FORT BENNING, Ga. − U.S. Army Garrison Fort Benning hosted an Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) partnership symposium with state and local government officials, September 1, at Troy University’s satellite campus in Phenix City, Alabama.
The symposium's purpose was to open dialogue with potential state and local governments, establish an understanding of IGSA partnership opportunities, and to gauge interest in forming new partnerships with Fort Benning.
Military services are authorized by legislative statute 10, U.S. Code 2679 to enter IGSAs on a sole source basis for installation services, if they best serve enhancing mission effectiveness by creating efficiencies or economies of scale, reducing cost. Using IGSA is a prime cost-effective means for Fort Benning Garrison to acquire goods and services.
“We’ve found IGSAs to be an exceptionally effective way to ensure service delivery while saving money. Current savings across the Army portfolio exceed 30 percent,” said Peter F. Sun, lead facilitator, contract support to the Installation Management Command. “What we found in a number of installations implementing IGSAs has been significant savings and maintained or improved service delivery.”
Community IGSA’s provide installations and their public partners with a way to optimize delivery and receipt of existing installation support services, thus capitalizing on each party’s capabilities and creating efficiency.
Agreements like this also bolster already solid partnerships between installations and their surrounding communities.
“The examples we investigated today for new IGSAs, and the successes already identified benefit not only the military partners but also the governmental entities outside the gate and provide opportunities to improve relationships for the benefits of Fort Benning, their Soldiers, Families, and the MCoE mission,” said Sun.
Fort Benning conducted two sessions and is seeking community IGSA partnerships with state and local government public partners to provide a number of improvements.
“Fort Benning Garrison presented 15 potential partner areas, programs, or services during the symposium,” said Elizabeth Guzman, Fort Benning garrison Plans, Analysis, and Integration Office installation IGSA manager. The response was tremendous, we received interest in 14 of the 15 areas and 37 offers total for potential partnerships with our local community."
Partner areas included road grading services; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filter changing services; vent hood cleaning services; airfield sweeping; child youth inspection services; road guardrail and signage inspection services; emergency generator maintenance; lightning protection system services; a resource efficiency manager; information technology services; geospatial information systems support; National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process documentation support services; and cultural resources management support services.
“We found it very informative as far as the overall understanding for new IGSA opportunities, and we look forward to signing another IGSA for the future,” said Fred Copeland, mayor of the City of Smiths Station.
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