JOINT TEAM Reference is now to the Joint Team working together, rather than simply SSMG supporting the MoD ISM team. Further, the contract is based on performance against shared goals, with greater emphasis on managing through-life issues rather than specific tasks. To quote Alasdair Stirling again; “Instead of the traditional customer-supplier relationship, the joint team will take a proactive approach to improving submarine support which makes way for innovation and cost reductions.” The combined MoD/Babcock resource falls into two types of group: functional and process. The functional groups are MoD-led and variously provide deep engineering specialist knowledge on a system/equipment basis, submarine programme and maintenance management and policy ownership. The process teams are SSMG-led, and provide output (service delivery) management aligned to the MoD’s business processes, delivering a range of services in the areas of design intent management, design information management, assurance, class management, and combat systems management. SESC is run by a joint management board, overseeing the deployment of resource, prioritisation of support, and performance across the joint team (notably through key performance indicators (KPIs) measuring joint outputs, not just SSMG outputs). The various groups within the joint team are empowered to agree and approve allocation of resource and prioritisation within their teams, including tasking parent companies or other sub-contractors, within defined limits. This means that the joint team is much more flexible and responsive, as each individual task agreed is not now a cumbersome contract amendment.