Aerospace and Defense, AbilityOne Not-for-Profit 501(c)(3) | Contracting | Procurement | Acquisition

Led PRIDE’s $450M P&L operations and support functions; Contracting, Procurement (strategic sourcing and category management) and Quality Assurance. Focused on their portfolio of business lines nationwide, including: Integrated Facilities Management; Custodial and Environmental Services; Electronics Manufacturing Services; Supply Chain Management; and Kitting, Fulfillment and Distribution Services.

Senior Procurement Executive for the U.S. Air Force. Responsible for all aspects of contracting relating to the acquisition of weapon systems, logistics, and operational support to the Air Force as well as provided contingency support to the geographic combatant commanders. Strategic thinker impacted nearly every facet of AF/DoD Contracting business leading highly skilled staff supporting $825B Space, Global Power/Reach, and Information Dominance programs portfolio. Oversaw training, organizing, and equipping of a workforce of some 8000 Contracting (procurement) professionals that executed programs > $65B/yr. Business Clearance Authority for all acquisitions > $500M. Served as 1/18 Commissioners on Congressionally FY16 NDAA mandated Section 809 Panel. Panel charged with streamlining/improving defense acquisition process.Challenge: Reduced budget authority, limited resources, workforce experience and retention, high operational tempo, and time to get on contract taking too long.Actions: Fostered culture of affordability first and agile contracting techniques to accelerate capability sooner to the warfighter. Capitalized on expedited hiring authorities to bring on experienced military veterans/retirees to offset experience gap along with plan to hire more interns. Convinced AF leadership to correct pay imbalance for AF contracting professionals within the DoD. Crafted metrics for all sole source/non-Foreign Military Source acquisitions $50M < $500M to identify bottlenecks in contracting timeline.Results: Realized nearly $3B in savings for AF re-investment opportunities through better negotiation training, procedures, and business acumen. Significantly mitigated the experience shortfall for workforce with 10-20 yrs of service and received hiring approval authority for 155 leadership development interns (college graduates). Pay deficit disparity will help reduce 8-10 percent attrition rate amongst workforce; thus, driving greater rate of retention.

Directed enterprise-wide installation strategic sourcing efforts for the Air Force and executed $3.9B in annual obligations in mission and installation requirements. Led over 700 personnel agency with a total contract portfolio of $33B. Contracting authority extended worldwide across AFICA in support of eight Major Commands and their 77 units. Additionally, designated as the Commander of a Joint Task Force (Theater Support Contracting Command) upon activation. Also, directed the contract execution in support of the Defense Technical Information Center, Air Force Medical Support Agency, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center. Challenge: Undisciplined spending was occurring for installation management while Air Force operations and management budget was significantly reduced.Actions: Created Agency to solely focus on contracting for installation management. Developed Category Management concept of operations and mandatory procedures to more closely align with Planning/Programming/Budgeting procedures for more disciplined cost control.Results: Achieved Fully Operational Capable designation four months ahead of schedule. Defined and implemented AFICA processes to standardize contract execution and reduce process burden. Just achieved $1B in savings through better management of rate/process/demand.

Planned, trained, equipped, and led the 47th largest retail company in the United States to meet the needs of field commanders and their troops, whether deployed to forward locations, garrison/base or training centers. The Exchange has revenue of approximately $10B annually employing more than 43,000 civilians and provides department stores, convenience stores, gas stations, restaurants, theaters, vending and other businesses on military installations in all 50 states, five U.S. territories and more than 30 countries.Challenge: Store profitability, dismal internet business (lost opportunity), over-capitalized infrastructure and unmanaged overhead.Actions: Created strategic business plan to achieve $60M in savings and $40M in earnings. Drive internet growth to $200M in 10 years. Reduced SG&A and redirected Capital expenditure investments.Results: Identified $80M in savings and cost avoidance through deliberative re-engineering of HQ staff functions, repositioned stores based on gross margin dollars per square foot and brand name offerings to increase consumer demand, re-focused on Capital expenditure that yield high ROI projects.

Provided contract support for more than 300,000 U.S., coalition, and Afghan forces as the primary contracting office for U.S. Forces Afghanistan. Delivered responsive and effective integrated contract support to the Commander, International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during the execution of combat/stability operations of host-nation reconstruction efforts. Led some 300 soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, civilians, and contract employees, and local nationals at one headquarters location and regional contracting centers geographically dispersed across the Afghanistan/joint operations areas as they executed in excess of 30,000 theater support contract actions collectively valued at more than $6B annually.Challenge: Contracting effort dysfunctional, not fully synchronized in time and purpose to support combatant commander and POTUS political and operational objectives. Numerous accounts of wasteful spending and unrestrained demand throughout combined joint operations area (CJOA) which led to unfavorable view by Congress and the American public.Actions: Selected by USD (AT&L) as first C-JTSCC to arrest poor performance and create long-term institutional processes and procedures discipline. Created Integration Cells to better manage requirements generation within the CJOA and instituted some 35 processes/procedures to standardize Contracting support.Results: Literally put Contracting on the “offensive” reshaping joint doctrine on how to support contingencies and captured $150M in savings/cost avoidance through better oversight of requirements demand. There were zero cases of fraud, waste, or abuse reported during tenure as the C-JTSCC. Strategic skills and savvy drew the attention of the 4-star running the operational campaign who commented as to the performance: “Ph-D level in Contracting”! Created baseline for all future contingency operations to be modeled after … huge, lasting legacy.

