Nov. 15, 2011
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VICKSBURG, Miss. — ERDC recently played host to some of the highest ranking leaders in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National Contracting Organization (NCO) during a week of continuing development and strategy refinement. The group consisted of representatives from all USACE divisions and centers, including those overseas.
"Senior leaders were provided the opportunity to review the NCO's existing Strategic Articulation Map (SAM) that aligns the NCO with the USACE Campaign Plan," said ERDC Contracting Chief Wendell Norman. "Each strategy was reviewed and corresponding initiatives and metrics were validated. In addition, the team also aligned the SAM to the Army Campaign Plan, as it pertains to the contracting initiative."
A relatively new organization, the USACE began standing up the NCO in 2007 and began to develop its SAM in 2009. The summit provided an opportunity to look at the way operations have been run for the past two years and adjust, based on need and customer feedback. Attendees included NCO Director Brig. Gen. Theodore Harrison along with the organization's deputy director, division chiefs, principal assistants responsible for contracting, regional chiefs and center contracting chiefs.
The conference was held at ERDC thanks, in part, to a pre-event visit from Harrison, who felt it would be beneficial for NCO leaders to have an awareness of what ERDC does for the Corps, as well as USACE Vicksburg District (MVK) missions. Harrison said prior to the summit, only three of the 18 attendees had visited ERDC.
"So much of what ERDC does supports the Corps and it's good to see," said Harrison. "The same goes for MVK. There is a lot of key support in this area.
"This is an important time within NCO," continued Harrison. "Our strength as a national chapter is that we are able to standardize practices and integrate with every organization in the Corps. Weeks like this allow us to do our jobs efficiently and effectively."
In addition to planning and review sessions, the week also included tours of ERDC and the Vicksburg District's Mat Sinking Unit. In addition, the group participated in numerous networking social hours, lunches and dinners around Vicksburg.
"The Contracting Office takes great pride in the support we provide to ERDC," said Norman. "Much of our work is unlike any other in the Corps, so from a contracting perspective it was beneficial to showcase the tremendous role that research and development plays in the missions of the Corps, the Army and the nation. Having the opportunity to highlight the great talent here to our national headquarters and our peers across USACE made the hard work that went into hosting the summit worthwhile."