ACCOUNTABILITY IN ACQUISITION


and requiring activity management know the procurement status and identify issues that could develop into delays.”


The transformation from the milestone tracking report to the AMA process got underway in January 2011. An IPT then set out to identify requirements and develop tools for the new process. A successful beta test was conducted last summer at Fort Eustis, VA; Fort Bragg, NC; Fort Carson, CO; Fort Bliss, TX; and Yuma Proving Ground, AZ.


“The test went very well,” Hastedt said. “The MICC test sites provided positive feedback and constructive comments to improve the AMA tools.”


Training for the new process at MICC field offices began Oct. 1, 2011. Repre- sentatives from the MICC Contracting Support, Plans and Operations director- ate will provide training at the requiring activity headquarters level.


SURMOUNTING OBSTACLES


Among its other responsibilities, MICC oversees contract support for the obstacle course and other operations at Fort Benning, GA, through the Mission Contracting Center – Fort Eustis, VA. MICC’s new AMA process is designed to ensure that acquisition strategies are executed efficiently and effectively to meet customers’ mission-critical-need dates. Here, a Soldier runs the obstacle course during the 2011 Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning in April 2011. (U.S. Maneuver Center of Excellence photo by John D. Helms.)


The agreement will then serve as a binding document with agreed-to pro- curement milestones, thus creating shared accountability among mission partners. Any changes in milestones would require concurrence by both the MICC and the requiring activity.


DISCIPLINED PROCESS The AMA process will help maintain the MICC’s commitment to ensuring that requirements are developed and tracked


108 Army AL&T Magazine


in a disciplined manner that supports the Soldiers’ needs, by including an in- progress review.


“In-progress reviews are a major component of the AMA process,” said Jennifer Hast- edt, a MICC Procurement Analyst and IPT member. “Contracting officers and specialists will brief both the contracting approval authority at the appropriate level and equivalent manager at the requiring activity. This will ensure that the MICC


In addition to reduced lead times, MICC officials believe implementation of the AMA will help meet the government’s fiduciary responsibility by forging a part- nership between the requirements and acquisition communities to field capabili- ties on cost and schedule.


“It shifts the mind-set from simply meet- ing a date to working as a team to create documents that meet all of the stakehold- ers’ needs,” Wentrcek said.


DANIEL P. ELKINS is Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the Mission and Installa- tion Contracting Command. He has served more than 23 years in support of public affairs for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army. Elkins holds a B.S. in communications from Louisiana Tech University and an M.A. in communications from St. Mary’s University.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180