Business Resilience is more than just having a plan - get inspired about futureproofing & rethinking critical initiatives

Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) include similar elements of program management, risk assessment, emergency management, and security - organized and integrated into well-defined and systematic processes that allow for the identification of the potential consequences of disruption. The development of continuity plans, recovery strategies, and other plans to counter those consequences. 

The current pandemic, violent storms, and the annual hurricane season are examples of common threats to private & public organizations, which coupled with heighten societal tensions, make continuity/recovery/contingency planning even more critical. 

Continuity Of Operation Planning (COOP)

Continuity of Operations (COOP) is the initiative that ensures that Federal (and other: e.g., State, County, and Municipal) Government departments and agencies can continue operation of essential functions under a broad range of circumstances including all-hazard emergencies as well as natural, human-made, and technological threats and national security emergencies. The National Continuity Policy Implementation Plan (NCPIP) and the National Security Presidential Directive-51 / Homeland Security Presidential Directive-20 (NSPD-51/HSPD-20) define the requirements of a COOP. It is an extensive effort within individual executive departments & agencies to ensure Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEFs) continue to be performed during emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies.

In the current circumstances, many organizations and agencies are relying on contracted services to draft, test, and maintain their #BCP and #COOP; however, transitioning from that model to a sustainable in-house one has many benefits. DGCpartners and its alliance partners are experienced and proficient in providing Resiliency Services (i.e., Business Continuity Planning and Continuity of Operations Planning), having supported several high-profile agencies and clients with complex central & dispersed operating models. We provide comprehensive Continuity Services (with a twist). Building & training internal client teams to meet their unique and challenging continuity program needs. The resulting plans incorporate risk management, emergency management, and continuity principles & practices (codified in relevant standards and guidelines) - leveraged by our assessment, optimization, training, continuity, and other IT process improvement work. 

The Twist

The twist I referred to is that we ‘parachute-in’ (bringing the best, not the bus) and work directly (elbow-to-elbow) with your leadership, operations, and continuity teams to ensure ownership and adoption that lead to sustainable results and long-term success.

More on COOPs

As noted above, many commercial entities have similar plans. A Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) is often called business continuity planning (BCP) or a disaster planning or recovery plan (DRP). Unlike agencies, businesses not mandated to maintain or are even required to have these plans. Many do so so proactively to minimize economic damage during & after a crisis. Increasingly, these plans are becoming a necessity for businesses and we will likely see them mandated by the company’s board of directors, investors, and insurers in the future.

There is a range of different techniques and strategies that can be part of a Continuity of Operations Plan. It is just good business for all entities to create fault-tolerant systems and redundant storage so sensitive data is secure and maintained through an emergency. This type of optimization can include investing in redundant hardware systems so that an office can still function if a local site is disrupted. A plethora of other types/forms of Continuity of Operations planning involves planning for individual processes and application systems to continue directly after a crisis. Sophisticated continuity-savvy planners can create hardened systems to fail-over, as well as for moving data and operations off-site as a contingency to be applied in an emergency situation.

In the throes of the #COVID19 pandemic, organization resilience (regardless if commercial business or government agency) has moved to the forefront. The value of preparedness for disruptive events can now both qualified, quantified, and prioritized. Shouldn't you be futureproofing and reassessing the priority of initiatives, before you wish you had.

Documents referenced

1. National Continuity Policy Implementation Plan (NCPIP)
2. National Security Presidential Directive-51 (NSPD-51)
3. Homeland Security Presidential Directive-20 (HSPD-20)
4. Security and Resilience — Business Continuity Management Systems — Requirements (ISO 22301:2019)

ABOUT

DGCpartners has deep experience in Resilience programs and applies expertise in support of customers having missions requiring robust continuity capability. Also, the process provides a comprehensive suite of evaluation, optimization, testing, and exercise services focused on enhancing program effectiveness. Our evaluation and analysis tools measure continuity program elements, e.g., strategies, plans, procedures, resources, risk management, alternate facilities, mutual agreements, and delegations of authority). DGCpartners also designs and delivers flexible, scaled Continuity exercise support needed by customers to meet their specific requirements. Our exercise support offerings range from Discussion-Based Exercises such as seminars, workshops, and table-top exercises (TTX), to Operations-Based Exercises such as functional and full-scale exercises (FSX). In all cases, we develop exercises using industry-recognized systematic methodologies and best-practices.

DGCpartners is a small, innovative, veteran-owned, and independent management consulting firm helping clients gain control of costs and schedule for their most strategic initiatives.

Don Gleason has over 20 years of quality, program management, and performance excellence experience, including many years as a CIO. He provides C-Level advice, serving as PPM/PMO, ITIL, and Lean consultant, and as a practice leader for DGCpartners, UHG-Optum, IBM, Keane, General Dynamics-BIW, and BRP Consulting. Don has managed multiple large high-value initiatives (government and commercial), programs and projects, and teams simultaneously, while continuously fostering creativity and innovation (across various industries.) - with a strong history and proven track record of turning around sub-optimal situations and equipping organizations with a competitive advantage through business process and technology innovation.

If you need help determining where to start, we will help you triage your situation, and together we can craft a management plan and make things happen. 

Give us a call today: 207.200.7650 so we can start the journey to sustaining successes.

To get you started on the right path that uses your team to assure a sustainable transformation & change management - Reach out to me here on LinkedIn, Twitter, or through DGCpartners

Please Like, Comment, and Share as you see fit! And, as always: Make it a great day!