SERVICES’ THEATER SUPPORT CONTRACTING ORGANIZATIONS AND CAPABILITIES
1. General
Theater support contracting capabilities differ between Services. Based on individual mission and organization, each Service has its own approach to develop, train, and deploy contracting personnel. Although differing in organization, training, and experience, each Service’s contingency contracting force personnel must meet the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification requirements, including appropriate education, training, and experience. However, knowing the individual Services’ organizational approaches, capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses can help the JFC maximize the capabilities provided by each Service.
For more information on DAWIA certification, see DODI 5000.66, Operation of the Defense Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Workforce Education, Training, and Career Development Program.
2. United States Army
a. General. The Army has recently moved to an integrated, centrally controlled structure for most of its theater support contracting. The Army’s core of commissioned officers and noncommissioned officers trained as CCOs are now part of separate, O-6 level Army Materiel Command CSBs. The Army retains separate, deployable theater support contracting structure in the NGB and US Army Corps of Engineers.
Refer to Field Manual 4-92, Contracting Support Brigade, for additional information. b. Organization, Alignment, and Primary Functions. The Army’s CSBs, made up of subordinate contingency contracting battalions and contingency contracting teams, operate under the command and HCA authority of the Expeditionary Contracting Command. CSBs and their down trace units are not fixed structures. The Army deploys mission configured CSB structures as directed by the operational commander. Army CSBs provide theater support contracting services in a DS manner to their aligned Army Service component HQ. CSBs are also the primary contracting support planner and contracting process advisor to their aligned Army Service component. In this duty, the CSB planners provide direct assistance, but do not lead, the development of the Army component annex W. When directed, CSBs can perform LSCC and LSC functions. CSBs can also serve as the basis for a JTSCC when combined with selected higher level Army contracting command HQ staff and supplemented with other Service staff via the JMD process.
c. Limitations and Restrictions. Army CCOs are very well versed in providing theater support contracting services in dynamic, austere field conditions. However, the supporting CSB may require augmentation with more experienced personnel or use reachback support to handle complex service contracts. Additionally, Army policy is to deploy its five person contingency contracting terms as complete teams or as two-person
teams. The Army only deploys a single contracting officer by exception. The Army generally does not deploy individual CCOs except as non-warranted, staff duty IAs. More details on CSB organization and operations can be found in Army Field Manual 4-92, Contracting Support Brigade.
d. Civilian Augmentation. In addition to its uniformed CCOs and noncommissioned officers, the Army has two other methods to supplement its formal CCO force structure: by deploying volunteer civilian contracting officers and employing reachback capabilities. The Army’s volunteer contracting capability is managed as part of the emergency essential Department of the Army civilian program. These civilian individuals volunteer to deploy via the Army’s G-3 [Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations] Worldwide Individual Augmentation System. These contracting officers deploy as required based on the level of support required, phase of operation, and local security conditions. Reachback support is arranged as necessary to supplement deployed military CCOs and is especially relevant in support of complex, long-term contracts.
3. United States Marine Corps
a. Theater Support Contracting. The Marine Corps maintains an organic theater support contracting capability within each Marine expeditionary force (MEF). The MEF’s contracting capability consist of uniformed personnel who can rapidly deploy and provide theater support contracting services to any size Marine air-ground task force (MAGTF) or other deploying Marine unit during exercises, contingency, and humanitarian assistance disaster relief operations. Each MEF’s theater support contracting section is responsible for developing the contracting support plan as part of the overall Marine force logistics support plans that include the number of CCOs required to deploy. The Marine Corps component plans, identifies, and validates mission need for CCO support to the GCC. The Marine Corps component advises the GCC and provides contracting expertise of Marine Corps OCS within the assigned AOR.
b. Operational Contracting Oversight Cell. In large scale operations, the Marine Corps also employs an operational contracting oversight cell within the MEF G-4. The MEF operational contracting coordination cell performs the following functions: OCS planning; requirements development assistance; contract support prioritization and validation processes assistance; and COR management. This cell also provides and coordinates liaison support to the LSC, LSCC, JTSCC, and/or CAP agencies, as required. Finally, the MEF operational contracting coordination cell provides contracting oversight, guidance, and policy for MAGTF theater support contracting actions. The Marine Corps force OCS advisor coordinates liaison support and provides a conduit between the GCC and external contracting support for Marine units in the AOR. The Marine Corps force level CCO provides oversight for US Marine Corps contracting missions in the AOR.
c. Capabilities and Limitations. Marine Corps theater support contracting capability is small, but scalable to the mission and size of the MAGTF and other smaller sized marine organizations. Additionally, Marine Corps contracting officers do not contract for major construction. NAVFAC provides this type of contracting support to the Marine Corps.
