Improving Efficiencies in the Aerospace and Defence Sector with Oracle Primavera Unifier

RPC is delighted to announce the commencement of a new project, working with MBDA Missile Systems to deliver a configured Unifier system to supplement MBDA’s Programme & Project Management System across the UK, France and Italy.

MBDA is a multi-national group with more than 11,500 employees working together across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom and also in the USA. It is the only European defence group capable of designing and producing missiles and missile systems to meet the whole range of current and future needs of the three armed forces: land, sea and air. The company currently has 45 missile systems and countermeasures products in in operational service worldwide and more than 15 programs currently in development. 

Project Performance Management and Reporting

MBDA currently manages their cost processes using a combination of SAP, Primavera, ARM and Excel-based tools operating across four countries and at Group level. These systems are different in structure and set-up and have various complexity, customisation, size, and numbers of users, resulting in data inconsistency and inefficiencies. 

Our configuration and implementation of Oracle Primavera Unifier will enable the client to fulfil their Portfolio, Programme and Project Management requirements with one solution, including Earned Value reporting via the RPC EVM Solution. The result will offer savings in cost, time and efficiency together with a reliable single source of data for simplified reporting. 

Ultimately, shareable project data from individual country operations will be collected into one ‘International’ Unifier set of project data, delivering clear operational benefits to the customer. 

Phased Approach

The project will be delivered in phases, starting with the configuration and release of the Cost Management and Earned Value functionality in the UK, followed by Italy and France. Further Unifier functionality may be deployed in subsequent phases.

Using our Rapid Application Development approach, RPC will configure an Oracle Primavera Unifier solution that will enable MBDA to realise benefits in numerous key functionality areas:

• Enhanced PMO environment (~200/250 users)
• Administration (Core functionality, budget initialisation & approval (delegated user), templates, data cubes, dashboards)
• Baseline Management (setting, approval (delegated user), change management)
• EVM & Performance Management (Schedule, project time distributed cost, EVM Sheet)
• Integration with Primavera P6, SAP, Deviprop (semi-automated (large data import/export tool) or automated)
• Reporting (Portfolio/Programme/Project) & Analytics (trend, Work Package Estimate At Complete (EAC), Estimate to Complete (ETC), report packs, dashboards)

Subsequent phases will extend this to a multi-user environment of around 2,000+ users, introduce automated interfaces with other business tools for the import / export of data, offer full electronic budget approval across an expanded user base, full change management approval of workflows and enhanced reporting, including further reports and analytics. 

Driving towards a reliable, single source of data

Mike Jones, Group Head of the Project Management Office at MBDA, reflects on the future benefits of the move to a Unifier implementation: “We are excited about the forthcoming implementation of the Unifier System and very much looking forward to receiving the support and expertise of RPC to facilitate this implementation alongside our team. MBDA are driving towards a reliable single source of data for our Portfolio, Programme and Project reporting, including Performance Baselines and Earned Value Management.”

RPC: Aerospace and Defence is our space

MBDA is a joint venture of the three European leaders in aerospace and defence: Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Leonardo (25%). RPC is excited to be part of MBDA’s work with a project that helps to cement RPC’s reputation in this space.