Independent Verification and Validation Services
Global Union provides
Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) services to the
Integrated Partners Management (IPM) initiative for the Federal
Student Aid organization. Utilizing a targeted, risk-based
approach, the Global Union IV&V Team independently verifies and
validates that the IPM solution is developed in accordance with
project objectives, Government/Federal Student Aid
requirements, and sound development practices. The Global Union
IV&V Team, acting as the Federal Student Aid’s trusted agent, ensures that the
government has full visibility into system development of the IPM solution, the IPM solution meets stated goals and objectives,
and the IPM solution conforms to all applicable Federal and
agency System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) requirements.
Key
tasks include:
- IV&V planning/coordination support to the Federal
Student Aid IPM Program
- Risk Analysis
- Independent Life Cycle Management Verification &
Validation support for all IPM
- Phases and Components (e.g. Pre-Development: Business
Process Reengineering, Requirements, Design, and Operations
Planning for IPM. Phase I: Code and Test and Implementation
and Maintenance)
- IV&V of Contractors Implemented IPM Project Management,
IT, and Operations Processes and Contractual Requirements
- Independent Verification of IPM IT Security Program-
Effectiveness and Compliance to Applicable Federal
Guidelines including Certification & Accreditation (C&A)
- Maintainability Assessments and Compliance Reviews
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The Common Services for Borrowers (CSB) Initiative merges all front and back-office services for the Federal Student Loan System including loan repayment, collection, consolidation, credit management, and disability discharge tracking into one integrated system. BSC Systems and their subcontractor, Global Union, have provided the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid organization IV&V services for CSB under four successive contract instruments since December 1, 2003. The BSC-Global Team’s support includes IV&V support in the areas of systems development, security, accounting, and operations.
- Assessed CSB program risks and developed IV&V
strategy, IV&V approach, and IV&V Plan
- Performed reviews of all development products and
processes and participated in Readiness Reviews for
Federal Student Aid
- Performed independent review of test program and
test activities for each phase
- Prepared independent Requirements Verification Matrix
and established requirements traceability
- Provided “Go/No Go” recommendations at Production
Readiness Reviews (PRRs)
- Performed Security Risk Assessment of CSB Systems
for Phases I and II
- Provided Security Certification and Accreditation
Support
- Performed IV&V of accounting controls in compliance
with Federal guidelines
- Performed IV&V of outsourced business operations
including mail processing, call and data centers, and
validation of related performance metrics
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The Harpoon command-launch control systems performs mission
planning and launch of missiles from a variety of ships,
aircraft, and submarines.
Global Union, provided the following IV&V functions for the
development of these systems:
- Perform continuing and proactive risk assessment
- Ensure system requirements are correct, consistent,
and properly documented
- Analyze concepts of operation for
effectiveness/consistency with external systems
- Trace system requirements to design and to system test
descriptions/ procedures
- Ensure system architecture and design meet
requirements
- Assess requirements/design specifications for internal
and external interfaces
- Analyze developer’s software development process and
CASE tools
- Support design reviews and in-process reviews
- Review and assess developer’s test program
- Conduct independent testing at developer's site and
at U.S. Navy labs
- Witness formal qualification testing, analysis of
test results, and recommendations for acceptance
- Review developer’s software quality metrics for
independent assessment of development status, progress, and
risk
- Perform software life cycle cost estimation and ROI analyses
- Perform independent safety analyses as well as
security certification and accreditation support
- Participate on Configuration Control Boards
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Quality Engineering Services
For the past three (3) years, Global Union has provided Quality Engineering
(QE) services support to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and
selected CFO staff organizations.
Examples of QE Program tasking in support of DHS RMTO
organization (DHS CFO business process reengineering (BPR)
initiative to improve financial/resource management IT systems
supporting DHS components) include:
- Developed Quality Assurance Handbook for Resource
Management Transformation Office
- Developed and implemented database system for tracking
program deliverables
- Performed process reviews for major program process
areas, including COTS acquisition approach and Conference
Room Pilot demonstrations and provided recommendations for
improvement
- Provided Subject Matter Expertise for business process
reengineering (BPR) initiatives, as directed
- Performed independent assessments and identified/
monitored major risk areas
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