ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- Colloquially known as "the factory" by employees of the Rock Island Arsenal and the surrounding Quad Cities area, the Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center is frequently heralded as an integral part of the Army's organic industrial base.
Many of the items manufactured at the factory are supported by a variety of contracts, the bulk of which are handled by the Army Contracting Command-Rock Island's JMTC Contracting Branch. This branch was created in May 2013 when work and personnel were transferred to ACC-RI from ACC-Warren, a sister contracting center located at Detroit Arsenal, Michigan.
The branch, comprised of 22 contracting professionals led by Chief Effie Fragogiannis, works hand-in-hand with the RIA-JMTC program managers in order to fulfill factory procurement needs. Recent actions include the enhanced security of the White House's fence, the continued production of a M997A3 Ambulance for the Army National Guard, and a Metal Working Machine Shop Set (MWMSS) program.
Most recently, the last of 500 M997A3 ambulances rolled off of the production line at the factory, Sept. 24. Several contracts were awarded by the JMTC Contracting Branch in support of these 500 ambulances. Production began in January 2014.
In April, Army leadership announced a follow-on order supporting production of more than 600 ambulances between October 2015 and August 2017.
Gail Bindewald, contracting officer, JMTC Contracting Branch, said the M997A3 ambulance is the most modern in the fleet and is unique because it is able to navigate rough terrain that civilian ambulances cannot manage.
"The ambulances are fitted on a Humvee and support the National Guard in Homeland Security and natural disaster relief missions," said Bindewald. "Additionally, while it is used to transport patients, it provides guardsmen and reservists the full capability to treat patients on the spot."
Fragogiannis said the JMTC Contracting Branch awarded 393 contract actions totaling more than $35.9 million including multiple competitive and sole source Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. Each HMMWV ambulance is comprised of approximately 1,500 items.
RIA-JMTC manufactures the ambulance using 650 items manufactured within the center, but it requires the procurement of 850 items, including hardware, foam, aramid fabric used to make composite armor, straps, lights, air duct assemblies, heating and air conditioning units, medical stowage kits, hose assemblies, forgings, panels, and paint.
"It is imperative that the program manager work with contracting to buy all of the essential parts in a timely manner," said Fragogiannis. "Our expertise in locating the vendors was essential in getting all the parts."
Constant changes in the bill of materials and customer's needs have created an environment of innovative thinking within the JMTC Contracting Branch.
"Not only do some of the items continue to change, RIA-JMTC is finding efficiencies in the ambulance production line through multiple 'Lean' events that they have done, " said Fragogiannis. "Finding the best ways to do production absolutely relates to the contracting piece too."
Lean is a specified set of key principles that maximize customer value and minimize waste for businesses.
Additionally, the JMTC Contracting Branch played a role in the installation of pencil point spikes on the fence surrounding the White House in July. These spikes serve as a temporary measure intended to enhance security while the Secret Service and National Park Service develop a permanent fence design. The spikes were manufactured at RIA-JMTC, and employees from the arsenal travelled to Washington, D.C., to install them.
The JMTC Contracting Branch purchased steel bars, paint and primer, nuts, keys and high security bolts.
"The contracting team really took the bull by the horns on this project, sat down with the requirements team and basically helped them out of a tough spot," said Fragogiannis. "Contracting received notification of the requirements and awarded all the contracts within a day or two. Although the delivery timeframes were tight, contracting was able to accommodate the customer's requirements in terms of delivery through hard work, extensive market research and intense collaboration."
Finally, in fiscal 2015, the JMTC Contracting Branch awarded 98 contract actions totaling $3.78 million in support of the MWMSS program. This program supports the requirement of Program Manager-Sets, Kits, Outfits, Tools (PM-SKOT) for shop sets designed to be deployed at any location to support the warfighter.
These contracts were established to support 222 shop sets. The majority of items included in these sets are procured -- including the shelters, mills, lathes, tool loads, cabinets, welding equipment, hardware, and air compressors -- and assembled by RIA-JMTC.
The sets essentially serve as one-stop shops where Soldiers can fulfill an immediate need to create metal pieces to replace parts in deployed equipment.
"The whole branch had to come together to work with the customer on this one," explained Fragogiannis. "Some parts were sole source, so that created challenges and we were always against the schedule that the customer had."
Fragogiannis said that the JMTC Contracting Branch excels on a daily basis in working with the customer to best accommodate requirements and overcome the constant changes to the bill of materials.
"The true success of the programs is owed to the collaboration of the entire contracting branch coming together and truly working as one team to meet RIA-JMTC's schedule," said Fragogiannis.
In June, Col. David Luders, then-commander, RIA-JMTC, recognized two contracting employees -- Gail Bindewald, contracting officer, and Amy Nissen, contract specialist -- by presenting them with Commander's Award for Civilian Service.
Bindewald was recognized for her service in support of the M997A3 Ambulance program, MWMSS program, and turret program, citing her continuous guidance which helped resolve problems and produce solutions, while executing contracts in a timely manner without receiving a protest, ensuring timely delivery of the product in order for RIA-JMTC to meet its production schedules.
Nissen was recognized for her attention to detail in supporting the MWMSS program, particularly her discovery of missing drawings, incorrect information, and additional changes the Integrated Product Team was not aware of. Without her oversight, incorrect material would have been obtained.
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