11 April 2023
AFCEA LA Chapter
Speaker:
Jeremy Leader, Director, Commercial Services Office (COMSO), SSC, USSF
On job update:
I moved to A2/6 doing warfighting communications. It’s really cool to see the synergies.
Q&A
On COMSO helping SSC
Q: How does COMSO help SSC buy before build?
We do it in a couple ways. We stood up about a year ago. We’re really focused on the contractual and financial infrastructure. I think that’s still part of our core mission. It’s expanded and shifted in areas. I’ll be looking at a lot more things than just services. The Office is a lot more than services. It’s anything and everything commercial. Hopefully we’ll change the way we do market research going forward. There will be a few minor changes that get after this.
On how companies should engage
Q: If a company is working a SpaceWERX SIBIR, what’s the best forum to connect?
One is SSC Front Door. They have monthly industry events. I work closely with them. We have one 17-18 May for AI/ML and space analytics. I’d recommend not to just wait for the events. Contact SSC Front Door directly.
On Front Door response delays
Q: Front Door is having response challenges. How can we get faster responses?
They are getting a lot of outreach. Here is my email. If you don’t get a response from the Front Door within 48 hours, I will get back to you quickly. If they’re dropping the ball I’ll definitely pick it back up for them. Jeremy.leader.1@spaceforce.mil
On international engagement
Q: Does COMSO look at international companies?
Yes but in partnership with SSC/IA. It’s also allowing foreign commercial companies to be able to be accessed by the military.
On focus areas
Q: Focus areas getting started?
Getting started, initially, ISR. Right now, we’re really looking at the transition of Commercial Satcom Office. My first priority is to get the tactical milestones and get the transitions. We have some other tactical milestones, getting an accounting system to utilize the funds. That’s all foundational to go fast and smart. That working capital fund is something a lot of other orgs don’t have. It can help a lot. That transition was my number one priority and we’ve made progress. Number two, maintaining and transitioning SDA marketplace. Barb Golf and those folks at SSC did a great job at utilizing the data in the marketplace. DoC is using this for STM.
On challenges
Q: What challenges are you facing?
We don’t have an emblem yet. We’re working that. A lot of the challenges, they’re bureaucratic. A lot is our own making. Others are just doing things differently and some folks don’t like to do that.
On COMSO PEO
Q: Is there a PEO for COMSO? Will they get one?
Yes this is a change that’s being considered in the very near future.
On tech areas of interest
Q: Tech areas SSC is most interested in?
Baselining activities, we need to have that. We also need the ability to be able to go after game changing things as they pop up. A lot of good mission areas. One I’m interested in is alternative PNT. Another but not super high priority militarily, getting communications and PNT out to the moon and beyond.
On CASR
Q: Updates on CASR?
We’ll have a roadmap here soon. It will be very incentive structure heavy…
On PIC
Q: Does COMSO get involved in PIC construct?
Engagement touchpoints is really with PEOs and SWAC. That’s where commercial capabilities need to be part of force design and then emerging things that come up need to be on SSIO radar. I’ve been less involved directly but indirectly through SSIO and SWAC.
On COMSO and SSC FD partnership
Q: How do you envision COMSO interacting with Front Door staff?
Planning and presenting events are key things. We’re working closely with the FD on collaboration tools we’d use but other agencies to consolidate our information. Again we want to change the way we do market research. All the information needs to be able to flow.
On COMSO execution
Q: COMSO execution and timelines?
This is an advantage of having the working capital fund. It enables so many things. It makes the most sense when you have a lot of users for a capability… We’re also working with NGA, NRO on things like tactical ISR. Big story here in the very near future hopefully…
On PEOs and SIBIR
Q: If a company has completed a SIBIR, could a PEO issue a SIBIR phase III contract?
I think that’s possible. It goes back to when I say setting up a marketplace. You have the offers and you can put those types of things out there. The Consortium construct works well but it doesn’t work as well when you have hundreds of companies going for the same contract and lose speed. We want competition and speed. It helps set up some focus.
On SSC and alternate PNT
Q: How is SSC working the alternate PNT when the other services have their alternate?
There’s a lot that needs to change to get after all PNT. Technical issues and policy issues so we can ingest signals other than GPS. Then the technical piece, I’d say MGUE is not the only thing that can accept PNT. We need to approach this from all the above.
On COMSO and SSIO partnership
Q: How does COMSO coordinate with Space Systems Integration Office?
Most of the interaction has been through S staff. There’s the S staff role similar to A staff. There’s an interesting dynamic. A lot of the interaction has been with the governance and processes that they’re setting up. It’s across the board.
On satcom transition
Q: Satcom piece, Sept 2024 transition, is that happening?
Yes. Memo that set the transition date to 2024. Yes there will be transition but, DISA has some long contracts they have in place, I think we negotiated that SSC has the ability to approve or not approve those options... Some will extend beyond the MOA.
[End]
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