1. J A N U A R Y – M A R C H 2 0 1 2A S C . A R M Y . M I L
&ARMY
D E S I G N D E V E L O P D E L I V E R D O M I N A T E
AL T
LESSONS LEARNED
LOGISTICS
Responsible Reset
Establishes Efficiencies
NO MORE ‘STEEL MOUNTAIN’
S&T Seeks to Tap
Potential Capabilities
THE MATERIALS DIFFERENCE

2. 106 Army AL&T Magazine
New Milestone Agreement promises more methodical
tracking process, better communication
ACCOUNTABILITY
in ACQUISITION
IN SUPPORT OF SERVICE
At Arlington National Cemetery, VA, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) Mission Contracting Center – Fort Sam Houston, TX,
manages service contracts for headstone placement and alignment, turf and grounds maintenance, uniform lease, and operation of the visitors center,
among a host of support activities. As part of its oversight, MICC conducted an exhaustive review and rewrite of performance work statements for
service contracts supporting the cemetery, resulting in the consolidation of many of the service requirements. MICC officials believe implementation of
the Acquisition Milestone Agreement (AMA) will forge a stronger partnership between the requirements and acquisition communities to field capabilities
on cost and schedule. (Photo courtesy of Arlington National Cemetery.)
by Daniel P. Elkins

3. A S C . A R M Y. M I L 107
M
ission and Installation
Contracting Command
(MICC) officials are
shifting their strategic
approach to Army acquisitions by in-
corporating a more meticulous planning
process to improve communication, stan-
dardize the development of milestones,
and increase accountability.
Implementation of the Acquisition Mile-
stone Agreement (AMA) process across
the MICC is set for January. It will rely
on a cooperative partnership of contract-
ing experts, requiring activities, and Army
leaders to ensure that acquisition strate-
gies are executed efficiently and effectively
to meet customers’ mission-critical-need
dates, officials said.
MICC, a subordinate command of U.S.
Army Contracting Command, is respon-
sible for planning, integrating, awarding,
and administering contracts in support
of Army commands, direct reporting
units, U.S. Army North, and other orga-
nizations to provide the best value for
the mission, Soldiers, and their Families.
Contracting professionals at the MICC’s
subordinate units work with installation
leadership throughout the generating
force, or institutional Army, to translate
their requirements into contracted mate-
riel and services.
“The AMA process kicks off the teaming
arrangement early in the acquisition,”
said Kimberly Wentrcek, Acting Direc-
tor of the Fort Meade, MD, Installation
Contracting Office, who is leading the
integrated process team (IPT) during
implementation of the new process. “The
process invites our customers to play a
more active role earlier in the acquisition
process, which results in better working
relationships and customer buy-in.”
The change is a result of a number of
missed milestones that necessitated
sole-source contract actions to continue
services, which increased costs and placed
MICC customers’ missions at risk.
ADVANCING TEAMWORK
The agreement marks a significant
departure from previous procedures
by bringing parties to the table much
sooner for a back-to-basics approach in
developing and managing procurements.
Wentrcek said the IPT found that under
the previous methodology, teaming
typically did not begin until receipt of
an acquisition package at the contract-
ing office, which led to a disconnect
between the acquisition strategy and
evaluators’ perceptions.
“Our efforts resulted in a strategic shift in
how the MICC conducts business, by not
waiting for acquisition packages to arrive
in contracting, but rather proactively plan
and team with our customers to generate
better acquisition strategies that meet
customer mission need dates and reduce
costs,” she said.
“The AMA process defines expectations
for all parties, provides expert assistance,
and identifies and alleviates stumbling
blocks to meeting milestones,” Wen-
trcek explained. “It symbolizes a culture
shift from reactive to proactive contract-
ing, while leveraging the resources of the
MICC and our customers.”
The change calls for initiating a com-
munication and tracking measure much
earlier in the process. Contracting
experts will create and coordinate the
agreement as part of a kickoff meet-
ing that documents the customer’s
understanding of responsibilities in the
acquisition process.
OUR EFFORTS RESULTED IN A STRATEGIC SHIFT IN HOW
THE MICC CONDUCTS BUSINESS, BY NOT WAITING FOR
ACQUISITION PACKAGES TO ARRIVE IN CONTRACTING, BUT
RATHER PROACTIVELY PLAN AND TEAM WITH OUR
CUSTOMERS TO GENERATE BETTER ACQUISITION
STRATEGIES THAT MEET CUSTOMER MISSION
NEED DATES AND REDUCE COSTS.
”
”
CONTRACTING

4. 108 Army AL&T Magazine
The agreement will then serve as a
binding document with agreed-to pro-
curement milestones, thus creating shared
accountability among mission partners.
Any changes in milestones would require
concurrence by both the MICC and the
requiring activity.
DISCIPLINED PROCESS
The AMA process will help maintain the
MICC’s commitment to ensuring that
requirements are developed and tracked
in a disciplined manner that supports
the Soldiers’ needs, by including an in-
progress review.
“In-progress reviews are a major component
of the AMA process,” said Jennifer Hast-
edt, a MICC Procurement Analyst and
IPT member. “Contracting officers and
specialists will brief both the contracting
approval authority at the appropriate level
and equivalent manager at the requiring
activity. This will ensure that the MICC
and requiring activity management know
the procurement status and identify issues
that could develop into delays.”
The transformation from the milestone
tracking report to the AMA process
got underway in January 2011. An IPT
then set out to identify requirements
and develop tools for the new process.
A successful beta test was conducted last
summer at Fort Eustis, VA; Fort Bragg,
NC; Fort Carson, CO; Fort Bliss, TX;
and Yuma Proving Ground, AZ.
“The test went very well,” Hastedt said.
“The MICC test sites provided positive
feedback and constructive comments to
improve the AMA tools.”
Training for the new process at MICC
field offices began Oct. 1, 2011. Repre-
sentatives from the MICC Contracting
Support, Plans and Operations director-
ate will provide training at the requiring
activity headquarters level.
In addition to reduced lead times, MICC
officials believe implementation of the
AMA will help meet the government’s
fiduciary responsibility by forging a part-
nership between the requirements and
acquisition communities to field capabili-
ties on cost and schedule.
“It shifts the mind-set from simply meet-
ing a date to working as a team to create
documents that meet all of the stakehold-
ers’ needs,” Wentrcek said.
DANIEL P. ELKINS is Deputy Director of
Public Affairs for the Mission and Installa-
tion Contracting Command. He has served
more than 23 years in support of public
affairs for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army.
Elkins holds a B.S. in communications from
Louisiana Tech University and an M.A. in
communications from St. Mary’s University.
SURMOUNTING OBSTACLES
Among its other responsibilities, MICC oversees contract support for the obstacle course and other
operations at Fort Benning, GA, through the Mission Contracting Center – Fort Eustis, VA. MICC’s
new AMA process is designed to ensure that acquisition strategies are executed efficiently and
effectively to meet customers’ mission-critical-need dates. Here, a Soldier runs the obstacle course
during the 2011 Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning in April 2011. (U.S. Maneuver Center of
Excellence photo by John D. Helms.)
ACCOUNTABILITY IN ACQUISITION

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ARMY ACQUISITION, LOGISTICS & TECHNOLOGY
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ASC.ARMY.MIL
“In the past 25 years, a political landscape that was dominated by two global
superpowers has evolved into an arguably more delicate arrangement that is as
unpredictable as it is complex. … Military logistics similarly has transformed,
adapting to the new way we fight while incorporating the new way we do business
and the technology that drives it all.”
COL Stanley Wolosz
Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics
U.S. Army Pacific Command