Services’ Theater Support Contracting Organizations and Capabilities
Generally, the Marine Corps does not deploy civilian contracting personnel in support of its contracting mission. The Marine Corps force has a limited organic OCS capability that provides liaison and advisory support to the GCC.
4. United States Navy
a. General. The Navy leverages a logistics network infrastructure, which does not include organized contracting forces, to sustain maritime and expeditionary forces operating worldwide. Navy contracting officers assigned to field contracting and systems acquisitions commands, perform theater support contracting functions in support of deployed Navy forces operating afloat and ashore as delegated by their HCA authority. The fleet logistics task force commander is responsible at the tactical level within the Navy service component to resupply maritime forces. NAVSUP is the HCA for the fleet, the Navy Installations Command regional commanders, and their subordinate activities for services and supplies, and for all Navy activities outside the chain of command of other Navy HCAs (e.g., NAVFAC, NAVSEA, MSC). NAVFAC is the HCA for construction or base operating support services. NAVSUP contracting support is delivered through delegation of contracting authority to operational units and through the NAVSUP FLC contracting offices.
b. Supporting JMD Requirements. When a GCC identifies a long-term requirement and obtains the necessary theater support contracting manning via the JMD process, contracting officer billets sourced by the Navy, through US Fleet Forces Command, would result in a uniformed contracting officer being assigned as an IA. IA personnel assignments are currently managed at the Navy-wide level by the Navy Personnel Command. Civilian contracting officers are not utilized in the IA program. NAVSUP may deploy qualified military or civilian contracting officers in support of contingency operations. OCS planning identifies those requirements that can be provided by the Navy either as a force provider (i.e., uniformed contracting officers) or via contractual mechanism.
c. Limitations and Restrictions. Although the Navy has forward deployed contracting offices (i.e., FLC Yokosuka, FLC Sigonella, FLC Bahrain), the Navy does not have dedicated theater support contracting structure to support joint operations and has limited OCS planning and LSC/LSCC capabilities. Additionally, the Navy is not considered to have JTSCC capability. Finally, NAVSUP contracting officers provide supplies, services, and ship husbanding services to supported fleet units but do not have the authority to contract for construction. Only NAVFAC contracting officers have authority to award construction- related contracts. NAVFAC contracting officers support construction, facilities, public works, real estate, and contingency engineering requirements.
5. United States Air Force
a. General. The Air Force meets its theater support contracting needs by developing military contracting professionals, enlisted and officer, who typically spend the majority of their career in this field; augmenting home-base contracting experience with contingency training and exercises; and employing members in a predictable, structured, and managed air expeditionary force deployment process.
b. Air Force Contracting Officer Development and Unit Readiness. IAW Air Force policy, military contracting officers spend the majority of their careers gaining expertise through a progression of contracting assignments. Through these assignments, military contracting officers hone their skills and become proficient at a wide range of missions in support of their organization. These missions include acquisition and administration of operational support services, construction, and commodities. Additionally, many contracting officers gain experience in logistics and weapon system acquisition. These skills potentially apply to the contracting requirements faced during contingencies. Each Air Force installation supplements base support experience by providing contingency-specific training and formal exercises. Operational readiness exercises conducted by wing exercise evaluation teams and operational readiness inspections conducted by major command inspector generals gauge the unit’s ability to perform contingency operations.
c. Organizational Alignment. The Air Force’s military contracting capability resides in its operational and institutional forces, both of which are part of the air expeditionary force.
(1) Contracting unit type codes are deployed as part of an agile combat support team, in support of the subordinate joint force command, as part of an air expeditionary task force. These contracting unit type codes deploy to form expeditionary contracting squadrons/flights.
(2) Air Force CCOs assigned to the institutional force can be found in staffs above the wing level and within AFICA, AFMC, and AFSPC. The institutional force is required to manage Air Force programs and operations. CCOs assigned to the institutional force support the Secretary of the Air Force’s Title 10, USC, functions and are not identified with unit type codes. However, these Air Force institutional force CCOs are inherently deployable, and normally deploy to fill JMD IA requirements.
d. Limitations and Restrictions. The Air Force has a well-trained, experienced, and robust theater support contracting capability. However, Air Force contracting planning capabilities vary by CCMD. For US Pacific Command and US European Command, AFICA provides a significant contracting planning capability via its forward operating locations as well as reachback via its full-up staff, headquartered at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Where Air Force contracting planners are assigned to the component numbered Air Force and not part of AFICA, the Air Force contracting planning capabilities are limited.