By Ann Roosevelt
U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) intends multiple contracts to replace the current single $478 million contract for the Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate (J9), a command official says.
The command is preparing to release a Request for Information and draft documents to be available on FedBizOpps in early October, with an Industry Day to follow in the same month, Capt. John Polowczyk, JFCOM business manager, told Defense Daily.
“I’m trying to be transparent and garner their input to build a better government solicitation,” he said.
J9 is the directorate that leads the development of emerging joint concepts, conducts joint experiments and coordinates DoD efforts to provide joint capabilities to support the current and future joint force commander in meeting security challenges.
The J9 contract is currently held by General Dynamics [GD] and comes to an end next summer, he said. JFCOM’s intent is to have contracts in place so there is a seamless transition for contract coverage and J9’s on going work is uninterrupted.
“JFCOM has had a penchant for large, single award contracts, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity type contracts,” he said. “They have served the command well, with our organizational structure.”
In the past, the command has had a limited acquisition professional, certified staff.
Polowczyk’s office, which manages all the contract and acquisition management policy, processes and procedures, continues to work to improve JFCOM.
“We’ve developed the ability to have additional folks throughout the command, the enterprise, enter in the defense acquisition workforce. This has now given us the capacity to now do something different,” he said.
J9 would view the move to multiple contracts as a more efficient access to talent.
Under the current GD contract, there is one person with 55 subcontractors providing their efforts to JFCOM.
“We pay a price to get access to all that talent that General Dynamics doesn’t have resident in his capacity,” Polowczyk said. We’re trying to structure the acquisition strategy that provides efficient and effective access to industry. We are trying to garner direct access to the right intellect that many of these companies can provide.”
“We believe that competition will enable downward pressure on price,” he said.
The two bodies of work will allow for a mix of large and medium-to-small businesses to compete for sections of work. There will be more than one effort here. One of the efforts is more attuned to individual pieces, he said.
Polowczyk has done some outreach on this activity and received a good response from industry.
“My goal with some of this engagement is to show industry that JFCOM desires greater participation, that we’re trying to be transparent and to garner their support to play in competitive solicitation process,” he said.
Industry keeps track of FedBizOps, and outreach is a way for Polowczk and the command to let industry know it is changing internal JFCOM behavior and trying to modify external industry behavior as they look at JFCOM.
“What I would ask industry to do is to stay tuned to FedBizOpps. Read these draft documents and if they’re interested, come hear what we have to say at our Industry Day” that will be part of that announcement.”
“I’m in the process of changing behaviors, one contract at a time,” he said. “As things come anew, we will look across the service being provided and take a hard look at what fits the need of the warfighter, JFCOM, the taxpayer and what makes the best business sense.”
“This work all steps from Office of the Secretary of Defense guidance on acquisition strategies Management and Oversight Processes for the Acquisition of Services (MOPAS), and we’re instituting that policy to the fullest letter of the law. As we go through the acquisition of services, we’re developing very specific acquisition strategies.”
JFCOM is taking a hard look at contracts, using DoD MOPAS and making the business case up through leadership for what should be the right contract structure and acquisition strategy for the procuring services.
“I really do feel that part of this competition should put a downward pressure on price and an upward pressure on quality so in the end government wins and I think it gives industry a better access to Joint Forces Command,” Polowczyk said.