The Department of War (DoW) has honored the joint Navy Price Fighters (NPF) and Program Manager Advanced Amphibious Assault (PM AAA) team with the prestigious "Creativity in Contracting" Award. Faced with an astounding $1.78 billion prime contractor proposal for the USMC ACV-30 (Amphibious Combat Vehicle) that nearly doubled the program’s budget, this integrated team engineered a cutting-edge acquisition strategy. Their rigorous negotiation and fiscal stewardship ultimately secured vehicle production for $916 million—realizing over $884 million in total savings and cost avoidance while keeping a critical Marine Corps capability on schedule.
"When faced with a proposal that threatened the program’s budget viability, the PM AAA and Navy Price Fighters team stepped up to increase buying power for the Warfighter. Our joint 'one team' philosophy proved that rigorous, data-driven cost analysis and bold negotiations are essential to keeping critical capabilities on track. We're grateful for the opportunity to support our teammates within the Marine Corps, whodemonstrated world-class professionalism, open-minded collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to both fiscal stewardship and Warfighter lethality," explained Nick Cuffe, Director, Navy Price Fighters.
This peerless achievement was a masterclass in strategic collaboration and creative problem-solving. The effort began with a proposal kickoff at the UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business, where the team laid the groundwork for analyzing multiple courses of action and thoroughly analyzing the prime contractor's business entities. By embedding NPF experts with the PM AAA contracting and technical teams from day one, they forged a unified front that fundamentally transformed the acquisition approach for the program.
The foundation of the team's success was the bold decision to strategically disaggregate the PROTECTOR RT-20 turret from the prime vehicle contract. By separating the turret procurement from the contract and negotiating a direct sole-source contract with the manufacturer, the team bypassed substantial markups, saving an estimated $160 million in pass-through costs alone.
To overcome roadblocks during the $1.7 billion procurement negotiation, the team implemented a series of highly successful contracting techniques including the turret disaggregation and Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) by executing a sole-source Justification and Approval in just four months. The UCA allowed the supplier to secure long-lead materials, preventing a production break. They negotiated a downward-only rate reopener clause to award the contract on time ahead of a pending foreign rate agreement, which is already yielding a $1 million refund to the government. By locking in favorable exchange rates during option exercises, they generated an estimated $30 million in opportunity savings to date. Additionally, they created quality accountability by withholding a $50 million payment for prior non-conforming engines, compelling the contractor to provide an extended warranty and securing $60 million in corrosion-mitigation work at no extra cost.
This holistic, "one team" approach with: Katie Keys, Assistant Program Manager for Contracts (APM-CT) / PCO; Katherine Markley, Lead Specialist / Team Lead PCO; Ben Hunsberger, Contract Specialist / PCO; the Navy Price Fighters Team; the PM Advanced Amphibious Assault (AAA) Technical Team; and Chris Fuller, Counsel, was so airtight that the Defense Pricing and Contracting (DPCAP) Peer Review team waived the formal briefing for the final contract.
"It was an honor to work with my talented colleagues on our NPF team and the dedicated, hard-working, hard-charging, never-quitting, and adaptable USMC ACV-30 Project team and PM-AAA contracting team. As a team, we were able to adapt and overcome all obstacles. The icing on the cake is to ultimately be recognized by DoW/DPCAP and be presented with the prestigious “Creativity in Contracting” award," saidRodolfo Dulce Jr., Co-Project Lead, General Engineer, Navy Price Fighters
Finally, this is more than a financial victory; it is a direct investment in warfighter readiness. By protecting crucial data rights for organic sustainment and holding contractors accountable for quality, the team ensured the ACV-30 will be reliable, safe, and affordable throughout its lifecycle. As the award inscription proudly states, these exceptional contributions have "significantly enhanced Marine Corps capability through innovative, mission driven acquisition excellence." The Marines are getting their most ready amphibious platform, and the American taxpayer is getting unparalleled value.
"I am incredibly proud of this joint team. They demonstrated that rigorous technical evaluation and creative contracting are true force multipliers for the Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, and the American taxpayer," concluded Cuffe.
NAVSUP WSS provides program and supply support for weapon systems used by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and allied forces to keep naval forces mission ready. With locations in Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia; Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; and Tucson, Arizona, NAVSUP WSS supports operational readiness for nearly 300 deployable ships, 92 submarines and 3,700 aircraft worldwide.