NCI hires ex-Army IT expert

The Army official who helped launched the military's first Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) procurement will join NCI Information Systems Inc.

John Grobmeier today joined the vendor, located in Reston, Va., as senior vice president and will oversee its Information Technology Enterprise Solutions (ITES) contract award. Grobmeier comes to NCI from Computer Sciences Corp.

The $1 billion ITES program aims to change the way the Army buys hardware, software and IT services. ITES procurements rely on performance-based contracting, a method in which vendors are asked how to solve an IT problem instead of being told what to do.

On Oct. 21, 2003, the Army awarded ITES support services contracts to NCI and four other vendors. On Sept. 15, officials awarded ITES hardware deals to four firms. They will soon announce the first project planned using ITES.

Grobmeier spent 26 years in the Army in several IT positions including program manager of tactical radio communications systems and director of IT acquisition. The retired colonel managed the first JTRS procurement, called Cluster 1, for Army ground and air vehicles.

"John's extensive Army background as well as his pioneering successes leading Army IT transformation will be extremely beneficial to NCI and the ITES program as we continue to support the overall Army Enterprise transformation efforts," said Terry Glasgow, NCI's executive vice president for federal programs and deputy chief operating officer, in a statement today.