The U.S. Navy Seals Approach to Contract Management

The U.S. Navy Seals team that found and killed Osama Bin Laden was mission focused.  They planned, acted, and went home.  Except for the 'search and destroy' element, there is a nice parallel for management consultants with this approach – plan, act, depart – in working on projects.  Consultants do this in their normal approach to client work.  They do not linger and do not bill time not doing work.  The client pays for the work and not for ‘wait’ time.  We suggest this should be the norm in working on contracts with the federal government, or any entity that has broad needs. 

Since no one person or small group (company) can have all that is needed to address every issue that may arise within a large organization, a means to have available talent, experience, and resources to meet needs is key. Navy Seals teams are assembled to represent all the expertise needed for each engagement.

Traditionally, management consultants and their firms work on a range of projects and don't remain long with any single client.  Very large consulting firms tend to 'win' one project after another because of their size and breadth.  Effectively the clients buy needed services off of a ‘menu’ and when the service (meal) is complete, the consultant and client part company (except for large firms who have more than one 'menu').  This approach when applied to needs within a federal agency has the potential to be very efficient and cost effective.  Small firms and individual consultants can provide such needs by joining forces with each other.  

We suggest that one approach is to have a small business with access to a large cadre of talented consultants become that menu-driven provider of services, with the potential for adding new menu items as the situation dictates (like the Navy Seals adding another expert to their team).  The difference between this small team and the large firm approach is that the large firm has high overhead and personnel costs that they cannot ignore.  The small team approach does not have the same cost burden because each of the team members is an independent entity that manages their own costs.  Thus, the client gets the services needed without the additional expense of a large parent organization.  Importantly, the small team approach (because its members can be moved about) can continuously bring in best-in-class expertise that the large firms cannot, since their personnel are already set in place.  Just like the Navy Seals, the small team is flexible and agile.  It does not have the hierarchical structure that will slow decision making found in large firms.  The client benefits because decisions can be made on the spot.

So what is needed for a Navy Seals Team approach?

1. 'Flat' team (small hierarchical structure) with a large national footprint to access talent and resources
2. Easily accessible by the client
3. Proven administrative and financial ability to support multiple teams
4. Strong infrastructure for financial management, knowledge management, and project management
5. Electronically capable to support enhanced communications with clients and team members
6. Proven ability to successfully manage multiple projects with demonstrated flexibility and agility in support of client’s unexpected needs
7. Proven capacity to 'partner' and manage client expectations to client’s satisfaction
8. Defined processes to leverage collective knowledge – ‘think tank team’
9. Talented certified personnel to serve as project directors, managers, and project staff
10. Linkage to best practices, professional association, and other subject matter experts
11. Third-party awards and recognition that validate claims of excellence
12. Bound by a third-party independent Professional Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

© Baldwin H. Tom CMC
www.tbgroupconsultants.com