[mrmummert]

Hello...

I'm a mentor with team 1610 in Franklin,Va. I'm also a BAE systems
employee. Perhaps I can say a little about this. As many know
former BAE CEO Walt Havenstein was a big supporter of FIRST.
Walt retired and Linda Hudson was named CEO (CEO for BAE Systems
N.A.) Ian King is the CEO for BAE Systems PLC which is based out of
London,U.K. and is in charge of BAE Systems worldwide. He is in turn Ms.
Hudson's boss. But Ms. Hudson over sees what goes on in the U.S.

At the local level I work for BAE Systems Norfolk ship repair which is
part of BAE Systems Ship Repair and BAE Systems Support Solutions. (S2).
Ship repair sponsors some 10-12 local teams. We were the first team
ever sponsored by ship repair because at the time BAE took over what had been
formerly Norshipco (aka Norfolk Ship building and Drydock Corp.) We were
sponsored by Norshipco.

Some teams sponsored by BAE have been simply able to ask or be offered
BAE sponsorship thru a local company contact in the past. Some teams
had to be concidered before even being given BAE sponsorship. Some teams
had to be sponsored by the same operating group as other local teams depending on which BAE
location you went thru to get sponsorship (in the past..I.E. E.I&S, Customer Solutions,etc.)
(we were part of Customer Solutions at one time and could'nt get sponsorship thru E.I&S)
Also some teams had paperwork to fill out in the past for sponsorship. Some did'nt. At one time
all we had to do was ask...and they cut a check for us. Since Walt
Havenstein has retired....they have..like any responsible corporation
does...decided to tighten up a little on the way they do sponsorships.
In the past for some teams and local BAE offices there was'nt much in
the way of a paper trail when it came to matters of sponsorship. Now
when you are sponsored by them...The team lead has to fill out a form
(or forms) for sponsorship. While often continuing to sponsor "legacy"
teams (those who they have sponsored in the past) they also look for
teams whos needs are greater than others. Lets say a one team is sponsored
by NASA and in the past BAE....and another team
has no sponsor...theywill depending on need...drop
sponsorship of a partly sponsored team and support another team that
has no sponsor.....this is'nt a general rule...and
team sponsorship varies.

While Ms. Hudson supports FIRST...she is'nt as big on FIRST as Mr. Havenstein was.
From what I know....they have decided to continue the
same level of support and sponsorship as it was under Mr. Havenstein,
but for the time being may not expand on it. As already mentioned they have also
decided to tighten up on the way they do sponsorships. Some of this is the
leadership change...some is the economy. BAE has also gone thru a somewhat
heady expansion here in the US the past few years so for all I know this could
partly also be a result of them taking a moment and looking back and seeing where
they stand now. We are lucky to have
BAE as a sponsor and for all they do for the FIRST program as a whole.
A word of caution here....While you can ask BAE for sponsorship....don't
ask for TOO much. They have limits.

I hope this helps.