Immersion Team Wins Inaugural DoD Icon Award for Travel System Program Management

ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Immersion Consulting Group, a provider of program management support to the Department of Defense (DoD), is pleased to announce that the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) has awarded the company's SUBPAC Travel Improvement Team the inaugural Icon Award-Western Region. The award was presented June 10 at the DTMO Western Conference in Denver, for Immersion's creation and implementation of a program to expand the use of the Defense Travel System across the U.S. Navy Submarine Fleet Command (COMSUBPAC).

"We will accept collateral recognition for this award, but it's actually recognizing the achievements of the 'One Office, One Voice' program created and fostered by the team with the support of all of the tenant commands within COMSUBPAC," said Dan Smalley, CEO of Immersion.

Prior to 2008, the Defense Travel System (DTS) was not embraced, centrally-billed account (CBA) usage was unchecked, and individually billed credit cards, or IBAs, were the exception. At the direction of the COMSUBPAC comptroller's office, led by Cdr. Kurt Chivers, Immersion's three-person team developed, implemented and currently sustains a completely revamped travel program. "One Office, One Voice" saved the Navy $159,000 in 2009 by moving travelers to the DTS, reducing the use of CBAs and increasing the use of IBAs. It is the only travel program in any of the Navy commands that mandates use of DTS for both ashore and afloat commands.

The initial program was authored and engineered by Immersion's Robert Barnett, the SUBPAC program manager. The team added David Deluise as assistant program manager and PAC Northwest operations manager James Maier, with support from COMSUBPAC budget analysts Karen Otaguro and Merle Perez.

"Without the tremendous support and team work from all members of the COMSUBPAC tenant commands, the COMSUBPAC Travel Improvement Team process would not be as effective and accurate as it has been for the past three years," Chivers said.

As part of the program, the Travel Improvement Team established the Navy's first travel program desk guide for sailors and an assistance desk. It has been such a success that a subsequent contract to replicate the program across the entire Pacific Fleet has been awarded to Immersion.

About Immersion Consulting

Based in Annapolis, Md., the Immersion Consulting is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that has been improving processes, enterprise systems and cost-efficiency of government travel for customers throughout the Department of Defense (DoD). Immersion's history includes focusing solely on the needs of DoD agencies and being a trusted leader of change: from providing training and implementation to guiding policy. DoD and other government agencies can access Immersion's solutions via their Web site, at http://www.immersioninc.com.

SOURCE Immersion Consulting LLC