MICC to field leader's guide, on-boarding process

By Daniel P. Elkins, Mission and Installation Contracting Command Public Affairs OfficeApril 3, 2017

MICC to field leader's guide, on-boarding process
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- (March 31, 2017) In response to the organizational transformation having taken place over the past two years, Mission and Installation Contracting Command leaders are fielding a new on-boarding process to help guide the effective management of contracting functions at the installation level.

The MICC Commander/Director Office Guide was developed as part of an on-boarding process for existing and incoming commanders, directors and deputy directors at field-level contracting offices throughout the command's 31 locations.

Kim Wentrcek is the chief of the business management division for MICC Contracting Operation at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, who led efforts to develop the guide at the direction of the commanding general. Preparation of the guide got underway in fiscal 2016 and involved subject matter experts from across the command at the headquarters, contracting support brigade and field directorate levels.

"It was a very collaborative in format and content," she said. "We had several working group meetings to make the document manageable and finalize the guide."

Wentrcek explained that the office guide will be implemented as part of the new leader on-boarding process created for leaders joining the MICC. As a means of socializing the new process and establishing buy-in with the leader guide, existing office directors and commanders played a role on the integrated process team. She said this not only served to better standardize processes but also allowed members of the team to incorporate best practices.

"The program is meant to assist offices and provide the resources and tools to improve processes," she said. "It also provides an opportunity for networking among MICC office leaders."

Because many of the present commanders and directors have been in place for some time, she said initial visits will serve instead as mentoring opportunities from which the team can standardize and benchmark the on-boarding process.

"Simultaneously, as new office leaders arrive, they will be provided the MICC Commander/Director Office Guide to familiarize themselves with our command," Wentrcek said.

The onboarding process also includes appointment of a mentor for new leaders as well as attendance of an orientation at the MICC headquarters. Wentrcek said an office visit will be scheduled after six months of a new leader's arrival.

The guide offers new leaders direction for assessing the structure and operations of their respective organizations and establishing an initial baseline for mission success. The organizational assessment entails a critical review of the health of the organization and its personnel, resources, workload and regulatory compliance followed by management feedback on such topics as business operations, customer support and metrics focal points.

The document also offers an in-depth look at the command's organizational structure and outlines office models and their responsibilities between tier structures. Tier 1 offices are responsible for actions below the simplified acquisition threshold of $150,000 and serve primarily as the face of the MICC for supported activities. Tier 2 offices perform post-award functions at greater dollar and complexity levels as well as other contract administrative actions defined by their respective contract support brigade or field directorate office. Tier 3 offices, also known as centers, execute larger dollar value contract actions.

The leader guide also outlines contract management and execution by defining in greater detail command metrics, business intelligence reporting, the Virtual Contracting Enterprise dashboard portal, and additional initiatives such as strategic sourcing and war room operations. Organizational support by the headquarters' directorates and special staff is also stressed in the guide so that new commanders and directors have a better understanding of the role of each.

"The new on-boarding process is a more proactive approach to assimilating into the MICC. We have created a process that ensures commanders and directors are provided the guidance and mentorship to help them navigate through their first few months at the MICC," Wentrcek said. "The orientation will be more meaningful as they will be familiar with many of the names and concepts they will be exposed to in the orientation, and the training can be tailored to more hands-on demonstrations on specific issues."

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 as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, MICC contracts are vital in feeding Soldiers every day, providing many of the daily base operations support services at installations, preparing conventional force members, training almost a half million students each year, and maintaining government lands and structures across the United States and Puerto Rico.

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