Managing an R&D contract with the government

Formal project-management procedures, required for U.S. Government contract execution, provide a basis for management of R&D-intensive projects within AT&T. A $19.7-million R&D contract, awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), provided an opportunity for the gallium arsenide (GaAs), integrated-circuit (IC) project team to develop basic project-management procedures that extend well beyond the realm of government-contract management. For example, the project-management approach developed for execution of the DARPA contract is directly applicable to the product-realization process, to emerging quality and productivity initiatives, and to fiscal accountability in AT&T's strategic business units (SBUs). Baseline planning becomes the cornerstone for critical SBU projects, and formal milestone tracking and control ensure high-level visibility of project progress. Product-development teams become customer champions for specific deliverables, and the core strength of a project-management department emphasizes a business-like approach to the R&D challenges of the 1990s.