Photo By Ayumi Davis | Richard P. De Fatta, deputy to the commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile...... read more read more
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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s senior civilian spoke to community and industry leaders about the command’s contract requirements during Team Redstone’s Advance Planning Briefing for Industry, March 5.
Richard P. De Fatta, USASMDC deputy to the commanding general, presented during the annual meeting, which was hosted at the Bob Jones auditorium, March 5-7, to assist industry, research and academic partners to plan and prepare for future requirements with government contracts.
“APBI is important because it is one of the few opportunities to directly address industry, provide insight on our priority efforts and present an annual update focused on how we are engaged with the Army modernization enterprise,” De Fatta said. “These elements help to define SMDC’s associated work plan and provide industry with a sense of how they might organize, invest, propose, or compete to support our future needs. We are always looking for innovative approaches and solutions to our warfighting requirements.”
De Fatta said APBI is an important venue and serves to initiate conversation between government and industry teams that actively partner with the common goal of supporting the warfighter.
“The APBI engagement helps the business developers in local industry and academia understand our technical and capability development requirements,” De Fatta said. “It also is intended to present the various acquisition approaches we use to obtain that support, including our enterprise contracting strategy, our support to small business opportunities, and status of major contracting opportunities in work such as the design, development, demonstration and integration follow on.”
The event provides a forum for information exchange and discussion between industry, academia and Team Redstone government agencies. APBI provides transparency in acquisition strategies by providing long-range technology and capability development objectives to industry partners, as well as information on potential business opportunities available with Team Redstone organizations.
“In addition to the update, I discussed opportunities for industry to engage with and support the command with expertise and innovation and also provide some insight into recent challenges such as the flooding impacts to our Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site operations,” De Fatta said. “I also highlighted personnel and organizational changes that have occurred over the past year. I always look forward to these engagements and encourage industry to follow up with me or my staff leads to answer any questions, highlight capabilities or provide insight on our activities moving forward.”
Christy Tarantini, acquisition analyst with USASMDC’s G-8 Contract Support Division, said this year’s theme of “Building Partnerships to Deliver Ready Combat Formations” is appropriate considering current conflicts, and current and future threats. The theme aligns with the command’s complex mission, the Army’s focus areas for modernization, and the roles industry and academia can potentially play.
“SMDC has long been committed to providing industry with its forecasted future opportunities using multiple venues,” Tarantini said. “Participation at the fiscal year 2024 Team Redstone APBI is one way the command demonstrates this commitment by providing transparency in our acquisition strategies as well as providing information on potential business opportunities. This aids industry efforts in making informed business decisions about which acquisitions to pursue and determine the best strategy for developing winning proposals resulting in contracts that meet both parties’ goals. This is a win-win for government and industry.”
Tarantini said APBI is a large and highly visible three-day event with more than 600 government and industry representatives who registered this year. USASMDC and multiple Team Redstone organizations senior leaders participated. The event provides the command an opportunity to share with industry an early vision of its planned and potential acquisition actions over the next several years.
She said the command leverages this opportunity with industry to collaborate, network and explore prospects for strategic partnerships and continue to ensure success in supporting the warfighter.
Mary Birdsong, USASMDC Office of Small Business Programs director, presented separately during the Small Business segment, which also includes a match-making session to facilitate large and small businesses teaming opportunities.
Erica Ignont, USASMDC’s G-8 deputy, said De Fatta has presented multiple times throughout the years.
“This year Mr. De Fatta discussed the ways SMDC is partnering with industry and academia such as the educational partnership agreement recently signed with a local high school, the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering,” Ignont said. “The purpose of EPA is to help educate and recruit the next generation of scientists, mathematicians, cyber experts, and engineers in the hopes they will eventually join government or industry, which will benefit and advance our respective goals.”
USASMDC’s Virtual Industry Exchange/Forecast Industry Report is a virtual communication tool posted on http://www.smdc.army.mil quarterly providing up-to-date information on its requirements. The command uses this platform and numerous other venues such as APBI and the Army Contracting Command-Redstone Procurement Administrative Lead Time sessions to demonstrate its continued commitment for meaningful exchanges and to provide industry with potential opportunities as early as possible for their planning purposes.
| Date Taken: | 03.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2024 12:10 |
| Story ID: | 465705 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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