JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Nov. 18, 2014) -- Leaders from throughout the command took part in the Mission and Installation Contracting Command Acquisition Leadership Conference Nov. 4-6 in San Antonio to discuss key issues impacting the workforce and hear from Army acquisition leaders.
The conference included commanders, directors and senior enlisted members representing all MICC organizations taking part in a variety of briefings, interactive discussions and breakout sessions over the three days.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Gabbert and Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen Bowens opened the conference with welcoming remarks and a briefing on the state of the command.
Following the brief by the MICC commanding general and command sergeant major, leaders from across the command were provided an update on one of the service's top priorities - the Army Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program. The remainder of the day consisted of discussions on procurement issues led by directors from policy and compliance and contract support integration, and updates on special competition, Installation Management Command enterprise strategies, small business, Contracting Operations Tactical Center implementation, and MICC 2025 reorganizational plan. George Cabaniss, the deputy to the commanding general, also led a session on acquisition workforce professionalism.
The next day included a briefing on command metrics and an update by the command's chief counsel on legal issues before those in attendance divided into small groups to participate in breakout sessions. Breakout sessions covered a variety of topics including Human Resources Command updates for officers and enlisted; professional development for officers, NCOs and civilians led by the command's top three leaders; preliminary acquisition strategies; organizational inspection program; acquisition workforce development; and annual training guidance.
On the second day, conference attendees heard from guest speaker Harry Hallock, the deputy assistant secretary of the Army for procurement, during an evening dinner.
"I'm very impressed with what I've seen today. The MICC is definitely instituting best practices that would serve the Army well if promoted across the enterprise," Hallock said. "It is clear that, within the MICC, accountability means being held responsible for what you are supposed to be doing on a day-to-day basis. One way you are doing this is through the metrics program."
He added the metrics program is nested within, and aligned to, the Contracting Enterprise Review metrics as a means for ensuring excellence in the end-to-end contracting process.
"The MICC's recent oversight efforts have created additional transparency down to the individual contract action. CTOC is an excellent management tool for contracting office leaders," he continued. "One of the most exciting elements of CTOC is the planning tool, which allows for a constant 'blog' of the progress toward award."
He said the type of transparency found in CTOC is in line with priorities identified by DASA(P) and assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology.
The final day included an overview and requirements for the 2015 Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise, state of command briefs by the MICC's three contracting support brigades and field directorate office, master resilience training, and an open question-and-answer forum.
The Army Contracting Command leadership team from Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, addressed the MICC's vital training role during the conference on the third day.
"You are the most diverse workforce in ACC. Training and education is so critical today, and you've prepared Soldiers to deploy. I'm proud of the leadership of the MICC -- from the CSBs and FDO to the office directors," said Maj. Gen. Ted Harrison, ACC commanding general.
ACC Command Sgt. Maj. David Puig echoed the commanding general by highlighting the MICC's recent deployment of a contingency contracting support team from Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
"We deployed a team from Fort Campbell a couple of weeks ago on basically a no-notice mission to West Africa. Their ability to deploy out and their readiness was only possible because of the civilians at that shop who took the time to train them," Puig said. "These 51C Soldiers are in West Africa executing what you trained them to do, and that is going to become more commonplace. If we ramp things back up in Iraq or get involved in other missions and need to send contracting teams out, your fingerprints are on these teams. Your legacy goes with them."
Harrison also lauded the efforts by the MICC in the small business program arena.
"The MICC's accomplishments in reaching their small business goals carried ACC, which in turn, carried AMC and helped the Army reach their goals," he said. "This is the first time ever that DoD met all of their small business goals. This is how much of an impact we have on American small businesses. I appreciate all the hard work everyone in the MICC has done. The MICC continues to do great things for the Army."
Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the MICC is responsible for providing contracting support for the warfighter at Army commands, installations and activities located throughout the continental United States and Puerto Rico. In fiscal 2014, the command executed more than 37,000 contract actions worth more than $5.6 billion across the Army. The command also managed more than 633,000 Government Purchase Card Program transactions in fiscal 2014 valued at an additional $783 million.
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