JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- (March 24, 2017) As the Army prepares to build up its 10th active armored brigade combat team this summer, contracting personnel from the 904th Contracting Battalion's 714th Contracting Team at Fort Stewart, Georgia, are actively supporting the acquisition needs to bolster the service's readiness.
Officials from the Department of the Army announced at the end of November plans to convert Fort Stewart's 4,200-Soldier strong 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division into the 15th Armored Brigade Combat Team to improve the service's capability and readiness in response to future threats.
"We realize that this conversion effort is a top priority for the Army Materiel Command and impacts the Army chief of staff's No. 1 priority of readiness," said Lt. Col. Anthony Hughley, the commander of the 904th CBN. "Therefore, the key to success is collaboration with our local AMC sister units -- the Logistics Readiness Center and Army Field Support Battalion-Stewart."
Maj. Adam Stover, the 714th CT leader, said members of his team have met with representatives from the 2nd BCT, 3rd ID and Installation Management Command concerning the conversion to clarify requirements and provide proactive contract support at weekly conversion meetings.
"The bottom line is the unit's leadership is still sequencing and synchronizing their requirements but believe they will need contracting support for the construction of a new motor pool and the relocation of a supply support activity," Stover said. "Due to the size and scope of each project, they will probably be military construction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers."
The brigade may also require the conversion of one or two buildings constructed to the standards of a supply support activity once a location is identified, likely requiring the installation department of public works and Mission and Installation Contracting Command-Fort Stewart facilities contracting team, according to the 714th CT's Capt. Rodney Milbourne and Sgt. 1st Class Angel Del Valle, who have been involved with the initial contracting planning process.
As requirements become more clearly identified, MICC-Fort Stewart and 904th CBN contracting representatives will continue to meet with all stakeholders to further explain the acquisition process, recognize potential issues, identify roles and responsibilities and develop an acquisition milestone agreement. The agreement establishes a timeline and due dates for certain actions during the procurement process in order to meet the Army's mission needs.
Conversion of the 2nd BCT into an armored brigade combat team is expected to get underway this summer and involve the addition of more than 200 armored vehicles.
The MICC is made up of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting good and services in support of Soldiers. In fiscal 2016, the command executed more than 32,000 contract actions valued at more than $4.6 billion across the Army, including $2.1 billion to American small businesses. The command also managed more than 585,000 Government Purchase Card Program transactions in fiscal 2016 valued at an additional $741 million.
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Mission and Installation Contracting Command
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