Boeing

Boeing [NYSE:BA] has been notified that its Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) operations in El Segundo, Calif., has attained the highest possible rating for reliable systems and software engineering processes -- the coveted Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Level 5 rating.

BSS is the second Boeing organization to earn the CMMI Level 5 rating this year. The company's C-17 program achieved Level 5 in November and in September, the Boeing facility in Anaheim, Calif., received Level 3. To date, fewer than two-dozen companies worldwide have achieved the Software Engineering Institute's CMMI Level 5 rating.

"Attaining the Level 5 rating in systems and software engineering is a tremendous achievement for our organization, which has worked diligently over many months to put continuous improvement programs in place," said Dave Ryan, vice president and general manager, Boeing Satellite Systems. "This rating affirms that our organization has deployed the processes and tools necessary to meet stringent cost, schedule and performance requirements for our government and commercial customers."

On December 12, 2003, The Process Company, LLC completed a Class A appraisal at Boeing's satellite manufacturing operations in accordance with the SEI's review framework using systems engineering and software CMMI standards and determined that Boeing Satellite Systems met the goals of SEI Level5 process maturity.

The SEI CMMI maturity ratings, developed by Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburgh, Pa., enable government customers to determine reliable, low-risk suppliers of products and solutions. SEI ratings are earned through a detailed evaluation process that includes an extensive review and analysis of engineering and software development processes, documentation, measurement systems and quality assurance tools that are used by a company or organization.