The NextGen JPDO Model of Interagency Planning

Abstract

Abstract : The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is a Congressionally-mandated (Vision 100 Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, December 2003) multi-agency and public-private initiative to transform the air transportation system to meet the Nation's future needs. NextGen is intended to simultaneously address multiple objectives, including increased capacity, improved efficiency, better safety and security, and reduced environmental impact. In addition to developing and deploying hardware and software, NextGen addresses the roles and responsibilities of the organizations and people that operate and use the system and the policies and processes that govern its operation. NextGen is a transformation of the total enterprise. The inherent complexity of such an endeavor requires that it is implemented in an evolutionary fashion to successively build out integrated capabilities, while managing risk and allowing inevitable course corrections. The Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) was formed as a part of the Vision 100 legislation to create and carryout an integrated plan for NextGen. Within the first year, the JPDO completed the top-level integrated plan to set specific objectives and strategies. Since then the JPDO has developed the more detailed multi-agency NextGen Plan that is meant to guide the transformation. The JPDO is now also performing substantial systems and portfolio analysis to provide decision support for the evolution towards NextGen. This paper will detail the characteristics of the NextGen enterprise, how those characteristics drive the approach to planning and facilitation that the JPDO has taken, and, finally, provide insight on the structure and utilization of the multi-agency NextGen Plan.