ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill.– Army Contracting Command-Rock Island Arsenal recently supported a series of dynamic industry engagements, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening the national defense industrial base and accelerating acquisition reform. Through a series of targeted events in March and June 2026, ACC-RIA leaders and acquisition professionals connected with hundreds of industry partners to foster collaboration, enhance transparency, and align commercial capabilities with the Army’s urgent modernization priorities.
This strategic outreach culminated in a flurry of activity from June 2-4 in the Quad Cities. The engagements kicked off with the 17th Annual Iowa-Illinois National Defense Industrial Association’s Government Contracting Symposium. There, Lynda Armer, ACC-RIA’s executive director, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the critical link between contracting, materiel readiness, and the Army’s Organic Industrial Base.
"It is of utmost importance to everyone that we continue to keep the industrial base in operation, so I’m going to talk to you about a few ways that we are going to come to you, looking for help to do our job in providing solutions for the Army," Armer stated.
She highlighted several rapid execution methods ACC-RIA is employing to lower barriers to entry for commercial partners, including the Cornerstone Initiative Request, Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs), and various consortiums, which also attract non-traditional defense contractors who bring innovative solutions to the table. She also stressed the importance of Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) and Enhanced Use Leases (EULs), as these processes prioritize Industry investment into OIB sites, which will enhance the utilization of the sites, further strengthening the national supply chain and resiliency of the OIB as a whole.
The NDIA symposium also featured a panel with Michele Ross, ACC-RIA’s Munitions and Industrial Base director, who discussed the volatile global environment and the imperative for government and industry to work in lockstep to ensure readiness. Additionally, Master Sgt. Anthony Patera, contracting officer, showcased the Global Protective Services program, an ACC-RIA-managed strategic source for acquiring rapid private security solutions, securing critical missions in any environment, anywhere in the world.
On June 4, the focus shifted to two key events. In partnership with the Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, ACC-RIA hosted an industry day at the arsenal. Armer detailed the multitude of ways industry can collaborate with the OIB. P3s, EULs, and direct work-sharing agreements that leverage the unique capabilities of government-owned facilities like RIA-JMTC.
“JMTC has an incredible amount of capability,” said Armer. “The Army has invested a lot of money in improving the facility, bringing in new equipment, equipment that you can’t find in most places, or doesn’t exist in most places. The capability that JMTC provides with its advanced manufacturing solutions is something that we are interested in seeing how we can support you – how we can be the customer for your requirements.”
Subsequent to the event, the government met with numerous industry partners in one-on-one sessions to further explore specific business opportunities that companies wanted to bring to JMTC. Senior leaders were very excited about the type of opportunities discussed in the one-on-ones and are confident it will lead to new and exciting workload brought to JMTC. Future engagements will further explore these proposed opportunities, allow for site tours, and further develop the details of the opportunity.
Concurrently, ACC-RIA partnered with Army Sustainment Command (ASC) for an Advanced Planning Briefing to Industry focused on the future of logistics services. The day brought together 121 attendees from 81 companies to discuss the evolution of the Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise program.
A morning session for current contract holders centered on improving property management through shared lessons learned. The session featured a panel of government property representatives, including four ACC-RIA property administrators/plant clearance officers--Sharon Valle, Tyler Garcia, Calvin Holmes and Oliver Manning-- who reviewed FAR requirements, and two contractors who passed their Property Management System Analysis. They shared firsthand experiences on what actually worked for them and how they overcame common compliance hurdles.
The discussion sparked lively, honest discussions that were highly beneficial for connecting government and industry. Following the morning session, the EAGLE team hosted one-on-one sessions for the basic ordering agreement holders allowing contractors to sit down directly with government subject matter experts to troubleshoot their current task orders.
An afternoon session of the APBI featured ACC-RIA’s Sgt. 1st Class Angela Kim and ASC’s John Dengler's detailed discussion on the strategic transition of EAGLE requirements to a more flexible contract structure under the LOGCAP VI Small Business Suite, emphasizing prime opportunities for small businesses. The main message from the afternoon session was that EAGLE requirements are not going away, but the program will have a new look under LOGCAP.
Executing future EAGLE requirements under a more flexible IDIQ structure will unify logistics efforts. Industry asked meaningful questions to further assist with the market research process.
These summer engagements built upon a foundation of proactive outreach established in the spring. In March, ACC-RIA conducted four major industry engagements that yielded a high level of market intelligence.
A LOGCAP industry day in Dallas, March 2-4, drew over 200 professionals, enabling the command to refine its acquisition strategy and de-risk the program. This event enabled the commands to refine their acquisition strategy to make it clearer and more competitive, aligned on modernization goals like artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and advanced the vital role of small businesses in the mission.
On March 17-18, Armer and several ACC-RIA employees led briefings at the NDIA Munitions Executive Summit in Parsippany, New Jersey, joining experts in the U.S. Munitions Industrial base, academia, and theU.S. Government acquisition, program management, technology sectors, in a meaningful interchange on the challenges confrontingthe U.S. Munitions Enterprise.
That same week, March 19-20, ACC-RIA and Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment and Ammunition (PAE AS&A) hosted an OIB and Indirect Fires Munitions Industry Day in New Jersey, where discussions centered on opportunities for P3s, co-production, and multi-year contracting strategies to strengthen the munitions supply chain, focusing on the continued investment in, development, and sustainment of the OIB.
This event drew more than 450 industry partners across hundreds of represented companies. The briefing covered a multitude of topics but was primarily focused on exploring P3 and co-production opportunities at the OIB’s Anniston, Blue Grass, Crane, Letterkenny, McAlester, Pine Bluff, and Tooele Government Owned, Government Operated (GOGO) sites.
Following the briefing, the government held 128 one-on-ones over a two-day period, which brought industry partners face-to-face with site leads from each GOGO location, ACC and PAE AS&A leaders, and allowed industry to pitch P3 or co-production opportunities to grow the footprint of specific sites. The government team then followed up with the companies who pitched the strongest ideas and solicited white papers, which are now being evaluated and negotiated for execution to further bolster the OIB.
Finally, on March 24-25, ACC-RIA employees joined U.S. Army, Product Lead Special Ammunition and Weapon Systems (PdL SAWS) in hosting an industry day in Rockaway, New Jersey. This event covered a range of topics concerning the potential acquisition strategy for Special Ammunition and Weapons Systems (SAWS), and ACC-RIA contracting personnel gathered crucial industry feedback to shape their future acquisition strategies.
The insights and collaboration fostered during these events are not just conversations; they are a direct implementation of the Department of the Army's acquisition reform measures. By engaging industry early and often, ACC-RIA is embedding the principles of speed, flexibility, and continuous market research into its procurement lifecycle. This proactive stance ensures that contract requirements are realistic, competitive, and aligned with cutting-edge commercial technology.
This strategic dialogue with both traditional and non-traditional partners is vital for modernizing the OIB and fulfilling the Army's mandate to account for its unique operational requirements. Ultimately, by breaking down barriers and building stronger partnerships, ACC-RIA is accelerating the delivery of decisive capabilities, ensuring our nation’s warfighters maintain a definitive edge on the battlefields of today and tomorrow.