The needs of our military have always exceeded our organic capability. To fill this gap, contractors have provided essential services such as food, medical aid, transportation, and intelligence. Their contributions, often unsung, have been instrumental in our operations. In fact, contractors have been a crucial part of our military history since the Revolutionary War. Yet, today, we still struggle to use contract support efficiently. As the U.S. military shifts toward focusing on large-scale combat operations and reducing overall personnel strength, how do we plan for an anticipated increase in contract support and prepare our leaders for this future fight?
The 3C Operational Contract Support (OCS) course slots are postured in the brigade and higher formations, but junior leaders are exposed to contract support as early as the company level. This gap in experience often leads to the unit suffering through insufficient or incorrect services or equipment. Additionally, the position of a 3C slot does not guarantee a 3C-trained leader. An Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army pull from fall 2023 shows that 3C positions account for 0.1% of our total strength, with fewer filled and even fewer deployable.
We often burden our leaders with conducting contracting operations without providing them with the proper training. Our own Army Techniques Publication 4-10, Multi-Service Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Operational Contract Support, states that the G-4/S-4 is responsible for operational contract support. Additionally, this includes developing Annex W (OCS), managing contractor-acquired property, contract synchronization and performance reports, and coordinating contractors authorized to accompany the force movement. Without proper training or experience, required activities are often left with a gap in services or supplies while contract support is reworked.
The OCS course provided by the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) at Fort Gregg-Adams provides leaders with the tools to perform OCS-related duties such as drafting and reviewing performance work statements (PWSs), quality assurance surveillance plans, and coordinating with local contracting officers. Completing this course provides a 3C identifier to help place trained personnel in duty positions that require OCS responsibilities. Priority for this training is given to those placed in or projected for 3C-identified slots due to limited seats. Scheduling and funding can prevent leaders from attending this two-week course before assuming OCS-related duties.
Leaders can explore other avenues to familiarize themselves with OCS outside the CASCOM-provided resident course. Although it does not produce the 3C additional skill identifier, Joint Knowledge Online (JKO) provides computer-based learning courses on OCS. The JKO OCS course is a four-phase series in which leaders learn about commercial capabilities, fundamentals, and planning, coordinating, and executing OCS. This self-paced virtual option is free for the organization and aids in mitigating the knowledge gap until the leader receives the CASCOM-led training.
The Army’s procurement.army.mil site provides an interactive guide to OCS through the Contracting Compass application. Leaders start their OCS roadmap by selecting supplies, services, construction, or major system acquisitions. The interactive guide walks users through contract packet requirements, research, and special considerations. This site provides users with templates and examples for contract requirements packets. Users can pull a PWS template, sample, or contract review board toolkit, to name a few resources.
Below are some tips for success in OCS based on feedback from expeditionary sustainment commands and lower echelons.
Know Your Subject Matter Experts
Seek those who are 3C trained or contact your local contracting support brigades or Mission Installation Contracting Command. Seeking expertise helps build the contract requirements packet to ensure you meet all the steps. This decreases the likelihood of your packet being returned for corrections, which puts your timeline to receive supplies, services, or equipment within the timeframe you need them.
Take Time to Understand the Basics
Understanding the procurement acquisition lead time (PALT), contract packet requirements, and funding is critical. Understanding the basics can alleviate frustrations across all entities involved in contracting. The PALT provides planning guidance to determine when you should start building your requirements based on the type of service, equipment, or supplies that you request.
If you understand the packet requirements, you can involve the subject matter experts (SMEs) early. For example, if you are tagged to build a requirements packet to construct a facility, seek out the engineers early. Understand that for some requirements, you may have to meet certain requirements outside your realm of understanding, such as building code requirements. Seeking this help and expertise early increases the likelihood that your request will be approved and that you will receive what you need or want.
Know Your Requirements
Know your requirements well and be prepared to participate in working groups and approval boards. Conduct internal quality assurance/quality control before you submit your packet for approval. Preparedness and the ability to speak on your requirements increase your chances of receiving funding approval. The person who briefs the requirements must be prepared to answer questions related to the requirements, how the activity developed the requirements, how the contract will be monitored, and what the impacts will be if the contract is not approved.
Contract support will continue to be part of our daily operations and future preparations. The Army currently has a gap in what OCS knowledge is required and what is possessed. We can set ourselves up for success by familiarizing ourselves with OCS and by guiding our leaders toward the multiple tools at our disposal. If tasked with OCS responsibilities or building a requirements packet, refer to the tips. Know your SMEs, understand the basics, and know your requirements. Contracting is a great tool to expand capability and mitigate shortfalls, but we must understand it and use it efficiently as good stewards.
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Maj. Tiffany Rupp is currently the support operations officer at Army Field Support Battalion-Liberty. She is a recent graduate from the Army Command and General Staff College, Kansas. She previously served as the Security Force Assistance Command G-4. She served as a company commander in 1-82 Attack Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade. She worked in the Operational Contract Support/Host Nation Support branch of 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command in Daegu, Republic of Korea. She holds a Master of Operational Studies degree from the Army Command and General Staff College, a Master of Science degree in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Phoenix, and is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certified.
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This article was published in the fall 2024 issue of Army Sustainment.
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