Oversaw $65 billion F/A 22 development, demonstration, and production; $13B C-5 Modernization Program; and $9B C-130J production, spares and repair. Directed all flight operations including flight test, acceptance, aircrew training, accident prevention, and safety efforts. Led joint-service Defense Agency Contract Management Organization comprised of 134 personnel responsible for contract management of over 500 contracts (C-5, F/A 22, C-130J, HC/MC-130, P-3); $2B in un-liquidated obligations.

Primary contracting advisor to the USD (AT&L) for all MDAP programs (>$1 billion).

Chaired DAR Council comprised of senior Air Force, Army, Navy, DLA, DCMA and NASA policy officials. Directed 21 Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) committees (167 members) that generated and published DoD acquisition procedures, guidance and instruction. Provided regulatory and legislative procurement policy direction to 27,000 DoD procurement workforce members. Guided all DFARS public rule-making activities within DoD and one of four voting members as DoDs representative on the Office of Federal Procurement Policy's Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council.

Senior Military Assistant to the Director of DPAP

Commanded the most complex and diverse contracting squadron in AETC. Supervised 85 contracting professionals administering over $1.5 billion in active contracts. Procured all of AETC's specialized F-15, F-16, T-37, T-38, T-43, T-6, and T-1A contracted maintenance, aircrew training, base operating support and environmental remediation. Provided contracting support to the Defense Commissary Agency, Air Force Recruiting Command, and Air Force Security Assistance Training. Chaired acquisition strategy panels of senior representatives from affected functional areas for AETC major specialized contracts.

Directed eight squadrons comprised of 2,200 military and civilian personnel with an annual $100 million budget and $220 million in annual construction contracts. Provided morale and welfare, command and control, security, personnel, off-duty and professional military education, and contracting support for an active duty, reserve, civilian, retired, and dependent community of 75,000. Directed real property maintenance for a physical plant worth $10 billion to include 2,700 housing units and 22 dorms. Oversaw wing mobility processes and directed wing's logistics readiness functions and aerial port passenger and cargo operations for 37 C-5 and 27 KC-10 aircraft. Also served as the On Scene Commander for disasters and emergencies.

Commanded largest Air Mobility Command contracting squadron of 65 acquisition professionals. Awarded and administered over $250 million in contracts. Served as an unlimited warranted DoD contracting officer. Primary acquisition and business advisor to HQ 15th AF, 60th and 349th AMWs, 615th Air Mobility Operations Group, David Grant Medical Center, and over 30 tenant units. Oversaw training and execution of 60th AMWs Competitive Sourcing, Quality Assurance, Government Purchase Card Programs. Implemented federal and DoD procurement laws and U.S. Air Force acquisition regulations and directives. Trained, equipped, and deployed contingency contracting officers in support of AMC's global reach laydown mission.

Unlimited Warranted Contracting Officer. Led engineering, program management, and other specialists in the $3 billion development of DoD's 31 space program--the 21st century space-lifter replacement for heritage systems. Led business management team in analyzing, recommending, and implementing business strategies, contracting actions, and acquisition reform initiatives to execute this Major Defense Acquisition Program. Advised systems program director and served as the Small Business Technical Focal Point. Interfaced with senior Air Force and industry level officials.

Worked in several jobs: program support and business clearances; logistics contracting; executive officer; and chief of acquisition reform.

Supervised 13 civilian personnel. Managed $970 million in current contracts and $150-$200 million in new acquisitions for support of special mission C-141 and C-130 aircraft, H-53 and H-60 helicopters, SOF-related avionics systems, and support equipment. Developed acquisition strategies, approved multi-million dollar negotiations, led negotiation teams, and implemented streamlined techniques to improve contract support for the $3.5 billion SOF Enhancement Program. Worked with senior corporate officials and Air Force personnel.

Performed as a buyer and contract negotiator for the acquisition of spare parts, subsystems, modification kits, investment items, repairs, and technical services applicable to the F-15 A/B/C/D/E aircraft. Developed and issues solicitations, received and evaluated proposals, and negotiated and awarded contracts. Provided timely contracting actions for high quality parts and services at fair and reasonable prices, whether among competing contractors of with sole source suppliers. Interfaced with other directorates, centers, and major commands, and with corporate officials.