PMS 385 Program

By providing professional support services (PSS) for the Strategic and Theater Sealift Program Office, (PMS 385) our team supports the Program Executive Office, Ships (PEO SHIPS). Our experts oversee areas of program management, business and financial management, systems engineering support, production planning and production engineering, test and evaluation, and integrated logistics support. Sayres was awarded our PSS contract in 2018 as a small business set-aside, while the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) and Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) programs were expected to be in their final years of construction. As Sayres graduated to a large business, several additional EPF and ESB hulls were awarded to their shipbuilders. In addition, Sayres has been involved with the initial stages of the Common Hull Auxiliary Multipurpose Platform (CHAMP) program acquisition process. This area has grown to include future submarine tenders AS(X), new construction and procurement of previously owned sealift ships T-AK(X), and future hospital ships T-AH(X).

This support contract served as an opportunity for Sayres to lead as the prime contractor for a complex shipbuilding acquisition and construction program. Sayres structured and assembled a resourceful and enthusiastic team with the expertise to execute the support efforts required of this very dynamic program office. Despite the initial assumptions for the future of EPF and ESB construction, the Sayres team quickly adjusted support plans when additional ships were added to the program, while continuing to operate within original fiscal constraints. Our team has also been influential in guiding program personnel during the initial stages of the various CHAMP platforms. With the EPF and ESB product lines being in their latter stages of acquisition, it had been several years since the program had to respond to the requirement associated with early stages.

During the past 3+ years supporting PMS 385 since being awarded the PSS contract, the Sayres team has assembled a lean organization that has consistently executed below the manhour ceilings established at contract award. Shortly after contract award, program office leadership indicated a desire to maintain support levels below those that had been provided by prior awardees. While this direction was clear, program leadership also shared a requirement to maintain and improve quality of deliverables provided to their personnel. The experience levels that the Sayres team brought to the support group, either through new personnel or recruiting members previously supporting the program, have met and exceeded these requirements. With established teams in Washington, DC; Mobile, AL; San Diego, CA; Bath, ME; and Norfolk, VA, Sayres has the geographical presence in the areas where the program offices require on-site support. When new opportunities and requirements were identified, the Sayres team quickly established support in these areas. One example of this has been the on-site support provided during ESB post-delivery availabilities (PSAs) and Voyage Repair Availabilities (VRAVs).