Original Date: 09/14/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Hughes (now Raytheon) had established an Integrated Product Team (IPT) for U.S. Air Force Plant 44 (AFP44). IPT works as a comprehensive project management/communications tool among organizations, including the Air Force, EPA, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and Raytheon Missile Systems Company (RMSC). This tool is uniquely applied to environmental programs and projects, and sets up a teamed organizational structure with representatives from each organization who handle specific areas of concern.

Prior to IPTs, communications between RMSC and the Air Force were disorganized which often resulted in duplications, delays, and cost over-runs. RMSC recognized the need to streamline and simplify its method of communication, and reorganized its team to resemble the Air Force’s method. Two groups were established: the IPT, consisting of coordinating management, facilities, compliance, pollution prevention (P2), restoration, contracting, and program/financial management; and the IPT Support, consisting of safety, health and environmental affairs, explosive safety, legal, public affairs, security, and fire protection.

Joint meetings or teleconferences are held quarterly, while the RMSC IPT meets monthly. This approach significantly enhanced communications, and streamlined the coordination of government funded projects between the two remotely located organizations. RMSC also reduced approval responses for the Air Force project from six months to one month. Change in scope processes, which typically took nine to 18 months, can now be completed in about three months.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.