Commentary: Focus on the mission ensures success of Air Force contracting Published Nov. 17, 2010 By Maj. John Wodochek 386th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron commander SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Our focus on the mission is the bedrock of our success as a team. Your Expeditionary Contracting Squadron uses a mission-focused services acquisition process to support the strategic focus of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing: Airmen, Allies Infrastructure and Mission. The entire acquisition process starts with the mission requirement and culminates with mission results. It is imperative to keep the mission in mind at all times to avoid procuring a service that fails to meet the mission. There are seven steps in the acquisition process, and these can be grouped into three phases -- planning, development and execution. In the planning phase, the team is formed, current strategy is reviewed and market research is completed. Form the Team The composition of every team will differ, but three key members will always be present: the customer, the program manager and the contracting officer. The customer is the member of the team who best knows the mission requirements and is responsible for defining the performance objectives and outcomes. The program manager is responsible for the acquisition plan that forms the roadmap for service acquisition and keeps all members focused on the desired outcome. The contracting officer is the only one in our organization who can contractually bind the government. Review Current Strategy Agencies must be able to describe their acquisition in terms of how it supports the mission -- again driving home the importance of mission focus. The acquisition team must evaluate its environment to ensure it forms the contract that most accurately meets the intended goals. At a minimum, the team must analyze the current process, identify the risks and define the desired results. Market Research The only way to determine what the commercial marketplace has available to meet your mission needs is through market research. Each service acquisition must begin without preconceived notions that limit the scope of market research. Failure to begin with an open mind will guarantee you miss a better alternative. After the planning foundation is laid, the development phase begins. In the development phase, the requirement is defined and the acquisition strategy is formed. Requirements Definition Requirements definition is a combination of risk analysis and the requirement to create performance objectives. These performance objectives are then linked to the desired outcomes of the mission requirement. Anything that fails to meet this requirement is eliminated. At this point it is important to think in terms of required results (i.e. operable vehicle fleet) rather than how to complete a task (i.e. provide 300 vehicles). In leadership terms, one might consider this by understanding a commander's intent -- your commander will not direct the details of your actions but should communicate his or her intent and provide a vector for progress. Also critical in this phase is to determine an acceptable level of quality to which the contractor will be held to in order to claim acceptable performance and the methodology used by the Airman to track this performance. A Performance Work Statement (PWS) and the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) are the key output of this step. Acquisition Strategy The acquisition strategy is the step where the business case is developed. Now that a well-defined PWS and QASP are in hand, the team can assess the appropriate contract vehicle and incentive arrangement, as well as how to acquire a contract service provider. The final product of this step is the Request for Proposals (RFP) that communicates to the marketplace exactly what you want and how they can be considered for performance. After these critical development steps are accomplished, the final phase is the execution phase. It consists of strategy execution and performance management. Strategy Execution Strategy execution is where the RFP is issued, allowing potential offerors the opportunity to win an award. Offerors evaluate RFPs and determine the best way to meet your service acquisition needs while maximizing profit for their shareholders. A well- written RFP that includes a clearly articulated PWS allows the potential offerors to do both while meeting your mission needs, whereas a poorly written RFP and PWS do not guarantee your mission is met. Once again, success or failure in this step relies on a clear mission focus. Performance Management Once an appropriate contractor has been selected, the contractor begins performance of the task, and the stakeholders begin to see the results of steps one through six. Performance management has two dimensions: administering the contract and managing the relationship and expectations between all involved parties. In this phase, it is critical that the team members stay engaged and acutely observe the physical process. They also must objectively judge the end state delivered. As you may have guessed, success or failure is dependent on maintaining mission focus. Among many other vital tasks, your contracting squadron is charged with these critical steps in support of the mission here at our wing, ultimately supporting the AFCENT mission as a whole. The process itself, much like a well-functioning squadron, group or wing, requires several steps dependent upon each other in order to be successful. In fiscal year 2009, the Department of Defense spent more than $212 billion on services. This represents nearly half the total defense budget. The process I've just described helps us remain good stewards of hard-earned, tax-payer dollars. Following the seven-step acquisition process is the way your contracting team ensures that contractor performance meets Air Force requirements and stays mission focused.