CMMI is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes. An appraisal at Maturity Level 3 indicates the organization is performing at a “defined” level. At this level, processes are well characterized and understood, and are described in standards, procedures, tools, and methods. The organization’s standard processes, which are the basis for Maturity Level 3, are established and improved over time.

Spalding was notified of its rating by Carnegie Mellon University on March 16^th. Further information on the rating can be found on SEI’s Published Appraisal Results System (PARS), Web site:  sas.sei.cmu.edu/pars.

According To Barry Spalding, President of Spalding, “Achieving a CMMI® Maturity Level 3 rating offers our customers the confidence of knowing our work products are built according to best practices for our industry and that we are committed to the continuous improvement of our quality and service.”

Spalding provides professional information technology and financial management services to the Department of Defense and other U.S. Government agencies. Spalding is a small business founded in 2001. The company’s services span the IT life cycle, focusing on project management, systems development, program support, operations and maintenance, information assurance, and network engineering. For additional information, visit their Web site:  www.scipax.com.

The SEI is a U.S. Department of Defense federally funded research and development center operated by Carnegie Mellon University. The SEI helps organizations make measured improvements in their software engineering capabilities by providing technical leadership to advance the practice of software engineering.

2011 Community Contributions

• Patuxent River Naval Air Museum
• St. Mary’s Hospital
• Women in Defense
• Special Olympics
• Hospice of St. Mary’s
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Cosmic Symphony Orchestra
• Chopticon High School
• St. Mary’s Babe Ruth League
• Southern Maryland GiveCamp
• Relay for Life/American Cancer Society
• St. Mary’s County Public Schools Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Program
• Leah’s House, Inc.
• Teacher grants through Armed Forces Electronics and Communication Association  (AFCEA)
• Chesapeake Charter School
• King’s Christian Academy
• Father Andrew White School
• College of Southern Maryland
• Great Mills Golf Team
• St. Mary’s Girls Lacrosse
• Maryland Sheriff’s Association

November 12, 2010, Lexington Park, MD – Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense.

Spalding Consulting, an information technology, program management and data management contractor, recently opened a new office in Lexington Park in addition to its Great Mills office. The company also expanded its marketing arm, adding a media representative and planning an open house for early next year.

With this expansion of non-billable, overhead activity, you would think that no one told this company of 100 employees about Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ plans to reduce outsourcing in what some local leaders have bitterly dubbed the “global war on contractors.”

But owner and founder Barry Spalding said he is well aware that trying times are ahead for the Southern Maryland contracting community. And he and his staff have no intention of taking it lying down. “We’ve decided to counter that by spending money, rather than hiding and hoping for the best,” Spalding said at the company’s new Lexington Park offices, jokingly called “Spalding North” by employees.

The office smells like optimism — fresh paint, clean carpet and new furniture. The only things hanging on the wall are two pieces of artwork in the conference room. You would never guess this company is nearly 10 years old.

“We’re fortunate to be a small business in the government arena,” Spalding said. “It’s been a good year.”

According to the company, revenue has increased by 250 percent in the last three years, nearly topping $20 million. Lisa Clark, vice president of business intelligence, credits this surge to a solid foundation of “slow, steady, sustainable growth” built in the previous seven years.

According to Bob Schaller, director of economic development for St. Mary’s, Spalding’s quiet, steady rise is reflected in other local contracting firms that have carved a unique service niche.

“There are a lot of pockets of rapid growth,” Schaller said. “They tend to stay below the radar. … They’re not beholden to one customer, and that’s why they’re able to grow.” Schaller noted that small, niche firms face less risk than more generalized support service firms, saying, “If you’re kind of a general, more homogenized service, you’re going to be affected by [government] insourcing.”

One of Spalding’s niches is searching and organizing data from NAVAIR’s massive DECKPLATE maintenance database into actionable intelligence. The system tracks part replacement on Navy aircraft, and Spalding uses these records to determine which parts are wearing down too quickly and how they are affected by environmental conditions.

Spalding said his company surgically chooses which contracts to pursue, applying for only those it can do well.

“We’re going to focus on our strengths,” Spalding said of obtaining future contracts. “We’re very competitive.”

This article originally published in The Enterprise; view it online at http://www.somdnews.com/stories/11122010/entemil162641_32310.shtml

Headlining presenters included Rear Adm. Timothy Matthews, commander, Fleet Readiness Centers and assistant commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations, Naval Air Systems Command and Capt. Michael Kelly, commanding officer of Fleet Readiness for South West Centers.

Matthews commended the technology noting that ‘‘DECKPLATE is the backbone of our data system.”

The FLi event was supported across departments with participation including NAVAIR, HQMC, SPAWAR and U.S. Navy Reservs.

FLi DECKPLATE successfully facilitated knowledge sharing, information integration and user feedback gathering for future initiatives for the approximately 300 users who attended.

The overwhelming demand for further training and information has generated the follow-on 2011 FLi DECKPLATE for East Coast DECKPLATE users, scheduled for early Spring 2011.

For more information, visit the FLi DECKPLATE website at www.navair.navy.mil⁄logistics⁄fliDeckplate.html.

To learn more about the upcoming FLi or ongoing DECKPLATE training, call Chris Hawes at 301-757-8868.

This article originally published in Tester; view it online at http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/102810/tester_28334.shtml

Spalding Consulting, Inc., (www.scipax.com) is a leading small business professional services firm specializing in the areas of Program Management, Information Technology (IT), Government Financial Management and SAP Integration Solutions. Founded in 2001, the company has built a reputation on superior customer service and consistent delivery of innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies.

Spalding’s new South office is located at 46611 Corporate Drive, Suite 103, Lexington Park, MD 20653 and can be reached by phone at (301) 737-0150. Spalding North is located at 46610 Expedition Drive, Suite 200, Lexington Park, MD 20653 and can be reached by phone at (301) 866-0150.

This article originally published in The Baynet; view it online at  http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID

Under Seaport-e Task Order M803 Spalding will manage and provide leadership for the Naval Aviation Logistics Data Analysis (NALDA) and DECision Knowledge Programming for Logistics Analysis and Technical Evaluation (DECKPLATE) Program at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) 6.8.4.

SeaPort-e was designed to facilitate performance-based service acquisition of support services for all phases of weapon systems acquisition and life cycle support including research and development support, prototyping, acquisition logistics, modeling, test and evaluation trials, and engineering support for the Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Naval Supply Systems Command, Military Sealift Command, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Strategic Systems Programs, and the United States Marine Corps.

The Government estimates a maximum of $5.3B of services will be procured per year via orders issued under the SeaPort-e multiple award contract. The contract award has a four-year base period with one five-year award term and one additional one-year award term. The contracts are the latest awards under the SeaPort-e initiative. There are currently 150 contracts already awarded under the multibillion-dollar acquisition program.