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Air Force Publishing eliminates outsourcing and Adobe FrameMaker with Microsoft Word and Intelligent Content software from Ictect

SITUATION

The Air Force Departmental Publishing Office (AFDPO) is providing publishing services for customers around the globe. Headquartered at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, DC, AFDPO provides current access to policy, guidance, and procedures essential for operational effectiveness and mission accomplishment.

To allow official Air Force publications to be readily available to Airmen, AFDPO maintains and manages the e-Publishing (e-Pubs) website www.e-publishing.af.mil. This public website provides Major Commands (MAJCOMs), Field Operating Agencies (FOAs), Direct Reporting Units (DRUs), and base and wing-level organizations, quick access to the policy and guidance needed to perform their duties. The Air Force website states, “The accuracy and currency of the e-Publishing website is paramount.”

Publishing processes and procedures are found in the Department of Air Force Manual (DAFMAN) 90-161. The manual provides guidance related to document structure and content including numbering, required statements, plain language concepts, acronyms, references, formatting requirements, etc. Final documents in PDF format are published on the e-Pubs website and a companion XML document is also created.

Below is a partial list of publication types that AFDPO manages:

  • Policy Directives
  • Mission Directives
  • Guidance Memorandums
  • Inter-service Publications
  • Operating Instructions
  • Supplements
  • Pamphlets
  • Installation Publications

The Air Force was outsourcing the tasks of checking publications, formatting, creating XML, and integrating changes. The outsourcing process was costly and time consuming. The outsourcing company and Air Force staff needed to use Adobe Frame Maker, which was difficult to learn. The Air Force sought to change the process.

AF Document

Ictect has delivered Word-based software within a 6-months period, meeting stringent security requirements from the 844th Communications Squadron and the Air Force.”

SOLUTION

The Air Force, using a full and open competition, solicited responses from industry for modernizing its publishing process and moving operations in-house with an easy-to-use software. Ictect proposed a solution to move to a single product for all publications – Microsoft Word with its patented Intelligent Content software. After an extensive evaluation process, the Air Force selected Ictect to implement the software for its publications.

Ms. Spencer-Gallucci, Director of the Air Force Departmental Publishing Office, appreciated Ictect’s effort in a successful implementation, and stated:

“Since the award of the contract, Ictect personnel have worked closely with AFDPO staff in providing implementation, support and training for the software. Ictect’s accomplishments, to date, include the following:

  • Ictect has delivered Word-based software within a 6-months period, meeting stringent security requirements from the 844th Communications Squadron and the Air Force.
  • Ictect has successfully provided the tagging, formatting, supplement integration and interim change integration functionality with their product.
  • Ictect has worked closely with all analysts to assure that the software is easy to use.
  • Ictect software has proven flexible and able to accommodate variations in the documents that come from the Air Force Headquarters (HQ), Major Commands (MAJCOMs), and various Offices of Primary Responsibility (OPRs).”

Ictect software allows the Air Force to provide accurate, properly formatted, and timely publications for mission accomplishment. The software eliminated Adobe Frame Maker software, outsourcing tasks, such as XML creation, and delivered significant cost savings. On a 5-year basis, the Air Force saved over 60% cost using the software and reduced the average publishing time from 29 days to 11 days.

AFDPO Director Ms. Spencer-Gallucci said, “We are very satisfied with the product and services that Ictect has delivered and value Ictect as a trusted partner for fulfilling our operational mission and moving our vision of electronic publishing forward.”