Office of Naval Research serves up revamped software for Navy chefs

The next time a Navy chef sautes shrimp scampi, he may be managing the meal using food-preparation software developed by the Office of Naval Research.

A product of ONR's TechSolutions program, Food Service Management System 3 is a next-generation upgrade of the current DOS-based software design, which expires in October. FSM3 offers menu-planning tools, recipes, nutritional analyses, budget information and inventory tracking.

Testing on the software is scheduled ashore at Naval Base Point Loma's galleys in San Diego beginning March 1. FSM3 is also being piloted on several surface ships, including USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), USS Bataan (LHD 5) and USS Lake Erie (CG 70).

The inventory-tracking feature keeps ships from taking on excess food, reduces food spoilage, increases storage space and lightens ship load, ONR officials said.

"Because the new system is Web-based, it's easily accessible," said Master Chief Petty Officer Charles Ziervogel, ONR's command master chief, who oversees TechSolutions. "The Navy's cooks were performing inventory and planning. TechSolutions took out the mundane. Now, the Navy's best and brightest can do their jobs."

Suggested by a former ONR science advisor at Naval Supply Systems Command, FSM3 is capable of enterprise-wide direct electronic transfer of data and is compatible with Windows Vista and IT21. The software also supports galley operations and administrative, managerial and record-keeping functions Navy-wide.

"Currently, I have two culinary specialists working as record keepers to keep track of all the paperwork generated from the existing FSM system," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Andrew Davenport, a food service officer aboard the Truman. "We should be able to have just one record keeper on staff, and that will give us more time to concentrate on the meals themselves."

TechSolutions is a rapid-response program that accepts recommendations and suggestions from Navy and Marine Corps personnel on ways to improve mission effectiveness through the application of technology. TechSolutions works closely with customers to meet specific requirements that cannot be readily satisfied with commercial-off-the-shelf technologies. Typical turn-around time for a working prototype is 12-18 months.