Growth of Fort Sill contract requirements attracts industry

By Annette Arkeketa-Rendon, Mission and Installation Contracting Command small business specialistJanuary 25, 2018

Growth of Fort Sill contract requirements attracts industry
Directors from various Fort Sill, Oklahoma, activities along with the Mission and Installation Contracting Command-Fort Sill director answer questions from the audience of small and large businesses representatives during an industry outreach panel D... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SILL, Oklahoma (Jan. 17, 2018) -- More than 80 industry representatives took part in the Mission and Installation Contracting Command industry day event held at the Great Plains Technology Center in coordination with the local procurement technical assistance center Dec. 14 in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Hosted by the MICC-Fort Sill contracting office, contractors gained insight to the forecasted acquisition challenges anticipated by Fort Sill officials for fiscal 2018. The morning agenda provided an opportunity for contractors to hear from installation activity directors from U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, directorate of public works and logistics readiness center about the potential workload and manpower needs for fiscal 2018.

"The intent of the industry day is threefold," said Kay McKinzie, the MICC-Fort Sill director. "It provides industry information on anticipated growth in contract requirements at Fort Sill; opens lines of communication between various industries and promotes 'match making' opportunities among companies providing similar services; and ensures Fort Sill is positioned to support evolving missions as they materialize."

Small and large company contractors were encouraged by MICC officials to participate in the morning session, which also included matchmaking with the government prime contractors that support Fort Sill.

Fort Sill's future growth of contract requirements is expected to be significant based upon current planning projections over the next two to three years. Much of the future growth will be obtained through existing small business contracts. Officials also anticipate that future requirements and contract growth may exceed some small business capacity to support, so they encouraged teaming between large and small businesses, especially in the area of training requirements where manpower subject matter experts will be needed.

Dr. Al Peterson, director of the TRADOC Fires Center of Excellence, said increased contract support for personnel include the "potential for greater than 200 contract instructors for training support."

The growth at Fort Sill is expected to increase by 4,341 field artillery trainees and 642 air defense artillery trainees this fiscal year. Slides presented during the outreach event further explained the type of basic combat training and advanced individual training the installation provides. The relative effect of the increases will also impact Fort Sill's current contracts, which include food service, laundry, troop transportation, ammunition supply point, clothing initial issue point and other activities. Activities impacted include the DPW, logistics resource center, network enterprise center, Army Medical Command, fleet management expansion as well as the MICC.

Fort Sill activity directors and the MICC contracting director conducted a panel to answer questions to help contractors understand how anticipated contract support would involve them as large and small businesses. Question topics included security clearances and qualified instructor certification. The match making forum after the briefing and panel rounded out the outreach event with companies meeting current prime contractors and other companies to discuss teaming opportunities.

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