Contigency contracting: analyzing support to Air Force missions in Iraqi freedom.

Dr Michael Hammer, a recognized leader in the field of process reengineering, notes four principles of measurement: measure what matters, rather than what is convenient or traditional; measure what matters most, rather than everything; measure what can be controlled, rather than what can not be controlled; and measure what has impact on desired business goals, rather than ends in themselves. This edition of the Journal presents two featured articles: "Contingency Contracting: Analyzing Support to Air Force Missions in Iraqi Freedom" and "Aligning Maintenance Metrics: Improving C-5 TNMCM."

In "Contingency Contracting: Analyzing Support to Air Force Missions in Iraqi Freedom" the authors demonstrate how a database of contingency contracting officer (CCO) purchases can be a powerful analytic tool to inform and support policy decisions and initiatives for CCO staffing and training, combat support planning, and sharing lessons within the theater.

The second featured article is part two of a three-part series that examines total not mission capable maintenance (TNMCM) rates for the C-5 fleet. The research demonstrated that home station logistics departure reliability (HSLDR) is aligned with neither aircraft availability nor TNMCM. Maintainers at the wing level work to support operational effectiveness; however, higher levels of Air Force supervision appear more focused on improving strategic readiness. This disconnect in priorities was determined to be a root cause of the C-5 TNMCM rate being below Air Force standards.

This article is dedicated to the memory of C, Robert Roll, PhD, a great friend and a scholar,

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