Jeffrey P. Parsons prepares to accept a flag during the standing up of the new ACC (provisional) March 13, 2008, at Fort Belvoir, VA. ACC will provide global contracting capability in support of warfighter needs across the full spectrum of military operations. (Photo by J.D. Lepold.)

AMC’s Commanding General Benjamin S. Griffin stood up the ACC on March 13, 2008, at Fort Belvoir, VA, under the leadership of Executive Director Jeffrey P. Parsons. With the uncasing and transfer of the flag and reading of the permanent orders, ACC is now a provisional major subordinate command of AMC.

“As a force multiplier, our contracting personnel must be trained and organized in a fashion that allows us to be expeditionary, responsive, and agile. I believe the concept we have developed to structure and operate the new ACC will enable us to meet this challenge,” said Parsons during the ceremony.

The new command, comprised of approximately 5,800 military and civilian personnel at 342 locations worldwide, will provide global contracting support to the operational Army across the full spectrum of military operations and in garrison. The ACC will have contracting capability in several areas, including installation-level contracting, research and development, weapon systems production, and sustainment and maintenance. “This comprehensive contracting capability will allow the Army to develop multiskilled contracting professionals who can step up and support the contracting needs of any military operation, no matter how complex,” said Parsons.

ACC Subordinate Commands
The ACC includes two subordinate commands: a 1-star level Expeditionary Contracting Command (ECC) focused on support to forward deployed forces and OCONUS installations, and a 1-star level Installation Contracting Command (ICC) focused on support for CONUS installations. In the future, ACC will consolidate these missions with the AMC Acquisition Centers that support Life Cycle Management Commands (LCMCs) and program executive offices. The ACC will also include the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) Directorate Office and will provide contracting support to the Office of the Program Manager-Saudi Arabia National Guard (OPM-SANG).

The ECC will provide effective and agile expeditionary contracting across the full spectrum of military operations for Army Service Component Commanders (ASCCs) and the Joint operational Army, and provide effective and responsive contracting support to Army and other federal agencies at OCONUS installations. One major ECC focus is to train contracting personnel (Active, Reserve, and National Guard component contingency contracting Soldiers and essential government civilians) to provide contingency contracting support for ASCCs and to deploy these forces worldwide in support of operational and contingency missions.

The ICC will provide effective and responsive contracting support to Army and other federal agencies at CONUS installations, and provide contracting support for all common-use information technology hardware, software, and services on behalf of Army and DOD organizations.

The Gansler Commission
The decision to restructure the Army’s contracting organization and restore responsibility to facilitate contracting and contract management in expeditionary and CONUS operations grew out of the recommendations provided by The Commission on Army Acquisition and Program Management in Expeditionary Operations (also known as the Gansler Commission). The Secretary of the Army (SA) chartered the Gansler Commission in August 2007 to examine contracting and acquisition processes (including internal controls), personnel, organization, training, policy, and regulation to ensure the Army is properly equipped for future expeditionary operations. The Gansler Commission published its comprehensive report titled Urgent Reform Required: Army Expeditionary Contracting, dated Oct. 31, 2007.

The proposed ACC organization. (Click image to view PDF.)

On Jan. 30, 2008, SA Pete Geren directed the establishment of the ACC and realignment of the Army Contracting Agency (ACA) under AMC to immediately implement the Gansler Commission’s recommendation to restructure the Army’s contracting organization and restore responsibility. Additionally, AMC was tasked to develop a concept plan to facilitate the expeditious and orderly transition of ACA and establishment of the ACC.

3-Phase Implementation
The organizational realignment of ACA to AMC and the establishment of the ACC will be executed in three phases. The first phase, from January 2008 through March 2008, included issuing Permanent Order 039-2, establishing the ACC, ECC, and ICC as provisional units assigned to AMC, and the realignment of ACA under AMC. This phase also included submission of the original concept plan to the Department of the Army in early March.

The second phase, from April 2008 through October 2008, will officially disestablish ACA’s missions and functions and incorporate these into the ACC, ECC, and ICC structures. Additionally, AMC will develop timelines for the transition of AMC Acquisition Centers and the LOGCAP Program Directorate to the ACC during this phase.

In phase three, from October 2008 through October 2009, AMC will finalize movement of the LOGCAP Program Directorate and all expeditionary and installation contracting operations and functions under ACC. During this phase, AMC Acquisition Centers will report directly to ACC while maintaining a direct support relationship to their assigned LCMC commanders.

Restoring Contracting as an Army Core Competency
ACA realignment and ACC creation are important steps in restoring the credibility of Army contracting personnel and procedures. However, implementing all of the corrective measures that are needed to put Army contracting on the optimal path will not happen overnight; it will take years. This is more than process improvement; it is an evolving journey to restore the role and importance of contracting and contractors in expeditionary operations, as well as restoring the American public’s confidence in the Army’s core competency in contracting.

ACC’s stand-up is a historic event — not because AMC is standing up a new command, but because it is demonstrating to DOD leadership, Congress, and the American taxpayer that the Army leadership is serious in taking steps to regain their confidence in contracting and ensure that it becomes an Army core competency.