Twitter
Facebook
For a few Ramstein Airmen, the last few days of September proved to be filled with long working hours, late nights and energy drinks. Why is that? Well, the fiscal year ended on Sept. 30 and represented closeout of the Department of Defense’s 2018 budget.
For the 700th Contracting Squadron, 86th Comptroller Squadron, unit resource advisors and government purchase card holders, it was the last big push to award contracts and use the GPC to fulfill requirements before the stroke of midnight on Sept. 30. You can liken it to the “Superbowl.” It was a true team effort to complete a game-winning drive and score a successful fiscal year 2018 closeout!
So, you may ask, how do organizations on Ramstein use their funds and how do they support the 86th Airlift Wing’s mission? I’m glad you asked! In FY18, 700th CONS executed $92 million on contracts for commodities, services, and construction requirements. Here are a few examples of how we supported missions of the 86th AW and other Kaiserslautern Military Community mission partners:
Our commodities flight teamed with U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s Warrior Preparation Center’s Air Ground Operations School to purchase a multi-million dollar Joint Terminal Attack Controller-Tactical Air Control Party Specialist/Operational Simulation Suite (J-T/OSS). This state of the art simulator will enable close air support operations training for 120 U.S. and NATO JTACs, increasing their readiness and lethality. Not only does the commodities team support our warfighters with contracts such as J-T/OSS, they are responsible for purchasing equipment such as the computers and office furniture your units use every day. Also, they awarded 225 contracts valued at $28 million in FY18.
The services flight also has huge impact. As the largest services acquisition flight in USAFE, they manage over 50 contracts valued at $125 million. In FY18, the services flight established contracts supporting chaplain services, wing safety, and medical care such as nurses, physicians, and TRICARE operations. In July, the services flight awarded a custodial services contract that provides cleaning support for buildings in the KMC area, Spangdahlem Air Base, and units on NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen. Through this strategic sourcing initiative to combine services for three locations under one contract, they saved USAFE $500K. Their efforts were recognized by the Air Force Installation Contracting Agency with the Enterprise Sourcing Excellence award!
You may have noticed the new P.F. Chang’s restaurant in the Ramstein Enlisted Club. In coordination with the 86th Force Support Squadron and 86th Civil Engineering Squadron, the construction flight finalized contract details and delivered the DoD’s first P.F. Chang’s that will feed 350K patrons per year! The construction flight also partnered with 86th CES to establish projects for repairing and maintaining military family housing, dorms, fitness centers, sports fields and playgrounds. Executing a $44 million civil engineering budget made for a busy FY18 in the construction flight.
700th CONS Plans and Programs flight (a.k.a. “P-Flight”) manages the largest GPC program in U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa. Our GPC team supports the 86th AW, and other organizations to include the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing and 435th Air Expeditionary Wing, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, Third Air Force, and the USAFE-AFAFRICA staff. More than 27,000 card swipes valued at $36 million streamlined purchasing operations across the globe. P-Flight is also responsible for diligent management of our contract writing system and 56 contracting officer representatives (i.e., quality assurance inspectors).
As you can see, there is virtually no corner on Ramstein Air Base and the KMC that 700th CONS has not touched. We extend a huge thank you to you, our customer, for a successful fiscal year closeout. Your willingness to become educated on acquisition processes through “Contracting 101,” our customer education initiative, paid big dividends in FY18. Your responsiveness to our processes and timelines resulted in a 20 percent reduction in returned purchase request and more efficient spending in the third and fourth quarters. Going into Sept. 1, 2018, we were $12 million ahead of our execution on Sept. 1, 2017.
Let’s keep this momentum going! 700th CONS will continue to accommodate your Contracting 101 needs in FY19. Contact us at 489-8408 to schedule training at a time and location that works best for you. With your help, we’ll continue building better business strategies and stronger relationships to support the “World’s Best Wing” and our mission partners. Happy New Fiscal Year!
