COIN CONTRACTING
political reform. Businesses started and jobs created are as much ‘indicators of success’ as insurgents killed or intelligence provided.” In Operation Enduring Free- dom, these indicators of success provide stability, and Afghans gain confidence in their economic system and government.
The margins for economic activity tend to widen during conflict, Metz writes, and COIN contracting should attempt to make markets as competitive as possible. Economies that depend on exports of a single commodity or a few commodities are particularly vulnerable to protracted conflict, he notes; therefore, COIN operations need to include a plan for eco- nomic diversification.
“A comprehensive counterinsurgency strat- egy should offer alternative sources of identity and empowerment for the bored, disillusioned, and disempowered,” Metz states. “Simply providing low-paying, low- status jobs or the opportunity to attend school is not enough.”
CONTRACTING GUIDANCE ISAF has disseminated COIN contract- ing guidance through the Afghan First program, which has significantly influ- enced contracting policy and its nonlethal impact on the battlefield in Afghanistan.
Local procurement makes good busi- ness sense from the buyer’s perspective. Afghan firms know the market and often can provide goods and services of compa- rable quality at competitive prices. Local procurements are often the best way for the buyer to maximize value and provide timely delivery of needed goods, services, and construction projects.
Such business engagement broadens Afghan support for our mutual strategic objectives in Afghanistan, helping local businesses grow, gain experience, and
110 Army AL&T Magazine
AWARDING CONTRACTS TO AFGHAN COMPANIES
If Afghan companies are identified as having the potential to perform but lacking technical expertise, contingency contracting officers can award contracts with the intent to engage and mentor companies by using joint ventures.
generate jobs in industrial, commercial, and agriculture sectors.
Contracting in COIN operations can enhance or be detrimental to long-term economic development. A detrimental effect comes from awarding contracts to only one contractor, creating a power bro- ker in the area.
The promotion of economic growth in Afghanistan should be balanced with the proper vetting of local national contrac- tors. Vetting provides the RCCs visibility of the subcontractor network through joint U.S. government task forces, which are chartered to analyze monetary actions and connections to networks that oppose economic stability in Afghanistan. With this information, the task forces can pre- vent criminal networks and insurgents from diverting money from its intended purpose.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Contracting Command and the Federal Acquisition Regulation provide clauses that enable the RCC to take action against prime contractors that hire subcontractors
with ties to the insurgency or criminal networks. If a subcontractor is exploiting the contracting process, the prime con- tractor must be held responsible.
The Bagram RCC has used tactics that are nested in the overall Afghan First program and subordinate operational objectives of its COIN Contracting Action Plan. Details of these tactics follow.
The Afghans Building a Better Afghani- stan program identifies and uses building materials produced in Afghanistan for use in Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) projects. The intent is to create jobs and additional manufactur- ing possibilities within a 150-kilometer radius of Bagram Airfield. The advan- tages are the development of an industrial base and decrease in transportation costs. However, quality and availability of mate- rial are consistent issues that detract from the success of this program.
Afghan businesses that participate in the Afghan Mentorship Program and Ven- dor Tournaments are educated on the
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