Photo By Daniel P. Elkins | Roger Ammons earned the outstanding contracting officer award in specialized services...... read more read more
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Dec. 15, 2021) -- A Mission and Installation Contracting Command lead contract specialist from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is among the 16 individuals and teams announced Dec. 14 as winners of the 2021 Secretary of the Army Awards for Excellence in Contracting.
Roger Ammons earned the outstanding contracting officer award in specialized services and construction contracting during a virtual ceremony officiated by the Army’s top acquisition leaders.
Karen Saunders, the senior official performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, presided over the ceremony and served as its keynote speaker.
“Those of you gathered today represent over 8,000 contracting civilians and military personnel who work tirelessly to ensure we efficiently acquire and provide equipment and services so Army commands and Soldiers always have the right equipment and the right capability when they need it,” Saunders said. “We know the critical importance of Army contracting and thanks to you, our dedicated contracting workforce, we achieve mission success every day. Army contracting is the link between requirements for our men and women in uniform and the program management and vendor partners who fulfill requirements. Whenever and wherever the mission, Army contracting professionals make it happen.”
The award recognizes Ammons’ efforts as a contracting officer and team lead for the MICC-Fort Campbell Installation Support Division. He awarded 42 construction contracts valued at more than $30 million, which included a contract in support of renovations for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Air Assault Division barracks that saved the government $2.1 million. He developed a processing system that allowed contract specialists to complete task orders in a matter of hours, which reduced processing time by almost 50%. Ammons also developed and delivered training sessions allowing the contracting office to achieve a 90% compliance rate in program management review. Additionally, he contributed to the standardization and automation of document processing for construction requirements and earned a $10 million contract warrant to provide greater assistance during year-end contracting operations.
“I consider winning the award an honor and a privilege. I believe we all strive to do our best and sometimes do not even realize when we do great things, because they were just a product of our work,” Ammons said. “It’s awesome when this kind of recognition is provided for the results. Although, as I suspect is the case when most people win a prestigious award, when I heard I had won my first reaction was for what? I know there are more outstanding contracting officers in my category than me. My actions just happen to catch the attention of my leadership.”
Among those leaders were Eric Boston, the installation support division chief, and Brad Davis, the MICC-Fort Campbell Mission Support Division chief, who Ammons cites as providing superb leadership and mentorship.
“They have probably taught me more about contracting in the last three years than I learned in the previous eight years. MICC-Fort Campbell is a tight knit group,” Ammons said referencing the approximately 25 teammates who also viewed the virtual ceremony. “We support each other, and that is always the path to success.”
He also credits the guidance, direction and resources provided by MICC-Fort Campbell command team to accomplish the mission as well as the support by his wife, Kari, daughters, Gwendolyn, Jacqueline and Roslynn, and son, Grayson.
Established in 1997, judges for this year’s awards competition were chosen from across the Army contracting enterprise by acquisition senior leaders. More than 100 nominations were received for consideration by judges, who selected the top 16 over three categories. Saunders said contracting professionals across the enterprise executed more than 211,000 contract action valued at over $127 billion in fiscal 2021, including 30% of awards to small businesses.
“The Army continues to lead the way procuring the goods and services our nation needs, especially during another year of the COVID pandemic as well as natural disasters and manmade threats that are directly affecting our own citizens and those around the world,” Saunders said, citing such examples as the pandemic response and Operation Warp Speed as well as humanitarian assistance during Operation Allies Refuge. “No matter the complexity of the mission, you maintain your flexibility to support.”
In opening remarks, Megan Dake, the acting deputy assistant secretary of the Army for procurement, said the excellence in contracting awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding contracting organizations and individuals, both government civilians and military personnel, whose accomplishments elevate them above the best in Army contracting.
“This has been a challenging year for the Army and our nation. The COVID-19 pandemic, continuing virtual telework, natural disasters, and the withdrawal from Afghanistan are just a few of the examples of what we have supported,” Dake said. “Despite the challenges, Army contracting professionals have persevered and have stepped up to the challenge of supporting our Army.
“Our mission at its foundation is to support Soldiers stationed at home and abroad to ensure they have what they need, when they need it, and to come home safely,” Dake continued. “Army contracting is with that Soldier through his or her journey in the uniforms they wear, the arms they bear, the tanks they drive and the critical supplies they use on the battlefield. Our Army contracting activities directly support these efforts, and our missions would not have been possible without their leadership and that of the senior contracting officials.”
On behalf of the Army Contracting Command leadership team, Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler congratulated all of the winners and said each identifies what it means to deliver the power of Army contracting.
“We are motivated by the dedication, innovation and the determination of each of you. Your professionalism and commitment to taking care of your piece of the Army and national defense is inspiring and to be emulated by all of us,” Beeler said. “Your accomplishments exemplify the level of professional and personal excellence that you attain, and your achievements are all that more outstanding given that you did this all during the global pandemic. Your passion, unwavering commitment to helping America’s Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, their families and our outstanding civilian teammates (are) unmatched.”
About the MICC:
Headquartered at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,300 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.
| Date Taken: | 12.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.15.2021 11:01 |
| Story ID: | 411179 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 161 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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