Initiatives for Improving Marine Corps, DON and DOD Business Process

1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO SOLICIT IDEAS
FOR IMPROVING MARINE CORPS BUSINESS PROCESSES THAT HAVE APPLICATION
FOR THE DON OR THE DOD BUSINESS INITIATIVES COUNCIL (BIC) IN
RESPONSE TO ACTING SECNAV TASKING. 
 
2. THE MARINE CORPS BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (MCBE) OFFICE IS THE HQMC
EXECUTIVE AGENT FOR THE MARINE CORPS BUSINESS REFORM/IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM. IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADVOCATING NEW IDEAS, ADVANCING
THOSE THAT HAVE PROMISE, AND PROMULGATING THOSE THAT WORK. IT
REPRESENTS THE MARINE CORPS IN THE BIC PROCESS.

3. SUGGESTIONS FOR BUSINESS PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD APPLY
TO THE DOD OR THE DON BIC SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE MCBE OFFICE. A
SUBMISSION FORM AND INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE MCBE WEB
SITE (HTTP:LRHOME.HQMC.USMC.MIL/BUSPLAN1.NSF/MAIN?OPENFRAMESET)
UNDER THE "BUSINESS INITIATIVE COUNCIL CATEGORY". INITIATIVES MAY
BE SUBMITTED VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AT ANY TIME VIA E-MAIL TO DR.
ERIC WEST AT WESTEE@HQMC.USMC.MIL. THE MCBE OFFICE WILL EVALUATE
ALL SUGGESTIONS AND FORWARD THEM TO THE DON AND/OR DOD AS
APPROPRIATE.

4. TO PROMOTE PROMISING IDEAS, A "MARINE CORPS PRODUCTIVITY
INVESTMENT ACCOUNT" (MCPIA) HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE MODEST
AMOUNTS OF EXECUTION YEAR FUNDS FOR IMMEDIATE FUNDING. THE
SUBMISSION FORM ON THE ABOVE WEB PAGE CONTAINS A FIELD (PARA 11) TO
REQUEST USE OF THIS FUNDING SOURCE. THE WEB SITE ALSO CONTAINS A
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOUNT AND THE EVALUATION PROCESS THAT WILL BE
USED TO APPROVE FUNDING. 
 
5. SOME EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT
WILL AFFECT THE MARINE CORPS ARE:
(1) WEB-BASED RECEIPTING AND INVOICING THAT WILL PERMIT FASTER
PAYMENTS TO VENDORS AND REDUCE THE $40+M THE DOD CURRENTLY PAYS
ANNUALLY IN INTEREST PENALTIES; 
(2) A MARINE CORPS INITITATIVE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO INTRODUCE BRAND
NEW TECHNOLOGIES DURING PROGRAM EXECUTION THEREBY FIELDING MORE 
UP-TO-DATE EQUIPMENT; 
(3) STEAMLINING OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM RESPONSIBILITIES
WHICH GREATLY INCREASED INTEROPERABILITY DURING OPERATION IRAQI
FREEDOM; AND 
(4) AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO MITIGATE PROBLEMS OF INSTALLATION
ENCROACHMENT WHICH WILL IMPACT ON A NUMBER OF MARINE BASES WHERE
CIVILIAN COMMUNITIES ARE BEING BUILT CLOSE TO THE PERIMETER. 

THESE INITIATIVES, TOGETHER WITH OTHER INTERNAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS
THE INCREASED USE OF ACTIVITY BASED COSTING DATA, HAVE COLLECTIVELY
CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE CORPS BUSINESS
PROCESSES. 

6. IN LIGHT OF THE BENEFITS AND IN RESPONSE TO THE REFERENCE, EACH
COMMAND AND HQMC STAFF ELEMENT ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT TO THE MCBE
OFFICE ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, AT LEAST ONE NEW INITIATIVE THAT WOULD
LIKELY IMPROVE PERFORMANCE WITHIN OUR BUSINESS ENTERPRISE. 

7. THE POC FOR BUSINESS PERFORMANCE INITIATIVES AND THE MCPIA FUND
IS DR. ERIC E. WEST, HQMC (LR), AT DSN 224-5804.