Analyzing the U.S. Marine Corps Enterprise Information Technology Framework for IT Acquisition and Portfolio Governance

Abstract

This research examined the ongoing development of a Marine Corps-wide, enterprise architecture (EA) approach for assessing the IT planning and investment process, including IT-related programs of record. The EA-approach to an architecture known as the Marine Corps Information Enterprise Technology Strategy (MCIENT-S) is intended to transition Marine Corps into the 21st century by providing Marine Corps leadership with superior decision support. This study evaluated planning and implementation strategies against Return on Investment (ROI) and requirements-based Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA) processes in their contrasting measures of effectiveness. By analyzing the current and proposed additional IT investment performance metrics to enhance the enterprise architecture, the study learned of the need to conduct an organizational analysis of the Marine Corps IT development and portfolio management process. The study begins with a baseline understanding of the current financial environment of EA; from the initial and rapid growth in defense-specific IT acquisitions since 9/11 into the current fiscally constrained environment of FY2013. The rising trend of the last decade of defense (IT) investment yields its own unintended consequences. One noted conclusion is that some procurements have unfortunately occurred outside the intended parameters of the enterprise architecture framework and the DoD acquisition process and thereby created consequences in the IT governance. One recommendation for the Marine Corps leadership is to develop a systematic process to link the MCIENT-S and its two primary ROI processes, Capital Planning Investment Control (CPIC) and Information Technology Steering Group (ITSG), to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC) requirements based CBA process.