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In her August 30
letter Ragena Aarnio, Manager, Business Operations and Business Services,
responds to a letter from one of our members, Barbara Bradshaw.
Unfortunately Ms. Aarnio continues the FAA policy of half truths and
distortions concerning the A76 outsourcing process being conducted on the
flight service station (FSS) employees.
Ms. Aarnio implies that somehow the DOT IG report of December 2001 is
responsible for this process. Actually the IG report merely identified
potential savings due to consolidation of facilities -- it did not advocate
outsourcing air traffic control. No one at FAA will take ownership of that
decision.
Similarly Ms. Aarnio tries to make the case that this outsourcing process
will somehow magically make the service more efficient and reduce costs. In
truth, the current state of FSS equipment and facilities is due to FAA
neglect and mismanagement, a fact cited in a number of IG reports.
Ms. Aarnio states that a minimum of $478.5 million will be saved over five
years by outsourcing. What she doesn�t reveal is that the FAA has a
budgetary shortfall of $225 million during the next two fiscal years because
of a failure to preplan this process prior to initiation.
As to Ms. Aarnio�s assertions that the FAA is following established
competition procedures of the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76;
that is certainly not established by the evidence. The FAA initiated the
process in May, 2002 without following any of the guidance OMB provides
regarding the aforementioned preplanning. Due to this oversight and the
resulting budgetary shortfall, the FAA is now trying to deny the affected
employees of their rights to full severance pay.
Ms. Aarnio�s statement that "politics are not involved with this process"
effectively destroys her remaining credibility. The FAA has publicly stated
that the President�s Management Agenda is a driver for this process and that
the FSS study meets the goal for the entire Department of Transportation.
Clearly politics is the only motivation for conducting this process.
NAATS made an innovative proposal to the FAA Administrator last summer that
would result in cost savings of $600 million over seven years. Unlike the
A76 process, our proposal would enhance the services FSS controllers
currently provide. Unfortunately this proposal was rejected but we stand by
our concept and are willing to work with the FAA to implement and realize
the efficiencies identified.
Bottom line -- this expensive study is ill-considered and unnecessary. We
should all be working toward a feasible modernization system that could
actually be implemented. NAATS is prepared to do its part. If, however, the
FAA is determined to outsource this aspect of air traffic control then they
should make the case without the smoke and mirrors.
Wally Pike
NAATS President
11303 Amherst Avenue, Suite 4
Wheaton, MD 20902
Phone (301) 933-6228
Fax (301) 933-3902
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