability resourcing is required, we offer embedded and flexible surge resources to address gaps and keep your projects on schedule and budget. Our expert PMO specialists are ready
to mobilise and move your project forward.
