MICC UNIT SUPPORTS COVID-19 VACCINE SITES IN FLORIDA, GEORGIA

By Maj. Paul Kilgore, 904th CBNApril 16, 2021

MICC unit supports COVID-19 vaccine sites in Florida, Georgia
Contracting professionals from the 904th Contracting Battalion and Mission and Installation Contracting Command on Fort Stewart are supporting ongoing efforts to vaccinate more than 1 million people against COVID-19 in Florida and Georgia. Since February, the 904th CBN has been contracting life support services for more than 700 service members. (Photo Credit: Courtesy photo) VIEW ORIGINAL

Contracting professionals from the 904th Contracting Battalion and Mission and Installation Contracting Command on Fort Stewart continue to support ongoing efforts to vaccinate more than 1 mil­lion people against COVID-19 in Florida and Georgia.

Beginning in late Feb., the 904th CBN contracted life support services for more than 700 service mem­bers. These joint missions are comprised of Army, Navy and Air Force personnel who are manning five feder­al vaccination sites in Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville and Atlanta for up to 60 days.

Each contract provides lodging, meals, laundry, and transportation services supporting numerous doctors, nurses, administrative and support staff assigned to each of the vaccination sites. Federal Emergency Management Agency and state government officials provide overall oversite of daily operations at each of the five vaccination sites.

The 904th CBN assigned two teams to the support the effort; one each for Florida and Georgia. The Florida team consists of Maj. Jerry Andes II, Maj. Paul Kilgore, Master Sgt. Mark Wirtz, Sgt. 1st Class Jason Shettles and Staff Sgts. Lamar Dunlap and Dwayne Phelps. The Georgia team consists of Maj. Alicia Scott, Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Slate, Sgt. 1st Class Rafael Alameda and Staff Sgt. Christina Helsham.

“Our vigilant ready response teams did an amazing job delivering support in a very fluid and dynamic environment,” said Lt. Col. Torrionne Reche, the 904th CBN commander. “Their efforts will enable medical professionals to vaccinate over 1 million civilian per­sonnel against COVID-19.”

Through the use of full and open competition and emergency acquisition flexibilities, synchronized collaboration with the 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, the 904th CBN was able to save more than $6 million compared to the independent gov­ernment estimate, which was based on per diem rates for lodging and meals, and the 4th ESC’s market research for bulk laundry and bus transportation.

The Florida and Georgia COVID-19 vaccination missions are part of a larger nationwide military response to assist with the vaccination sites across the country. Military personnel currently support 20 vac­cination sites with at least 10 additional sites to be determined.

Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-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. As part of its mission, 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.