Photo By Cameron Porter | Three executive leaders from U.S. Army Sustainment Command’s Acquisition Integration...... read more read more
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- AIM – Acquisition Integration and Management Center – is a huge entity under the U.S. Army Sustainment Command, fulfilling critical, logistical global Army missions every day in operations, exercises and natural disasters.
This supports, in part, ASC’s mission to provide globally responsive strategic logistics capabilities and materiel readiness, whether that be ammunition, equipment, food, laundry, bathrooms, etc., so Soldiers, Civilian personnel, contractors, allies and partners have what is needed.
For AIM, this is where the rubber meets the road with personnel providing these services.
“Intellectual maturity across multiple disciplines … finance, logistics and operations” is what is needed to lead an organization like AIM, said its director, Jim Coffman. And his role as executive director is to “set the vision and steer the staff to achieve results in support of the warfighter.”
Asked what he is most proud of about AIM, Coffman replied: “The people!”
While only about 100 employees under the AIM organization work at ASC headquarters and at its subordinate Army Field support Brigades -- strategically positioned units that provide Soldiers what they need, when they need it -- AIM manages contracts employing thousands of people.
AIM’s employees are split into three directorates: Logistics Civil Augmentation Program Operations Directorate; LOGCAP Policy, Programs and Training Directorate; and the Contract Management Directorate.
LOGCAP Operations Directorate
LOGCAP is the largest contracted expenditure for AIM. Its mission is worldwide and encompasses everything from assisting with training to natural disasters and support of allies and partners. Examples include Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, hurricane disaster relief as in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria hit, along with its role of providing testing facilities for a COVID-19 vaccine.
It can receive missions at the drop of a hat with personnel heading out within three days.
“LOGCAP augments our deployed forces and other designated organizations with sustainment support services such as life support areas, food, water, along with other services such as minor construction,” explained Brian Almonrode, director, LOGCAP Operations Directorate.
As an example, in support of the COVID-19 response, LOGCAP worked with the Department of Health and Human Services and its partners to design and build the vaccine testing facilities.
“LOGCAP was tasked with helping to increase the throughput of many vaccine testing sites by increasing their facilities to accommodate more people. LOGCAP, in coordination with DHHS developed mobile facilities that could be placed in areas with higher targeted populations to increase the number of trial participants,” Almonrode explained.
LOGCAP Policy, Programs and Training Directorate
“The main functions of the directorate are to manage and maintain the standardized documents, reports, and business operations procedures for the LOGCAP,” said John Schafer, director.
Schafer said the Policy, Programs and Training Directorate also provides LOGCAP-specific training, education, and exercise support as a subset of operational contract support to the Army Civilians, support contractors, LOGCAP Program Management Office, sustainment brigades, and Army Reserve Soldiers in the LOGCAP Support Brigade.
“Supporting the warfighter is first and foremost the most rewarding part of the job,” he said.
Coordination and collaboration among LOGCAP professionals are essential for continued success. A LOGCAP Worldwide Requirements Meeting is conducted annually in support of that; this year it was held in May near RIA.
The three-day event served to coordinate, prioritize, and synchronize LOGCAP support to the Army service component commands’ operation plan development, training, and exercises for the next 36 months.
The event included participants from the seven Army Field Support Brigades, planners from the LOGCAP Program Management Office, LOGCAP Support Brigade, and ASC headquarters personnel.
Contract Management Directorate
The Contract Management Directorate, led by Angela Williams, serves as the liaison between the requiring activity (AIM) and the contracting agency to plan, coordinate and integrate logistical processes for service requirements for ASC.
It is divided into four divisions: Contract Cost Management Division, EAGLE Management Division, Acquisition Management Division, and the Contract Logistics Support Division.
Contract Cost Management Division
AIM cannot complete its worldwide missions without ensuring contracts are in place to pay its contracted organizations.
For perspective, during a recent period of performance, AIM was responsible for allocating $3.9 billion for LOGCAP, $550 million for Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise, and $425 million for food service contracts.
The period of performance is the time between the effective date of the contract and the last day under the contract in which services are performed.
The division provides guidance, assistance, and overall direction to AIM senior leaders in the development of metrics to assess and improve contractors’ cost performance. This includes tracking the costs of the EAGLE and LOGCAP service contracts.
“When briefing our senior leaders, we need to take our data and roll it up to a level that is understandable to individuals that do not live and breathe these contracts like the team does,” said Williams, who formerly headed up this division.
EAGLE Management Division
“The Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise is the preferred acquisition strategy and program for executing logistics services requirements, primarily materiel maintenance services, retail/wholesale supply services and transportation support services,” explained Lamont Watkins, chief, EAGLE Management Division.
EAGLE provides contracting to execute requirements for current ASC logistics requirements -- other than those under the LOGCAP -- and other Army logistics that fall under the EAGLE scope for supply, maintenance, and transportation support in worldwide missions, he said.
Its customers include the seven AFSBs and their battalions, about 60 Logistics Readiness Centers, multiple non-ASC organizations and some Navy organizations, Watkins said.
LRCs, which fall under the scope of ASC, play a crucial role in ensuring Army units maintain operational readiness by managing installation logistics and support services.
The EMD and the Army Contracting Command-Rock Island, complement each other to the success of completing their respective missions, which are the procurement, development, and delivery of contracted logistical support and services, he said.
ACC-RI’s work reaches every Combatant Command. It leverages the Army’s strategic programs such as LOGCAP, EAGLE, Security, along with many other contract vehicles to procure the services and supplies that logisticians and service members need.
“This symbiotic relationship enhances the overall capability of the Army to procure and provide contracted logistical support and services, ultimately contributing to national defense and operational readiness,” Watkins said.
Acquisition Management Division
The AMD is responsible for overseeing and managing the acquisition process necessary to support the sustainment and logistical needs of the Army. Some of the key functions include category management business processes and procedures; managing AMC service requirements tracking database administration; and facilitating contracting officer’s representative oversight for the entire ASC enterprise, to name a few.
“What’s unique and different about AMD within AIM is we’re not specifically tied to any singular mission(s) or areas of responsibility; all AMD actions and responsibilities support the entire ASC enterprise,” explained Melissa Pearson, chief, AMD, and now serving a four-month detail as head of the Contract Cost Management Division.
Small Business Division
This division’s focus is to maximize opportunities to contribute to national security and economic power by providing combat readiness and troop support. It does this by having a network of acquisition professionals who partner with small businesses to fulfill Army procurement needs.
“Small businesses make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses as well as 73% of companies in the defense industrial base, and in 2022 small businesses were awarded over 25% of all Department of Defense prime contracts,” pointed out Wendy Streeter, procurement analyst and then-chief, Small Business Division. “As the economic engine of our nation, small businesses create jobs, generate innovation, and are essential, daily contributors to national security and the defense mission.”
ASC’s AIM Center not only support the immediate needs of Soldiers in the field, but also contribute to the strategic objectives of the Army by fostering innovation, improving logistical practices, and maintaining a state of readiness. Their relentless pursuit of excellence underscores the vital role of logistics in the Army.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2024 11:13 |
| Story ID: | 478685 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AIM focuses on myriad of Army-wide global missions underway now, future operations, by Jon Connor, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
