Photo By William Farrow | The DD1391 Processor System (PAX) assists in the justification in support of funding...... read more read more
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Military construction, or MILCON, isn’t a mission accomplished by the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville (Huntsville Center). However, military construction doesn’t happen without Huntsville Center.
As the designated Department of Defense construction agent, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has the responsibility for delivery of facilities and infrastructure supporting the DOD services and other Defense Agencies.
Bryan Simpkins, Systems Cost Division Automated Systems Branch chief, said before a shovel turns dirt on a new MILCON project, the first step in the process begins at Huntsville Center.
Simpkins’ branch consists of more than 20 engineers and analysts supporting the Programming and Execution (PAX) DD Form1391 Processor System, a software suite used to submit documented requirements along with planning and program construction costs (estimates represent 30% design or less Design Build, Design Bid Build, or Adapt Bid Build) necessary for the submittal of MILCON projects.
The DD1391 Processor System assists in the justification in support of funding request for military construction projects submitted to Congress via the Presidential Budget Book, Simpkins said.
One of the important aspects of the system, Simpkins said, is its reliability.
Since 1980, Huntsville Center is the assigned responsible agency for the DD Form 1391 Processor System and the Automated Systems Branch is responsible for the system’s operation maintenance.
“It’s a mature, stable system,” Simpkins said. “It is continually updated, and we rarely have crashes unless there is an agency level network issue.”
Simpkins said there are associated modules of the DD Form 1391 PAX that are vital for planning projects.
The DD1390 module is used to record each installation’s program in relation to personnel strengths, real property improvements, mission and functions.
The ENG3086 module assists the USACE MILCON District and Division personnel with preparation and submission of the ENG 3086 Form(s). The CA1391 module is available only to headquarters-level personnel for creating potential Congressional Adds.
Additionally, the PAX program maintains applications representing cost area, economic analysis, and information systems cost area.
Users can access the apps in the field to generate estimates without connectivity to the PAX 1391 System. Once the user returns from the field, the estimates can be uploaded directly to the PAX 1391 System for their specific project when connectivity is restored.
The PAX DD 1391 Processor System currently supports most of the DoD agencies and is hopeful to be the OSD system of record for all agency development soon.
When the Army requires new MILCON they rely on the geographically aligned Districts within USACE to provide construction management necessary to build facilities supporting the men and women serving at an installation.
Typically, Navy and Coast Guard use Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command as their design construction agent and the Air Force uses Air Force Civil Engineer Center.
However, NAVFAC is implementing the use of PAX in Navy MILCON projects.
Taylor Bair, NAVFAC HQ program manager for MILCON Budget Justification and Project Development Systems, said the system is working well for NAVFAC project managers.
"We can't express enough how impressed we are with the PAX system and the entire team behind it. The developers have created a truly intuitive and user-friendly platform that has streamlined our operations significantly,” Bair said.
She said the Center’s PAX team's commitment to continually adding new modules and features to fit their needs, means they constantly finding ways to further improve NAVFAC’s processes through PAX.
“Beyond the technology itself, the training staff are exceptional,” she said.
“They provide comprehensive and engaging training sessions that equip our team with the knowledge and skills to confidently utilize all PAX's features. Their dedication to our success was evident in their patience and willingness to go the extra mile to ensure we were comfortable with the system.”
Bair said it's evident that the Center’s PAX team poured their expertise into every aspect of the design, resulting in a system that is both powerful and easy to navigate.
“Overall, implementing PAX has been a success for our organization, thanks in large part to the hard work and dedication of the program managers, development team and training team at PAX."
Huntsville Center’s Automated Systems Branch also includes and maintains the Tri-Service Cost Engineering Systems (TRACES) suite of tools as a separate program.
“TRACES applications further assist cost engineers worldwide and throughout the DOD and non-DoD agencies to develop cost estimates supporting greater than 30% design in the case of MII,” Simpkins said.
*The PAX DD Form 1391 Processor System offers helpdesk support to the user community via email (Paxspt-huntsville@usace.army.mil) and phone (256-895-1838).
Email (for functionality support): tracessupport@usace.army.mil
Email (for government contact): TRACES@usace.army.mil
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2025 16:02 |
| Story ID: | 492019 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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