GPC workforce discusses training, policies

By Ryan Mattox, Mission and Installation Contracting Command Public Affairs OfficeMay 9, 2019

GPC workforce discuss training, policies
Ray Estrada welcomes approximately 65 government purchase card agency and organizational program coordinators and program managers April 23 to a three-day Mission and Installation Contracting Command Government Purchase Card training workshop at Join... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (May 8, 2019) -- Approximately 65 government purchase card agency, organizational program coordinators and managers gathered April 23 to 25 for a GPC training workshop at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Because of recent DOD and Army changes to GPC-related policies, processes and systems, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command GPC program management office developed the three-day workshop with the objective of the facilitating learning by bringing as many agency and organizational program coordinators to one location.

The workshop consisted of policy updates, training sessions and discussions on GPC reporting requirements and tools, best practices, and the new MasterCard Insights on Demand system.

Ray Estrada, chief of MICC GPC program management office, said it was his objective to provide a learning environment where all agency and organizational program coordinators and program managers could come together, meet, share best-practices and form beneficial team-oriented working relationships.

"As a MICC GPC enterprise, we are more effective and successful if we can learn to work together across MICC installations, brigades and field directorates," Estrada said. "This is a first ever event, and our GPC workforce knows the value to the MICC, our customers and Army in continuing this type of focused work-related training, both in policy knowledge and skills."

Approximately 15 instructors from MICC headquarters, ACC GPC, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for procurement GPC program manager, DASA(P) Category Management, DOD Defense Pricing and Contracting eBusiness office, U.S. Bank, MasterCard Oversight Systems and Amazon Business officials provided training and information for their respective areas.

Both the DASA(P) Army and ACC GPC program managers praised the execution and success of the MICC-hosted training workshop. Several MICC agency and organizational program coordinators said the training focused on information and skills that are important to them and their MICC offices and GPC customers.

"The comments received from the attendees and results on the post-training surveys clearly communicated the value and success of our MICC GPC agency and organizational program coordinators training workshop," Estrada said. "The resulting knowledge, skills and new team-oriented relationships developed will certainly provide immediate benefits to the MICC, Army and our GPC customers. My hope is that we'll be able to host a similar event on a recurring basis."

About the MICC:

Headquartered at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.

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