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All in a day's work: After an 11-hour flight, Jim (on the left) met with Nikola Stankov, Director General of the Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services Agency to sign CAASD's first contract with the agency.

Searching for shoes to fit the huge feet of a doorman in Cairo and being doused with perfume by a guard at the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority may be two of Jim Walch's more colorful work experiences. But negotiating for 15 straight hours in a smoke-filled room is more typical.

Walch has traveled to many parts of the world as the International Contracts Manager for MITRE's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD). His job is to work out the business terms for each overseas contract, defining the products MITRE is to deliver, the criteria for acceptance, and the project's timetable, costs, payment schedule, and the currency used to pay for it.

The majority of CAASD's work is focused on the needs of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), such as developing solutions that will make the national airspace system safer and more efficient. However, because aviation issues are global, the FAA encourages CAASD to assist civil aviation authorities around the world in their efforts to modernize and increase aviation safety and efficiency. CAASD then brings its increased knowledge and experience back to the FAA.

Eight years of international aviation work has given Walch plenty of grist for his story mill—and lots of experience in different environments. "The cultural aspects of this job are incredible," he says. "I've negotiated with the Egyptians as well as the Japanese, which requires understanding two completely different cultures and business approaches."

According to MITRE's Director of Contracts Roger Furr, "Jim is critical to our success—he works the business and contractual aspects of each deal. To give you an idea of how hard that is, keep in mind that the terms and conditions of a Thai contract are very different from those of a contract with a customer in Spain."

"Contract negotiation is a team effort," Walch adds. "We have very talented technical staff who are bilingual and also act as business people. They provide valuable input into the contract statement of work because they know exactly what has to be done, how long it should take, etc." Walch also coordinates with and seeks guidance from MITRE's legal and tax offices. For costing support, he depends on the Center for National Security Programs' BRC (Business Resource Center) as well as CAASD's BRC.

Around the World

One of Walch's first assignments after joining MITRE in 1996 was Belgocontrol, the air traffic management authority of Belgium. Today, CAASD has contracts with aviation authorities in Argentina, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Advances in technology have made his work a little easier since 1996. Use of the computer, the Internet, and online signatures has made the biggest difference, reducing his travel from once a month to about four or five times a year.

Developing long-term working relationships has also enhanced negotiations. "We're on our eighth contract with Japan now," he says. "The first one took several 12-to-15-hour days to complete. Now that we have a template, negotiations are much easier and quicker."

Our customers' countries have changed, too. Over the years, they've developed their own legal systems, so today they want contracts in their language, negotiated in their currency, according to their laws. "It's a different world now that they have their own procurement rules and contract laws," says Walch.

Why do these organizations come so far for help? "MITRE is known to have the best systems engineers in the world. We're also the only company that has the combination of technical resources and experience that these customers need to solve their problems. Plus, they like the fact that as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, CAASD offers independent and unbiased guidance; the fact that we don't make or sell commercial products means we can be objective."

Asked if he has any complaints about his work, Walch claims only one: "tobacco smoke." In many countries people smoke throughout the negotiations, in closed rooms. Otherwise, he's had wonderful experiences. "The best things about my work are the friendships I've developed and what I've learned about other cultures."

This goes both ways. One summer Walch asked a group of Egyptians to his home in West Virginia for dinner after their visit to MITRE. "We barbecued chicken. But what really impressed them were the home-grown vegetables. They live in apartments in Cairo and buy produce from street vendors. And they were amazed by our apple orchard—they'd never seen apples growing on trees."

Regarding the future of CAASD's international efforts, Walch says, "Activity is up again after 9/11. We have a lot of different projects to come up with solutions that will benefit this country and many others."

—by Faye Elkins