A 51C staff sergeant performs all the traditional duties expected of any staff sergeant in the Army (assisting in preparation of an operation order, for example, or using or assisting in the military problem-solving process.)

51C staff sergeants also assist sergeants first class in the MOS in their conduct of duties. In units with a personnel shortage, where workload exceeds personnel capacity, or where a staff sergeant is very experienced, a staff sergeant may assume some or all duties of a sergeant first class. Staff sergeants may be eligible to serve as warranted contracting officers (able to obligate the U.S. government) depending on unit, command and Army policies. They serve as contracting NCOs in a contracting detachment, contracting battalion, contracting support brigade or other table of distribution and allowances/generating force organization. In contracting battalions and contracting support brigades, they can be found in the Command or Contract Administration Services section. Dependent on their experience and competence level, 51C staff sergeants assist or are responsible for:

• Establishing a contracting work center.
• Soliciting contract actions.
• Processing and executing purchase orders.
• Performing contract administration and management (e.g., performing contract award orientations; notifying unsuccessful offerors; performing post-contract award synopsis; processing contract protests; exercising contract options; monitoring contract performance and quality assurance; processing contract documents for payment; modifying contracts; processing unauthorized commitments; training and managing contracting officer representatives; terminating contracts; and processing claims).
• Performing specific tasks related to contingency contract administration services (e.g., administering contract-related property requirements, terms, and conditions; providing property management system analysis; administering use of government sources by contractors; administering quality assurance; performing audit services; monitoring subcontract management; and managing the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program).
• Processing and executing orders through the General Services Administration.
• Serving as curators of paper and electronic contract files.
• Preparing for individual deployment.
• Administering a contract support integration plan, which details how commands in a theater of operation request and receive contract support.
• Reviewing a contract requirement package.

A sergeant first class moves from a primary role of assisting to a primary execution role for 51C duties. Sergeants first class generally serve in contracting detachments; in contracting battalions in the Operations and Requirements or Contract Administration Services sections; in contracting support brigades in the Operations and Requirements, Contract Administration Services, or Plans and Policy sections; and other table of distribution and allowances and generating force assignments. 51C sergeants first class perform all the traditional duties expected of any sergeants first class in the Army. In addition, they are tasked with:

• Providing general contracting advice and assistance to the operational commander.
• Providing technical advice and assistance to supported units.
• Assisting with leading, deploying and executing orders, contingency plans and deliberate plans for contingencies and military operations.
• Managing operations and requirements generation support for deployed and exercising joint task forces.
• Assisting with development, revision and maintenance for all operational databases and plans for deployable contingency contracting computer hardware and software.
• Assisting with development of procedures that best support the unit or organization’s needs with the main intent to familiarize supported units and organizations with the location, mission and procedures to expedite supply, services and construction contracts.
• Managing administrative assistance with the execution, administration and revision of contracting support plans, annexes and appendices in support of operational, contingency and deliberate plans associated with the supported area of responsibility.
• Assisting with the development, administration and revision of contracting support plans and policies, annexes and appendices in support of operational contingency and deliberate plans associated with operations in the area of responsibility.
• Managing pre- and post-award contract actions.
• Executing other contracting support tasks as assigned.
• Preparing the contracting team for deployment.
• Deploying and redeploying the contracting team.

A 51C master sergeant generally serve in contracting detachments as Detachment Sergeant in contracting battalions in the Operations and Requirements or Contract Administration Services sections of contracting battalions and contracting support brigades. 51C master sergeants can also be found in other table of distribution and allowances and generating force assignments. They generally conduct their duties at the battalion or brigade level. In addition to the duties of the staff sergeant and sergeant first class, master sergeants are tasked with:

• Coordinating and identifying commander’s intent and mission-critical points with supporting units.
• Determining levels of support that may be provided by the supported units, either organic or noncontracted support that the unit can provide itself.
• Reporting projected requirements for sustainment of missions to the supported units.
• Providing pre- and post-award theater contracting oversight.

A sergeant major or command sergeant major is expected to master all the tasks required at lower skill levels. The small size of contracting units presents a somewhat non-traditional role at skill level 6; the sergeant major or command sergeant major in MOS 51C is expected to perform a substantial amount of functional contracting in order to stay relevant and to train and mentor their NCOs in this highly technical field.

The sergeant major or command sergeant major’s roles are as follows:

• Serves as the senior enlisted advisor to the commander in a contracting battalion or contracting support brigade, or to the primary staff colonel or lieutenant colonel in a TDA unit (depending on the sergeant major or command sergeant major’s professional development proficiency code).
• Performs all tasks to ensure the health and welfare of Soldiers in their assigned unit/command.
• Serves as the primary enlisted contracting and business advisor to the commander of a contracting support brigade in support of corps, Army service component commands, and sub-unified commands.
• Mentors subordinate 51C NCOs on leadership, contracting, general acquisition and general Soldier skills.
• Ensures a high level of readiness and training proficiency within their unit, in a contracting battalion or a contracting support brigade. In a contracting battalion, the sergeant major serves as the primary enlisted contracting and business advisor to the commander in support of division-level operational commands.