Enterprise Software Initiative

Overview
The Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) is a joint project designed to implement a true software enterprise management process within the Department of Defense (DoD). By pooling commercial software requirements and presenting a single negotiating position to leading software vendors, ESI provides pricing advantages not otherwise available to individual Services and Agencies. Twenty-three software best practices have been identified and adopted by the ESI Working Group, leading toward a DoD-wide business process for acquiring, distributing and managing Enterprise Software. The ESI vision is “Point and Click IT Shopping at the Lowest Cost”, using the Internet. ESI can use the Defense Working Capital Fund (DWCF) to provide “up-front money” for initial wholesale software buys. This funding process assures maximum leverage of DoD’s combined buying power, producing large software discounts. Agreement negotiations and retail contracting actions are performed by IT acquisition and contracting professionals within participating DoD Services and Agencies, as ESI “Software Product Managers” (SPM).