DLA selects acting CIO

The main architect for the Defense Logistics Agency's effort to retire two mainframe-based logistics systems recently became DLA's acting chief information officer.

Mae de Vincentis, DLA's program executive officer for business systems modernization, became acting CIO two weeks ago, said Navy Capt. Ted Case, DLA's associate director of information operations, Fort Belvoir, Va.

De Vincentis took over for Joanne Arnett, who had served as DLA's CIO and director of information operations since February 2000. After a long civilian career that included serving as deputy CIO for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Arnett is retiring from federal service next month, according to an industry source.

DLA officials plan to retire their Standard Automated Materiel Management System and Defense Integrated Subsistence Management System through the five-year, $398.8 million Business Systems Modernization program. The agency selected Andersen Consulting, now known as Accenture, in August 2000 to develop and field an SAP America Inc.-based BSM system through a blanket purchase agreement.

In addition to BSM, a potential headache for de Vincentis is the Joint Electronic Commerce Program, which DLA manages for the Defense Department. Featured in a General Accounting Office report last year, JECPO's DOD E-Mall has been criticized for failing appeal to a wide group of vendors to sell products to the military. JECPO now allows its vendors to store pricing catalogs on their own servers, which helps take E-Mall users to the vendor sites.

De Vincentis previously served as the executive director for information systems and technology for the Defense Logistics Support Command, a subordinate DLA command.

She was not available for comment.