By Army 2nd Lt. Monika Comeaux
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Service members fight the War on Terror with different tools. The men and women at the Forward Operating Base Fenty contracting office fight by awarding more than 90 percent of their contracts to area Afghan contractors.
This strengthens Afghan businesses and creates much-needed job opportunities in areas where unemployment rates are around 30 percent, said a Jalalabad businessman, who calls himself "Engineer Mohammad."
"The purpose of our office is two-fold – buy all the stuff that the Army cannot provide for itself to support the Soldiers and to develop the local economy," said Army Maj. Bill Campbell, Regional Contracting Center chief of contracting.
The FOB Fenty contracting office, which oversees more than 500 active contracts on 27 different locations, awarded almost $20 million for contracts providing services, construction and commodities mostly for military bases in the Task Force Bayonet area of operations in the past six months.
The program implemented is often referred to as the "Afghan First" program, Campbell said. The program is basically the commanding general's guidance to ensure that Afghan businessmen get every opportunity to compete for and win contracts.
"The contracting office sends out solicitations via e-mail," said Mohammad. I submit a cost estimate and after a while I find out if I won the bid. I already have some projects on (FOB Fenty)."
"Even five years ago e-mail was a dream for us," Mohammad said explaining how fast business and technology is changing in Afghanistan. "In the past two years we started using e-mail and cell phones. It makes life and business much easier."
Mohammad and Campbell commented on how the improving economy has led to the establishment of banks in Afghanistan. Many contractors, like Mohammad, are now able to receive money from the contracting office through electronic funds transfers.
Mohammad himself employs more than 100 Afghan laborers from the Jalalabad area. With some contracts lasting more than one year, he provides steady jobs for many.
"I learned a lot of things about contracting, administration, book keeping and filing," said Wahid who has benefited from employment on FOB Fenty. "I make reasonable money to take care of my family. I am able to send my kids to go to school."
Within Afghanistan, the FOB Fenty contracting office has been able to put the greatest percentage of money into the economy through awarding contracts to Afghan contractors, Campbell said.
Mohammad plans to continue competing for upcoming contracts on and off the FOB. He hopes that one day Afghanistan will be of the same economic standing as some of the developed nations.
"I would like for Afghanistan to be like Japan. Japan after WWII had nothing. Now they have everything. If you ask anybody around the world, they all know about Japan. I hope that one day, Afghanistan will have a blooming economy like Japan has today," said Mohammad.
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 02.08.2008 18:25 |
| Story ID: | 16175 |
| Location: | NANGARHAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 596 |
| Downloads: | 398 |
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