Command Acquisitions keeps USTRANSCOM on time and on target
"Standing up the new organization from a team of five in a corner office on the third floor in building 1900 to now being fully manned with 27 world-class acquisition experts has been an exciting evolution," said Command Acquisitions Chief, Gail Jorgenson.
USTRANSCOM Command Acquisitions office provides the command with contracting, program management and Small Business/Competition Advocate expertise. The acquisition process is designed to convert the commands distribution transportation system requirements into operational programs to supply USTRANSCOM in its role as the Department of Defense Distribution Process Owner (DPO) and its component organizations.
"In support of the war fighter, USTRANSCOM Command Acquisitions (TCAQ) manages the life cycle of acquisition requirements for the global transportation and distribution network nationally and internationally," Jorgenson said.
"We will be on time and on target," USTRANSCOM Commander Gen. Norton A. Schwartz recently told a group of combatant commanders.
"One aspect of keeping that promise, Jorgenson said, includes a diverse, highly-trained population of acquisition professionals. To that end we have attracted acquisition professionals from all services, many defense agencies, and have folded into the organization liaison officers from Defense Contracting Audit Agency and Defense Contracting Management Agency.
Supporting the individual directorates of USTRANSCOM is equally important. "Spending taxpayer dollars wisely on multimillion dollar contracts sustaining critical USTRANSCOM IT (information technology) infrastructures is one example how we manage acquisition requirements supporting multiple endpoints across the commands internal landscape," said Jorgenson.
TCAQ's four primary branches include the DPO Contracting Office, Program Management Office, Transportation Component Command (TCC) Procurement Branch, and Acquisition Policy.
There are currently two program managers assigned to TCAQ: Lt. Col. Jim Lovell and Dean Peebels. They help other USTRANSCOM staff project officers formulate program goals and develop specific program strategies and collaborate with Milestone Decision Authorities and the functional community to implement program management objectives for specific programs. "We also help project officers identify trade-offs between program cost, schedule and performance," said Lovell.
TCAQ's human capital includes procurement analysis supporting the requirements of USTRANSCOMs Component Commands. The TCC Procurement Branch brings years of specialized procurement knowledge in such areas as the Civil Reserve Airlift Fleet, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and Military Sealift Command. As Susan Sembenotti of TCAQs TCC Procurement Branch explained, "We consult on procurement issues relating to air, sea, and surface transportation and distribution."
The TCAQ Policy Branch is the focal point for the development and implementation of acquisition policy, procedures and reviews. "One of our main goals in support of the USTRANSCOM mission is to ensure the command spends our precious funds wisely," said TCAQ Policy Branch Chief, Chris Harrington.
To meet that objective the Policy Branch is charged with managing the command acquisition program. The Policy Branch reviews all acquisition packages to ensure that they reflect the true needs of the command, ensuring acquisition packages also meet the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, supplements and other Department of Defense and USTRANSCOM guidance. "The ultimate goal is to offer creative business solutions to meet USTRANSCOM requirements," concluded Harrington.
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