VICKSBURG, Miss. – The Excellence in Contracting Awards Program (ECAP) has selected the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Contracting Office as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Center of the Year.
The ECAP recognizes the achievements and contributions of the USACE contracting workforce for their continuing and exceptional commitment to the country. The awards honor those who have singularly and collectively fulfilled the USACE acquisitions mission and demonstrated leadership, contracting expertise, professional development and achieved exceptional successes over the past year.
During fiscal year 2019, the ERDC Contracting Office employed stellar management and technical skill to ensure that two Prototype - Other Transaction (P-OT) consortium initiatives were executed on time, without protest and within budget. P-OT agreements offer innovative collaborative approaches to addressing a myriad of complex emergent and programmed requirements and allow personnel to reach non-traditional defense contractors with tailored terms and conditions to ensure successful mission execution.
In support of USACE Military Programs, the ERDC identified a need to execute military engineering prototype projects, as well as prototype projects focused on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of its installations and contingency bases. It was essential to adopt the P-OT acquisition tool to enhance capabilities to find solutions for these technology sectors.
The ERDC Contracting Office established the Military Engineering Consortium Initiative (MECI) and successfully transferred the program management of the Consortium for Energy, Environment, and Demilitarization (CEED) from Army Contracting Command. The MECI and CEED technology sectors are vital to the success of USACE and could result in the execution of up to $2.7 billion in Military Program P-OT Agreements for the ERDC. These prototype projects will allow USACE to find state-of-the-art technical solutions to the Army’s toughest challenges across the spectrum of operations.
“The key to the ERDC Contracting Office success was finding innovative ways to ensure that the warfighter and our customers get what they need by finding new ways to make things happen,” said Dr. David Pittman, director of the ERDC. “What a success story, not only for ERDC, but for USACE and the nation.”
Since the award of the two consortium management agreements, the ERDC has executed seven different prototype project competitions valued in excess of $25 million. These initiatives have directly led to positive acquisition outcomes for the ERDC and the USACE.