One team, one fight Published Jan. 10, 2014 By James Branch 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Members of the 94th Airlift Wing Contracting Office recently welcomed fourteen Atlanta and Warner Robins area government contracting and Small Business agency leaders during the Head of Contracting Activity meeting. Initiated by the General Services Administration and Center for Disease Control, the first HCA meeting was hosted by GSA 16 May 2013 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Building in Atlanta. According to Erv Koehler, GSA regional commissioner head of contracting activity, the initial goals of the HCA were to establish a network of peers to reach out to one another for assistance, share information as a team and establish a community of practice so the collective experience of the stakeholders would only lead to the efficiencies and effectiveness of acquisitions across those represented agencies. The initial meeting established a minimum of quarterly follow-on meetings and interaction with personnel who share the same challenges and goals as an HCA, Director of Contracts or Chief of Contracting Office exchange lessons learned/best practices to reduce learning curves, learn how others meet their competition and small business goals, share policies, check lists and compliance procedures devise methods to recruit, develop and retain contracting personnel. The Dobbins HCA meeting was the fourth since its inception and included representatives from the GSA, CDC, Housing and Urban Development, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, the Dobbins Contracting Office, HQ Air Force Reserve Command Contracting Office and the addition of the Atlanta Small Business Administration. "The purpose of the meetings are to gather decision makers from the various government contracting offices to share ideas, best practices and lessons learned," said Melvin Smith, 94th AW Chief of Contracting Office. "We use the purple suit (team) approach in efforts to run our organizations better, cheaper and more efficiently." Col. Marshall Irvin, 94th Mission Support Group commander, provided the contracting heads an overview of the Wing's Mission, offering a better understanding of contracting's role in the welfare of base assets and people. "Our members and their families are being tasked with obligations much different than the Airmen of the past," said Colonel Irvin. "We rely on contracting to procure the necessary resources it takes to accomplish our Mission." Although still in its infancy, the meetings have already produced results with leaders sharing experiences/lessons learned in arena's such as continuing resolution, furloughs, training needs, retention, personnel cross training, Small Business goals and the like. Other Regions are already looking at the HCA meetings as a benchmark to follow for process improvement. "Although each agency represented here is different, we can all offer processes and contingency plans for projects moving forward," said Smith. The attendees not only brought wealth of contracting knowledge to the meeting, but left with broader understanding of the 94th AW and how its success relies on the procurement of goods and services. "The mission cannot be completed successfully without contracting," said Irvin. "I would like to thank you all for your professionalism and knowledge."
