The Army has paused its migration to enterprise email to conform with new acquisition rules put in place by the National Defense Authorization Act that was signed into law December 31.
In anticipation of the law, the Army paused migration on December 29 with 302,257 Army and Joint Staff users on enterprise email. Migration scheduled for the first quarter of 2012 will be rescheduled with the delay impacting approximately 234,000 Outlook user mailboxes and 400,000 webmail-only users, Army Deputy Chief Information Officer Mike Krieger said.
According to Krieger, the Army will develop a new non-classified network (NIPRnet) migration schedule that is expected by February 1. The transition for secure network (SIPRnet) migration will continue as scheduled for April 1 and should not be affected.
From Krieger:
Here’s what we expect to happen over the next several months as a result.
The NDAA requires the Secretary of the Army to designate Enterprise Email a formal acquisition program with the Army Acquisition Executive as the milestone decision authority.
In addition, the Secretary must submit a report to the congressional defense committees regarding program specifics, including requirements, an analysis of alternatives and expected costs and savings. The Army may not expend any FY12 funds on migration to Enterprise Email until 30 days after the required report is delivered to Congress.
However, the NDAA permits sustainment and maintenance of already migrated accounts and the day-to-day provisioning of new mailboxes/accounts in organizations that have completed migration.
Report preparation is under way and I estimate we will complete it by January 18.
The report will subsequently be coordinated with Office of the Secretary of Defense. Expected submission to Congress is February 15, 2012.
