Accenture, AF activate new financial system

Accenture Ltd. and Air Force officials have tested and launched a new enterprisewide accounting and fiscal management system for the Air Force.

The new system is the first step in replacing several older financial systems and is intended to help the Air Force manage its operations more efficiently and at a lower cost, Accenture said in a news release.

The first phase of Spiral 1 of the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System (DEAMS) replaces the commitment accounting functions currently provided by the Air Force's Automated Business Services System.

The company expects to finish the second phase of the project, which will complete the Spiral 1 implementation, later this year. Future releases will improve processes for cost accounting, purchase requests, accounts payable and disbursement, financial obligations, collections and customer billing.

DEAMS 1 is based on Oracle e-business commercial software. The 554th Electronic System Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is responsible for program development. Scott Air Force Base, near Belleville, Ill., is tasked with the implementation because of its role as headquarters for the Air Mobility Command, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Force Communications Agency.

The new financial management system is an attempt to bring positive lessons learned from private-sector business transformation to the Defense Department, Accenture said. The company is doing the work under a five-year, $79 million contract to design, build and implement the system awarded last year.

Accenture of Hamilton, Bermuda, ranks No. 28 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.