NAVSEA Hosts Surface Ship TMA Conference

The Naval Sea Systems Command's (NAVSEA) Fleet Naval Engineering Group and Maintenance Process Improvement team (FNEG & MPI) hosted the semi-annual surface ship Top Management Attention (TMA) meeting Oct. 18-20 at the Washington Navy Yard.

Representatives from 27 different Navy activities were on hand to discuss 384 current fleet maintenance issues, close 44 items, and generate 28 new action items into the TMA/Top Management Issues (TMI) process.

"The TMA process provides a great forum for all of the players to discuss fleet maintenance issues, and more importantly, a forum to find solutions for these problems," said Capt. Robert Verbos, fleet advocate and head of FNEG & MPI. "With that in mind, I believe this was a very successful meeting."

Three maintenance items were selected by the TMA committee for flag-level review at the next TMI meeting, tentatively scheduled for January. The three items, which will be presented at TMI for funding consideration, include shipboard Oil-Water Separator Systems, Improved Paint Detection Systems and Preservation Initiatives.

FNEG & MPI's Engineering for Reduced Maintenance (ERM) program had five items introduced into the TMA/TMI process for fiscal year 2006. These items include Insertable Stalk Inspection System, Mechanically Adjustable Chocks, Stern Tube Seals, Variable Speed Drives, and Combat Systems.

FNEG & MPI works closely with Fleet Forces Command in its fleet advocacy role to streamline naval maintenance practices through the TMA/TMI program, which NAVSEA's Ship Design, Integration and Engineering Directorate manages. The program saves the fleet valuable time and reduces cost while increasing shipboard material condition readiness through TMA.

The TMA/TMI semi-annual meetings for surface ship issues have been facilitated by FNEG & MPI since 1995. The process was refreshed in 2002 with the establishment of a structured system induction and problem resolution process.