REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Army Contracting Command senior leaders met here April 11-12 to focus on ACC's campaign plan and synchronize contracting methodology as the command enters the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.
Attendees also dug deeper into Gen. Gustave Perna's intent to operationalize contracting across the Army. Perna is the commander of the Army Materiel Command, ACC's higher headquarters.
"My job is to synchronize and integrate capabilities and outputs," Perna told the group. "It's about taking nine major subordinate commands and synchronizing and integrating what they do into outputs to meet the chief of staff of the Army's priorities and the (combatant command) commander's requirements. Easy to say - difficult task because what we do is complex. If you break it down a level, this is what I hold (Maj. Gen. James E. Simpson, ACC commander) accountable for--to synchronize and integrate the capabilities with Army Contracting Command…to outputs."
Perna praised ACC for synchronizing and integrating its efforts with Army Sustainment Command, and stressed the importance of the two commands working together.
Simpson described what it means to operationalize contracting.
"Contracting is not about dollars and obligations, but it is about output and impact," he said. What is the impact we are making in support of our global Army?"
He said it is about sitting down with ACC's customers and helping them to develop good requirements and timelines to meet the customer's contracting needs.
"We can't wait for the requirements. We must get ahead of the requirements," Simpson said, challenging the audience look at the contracts they manage and anticipate when they would need to be renewed.
Other forum topics included improvements to the Army contracting process, sourcing strategies, reach-back processes, contracting career development, budget forecasts and the effects of the government hiring freeze.
Forum participants and ACC staff also participated in the command's first-ever run, walk, bike in support of Sexual Harassment /Assault Response and Prevention Month.
About 65 attendees from across ACC attended the forum. They included leaders, deputy commanders and senior non-commissioned leaders from ACC's contracting centers, contracting support brigades, and the ACC headquarters staff. ACC's next senior leader forum is scheduled for October.
Social Sharing