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AFIMSC’s integrated management, combat support meets critical need for OAW mission

  • Published
  • By Debbie Aragon
  • AFIMSC Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – When the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center was established a few years ago, its focus was delivering globally integrated management, resourcing and combat support programs and services across the Air Force enterprise. 

The establishment of AFIMSC was part 2014’s Future Air Force Initiative following Department of Defense reforms to reduce major headquarters across the DOD. 

The success and synergy of AFIMSC, its detachments and primary subordinate units is constantly on display but perhaps no more so than its recent support to Operation Allies Welcome at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

As part of planning for an OAW traveler camp for Afghan refugees headed to the installation, a force protection assessment was conducted, identifying an urgent need for mobile guard booths, said Master Sgt. Leonard Pritchett, Air Force Security Forces Center strategic resources manager. 

“Based on the assessment, recommendations from Brig. Gen. Roy Collins (director of Air Force Security Forces) and the current matrix for guard postings, we determined we needed about 20 mobile guard shacks to maintain a safe perimeter for everyone … Defenders, Afghan refugees and JB-MDL personnel executing their daily operations,” Pritchett said.

Because of the relationship between AFSFC and the Air Force Installation Contracting Center – both primary subordinate units of AFIMSC – the entire process of identifying a requirement to contract award took days instead of weeks or months. 

“It was completed roughly inside of a week just because of our close relationship with AFICC,” Pritchett said. “To go from a base requirement to have a contract signed, sealed and delivered that quickly is unheard of.”

Jennifer Kessler and Capt. Christopher Haijsman with AFICC’s 771st Enterprise Sourcing Squadron coordinated with Pritchett and AFSFC’s Michael Courtney to find out the exact requirement and why it was so urgent.

Determining urgency was key to the application and approval of an “unusual and compelling urgency” exception, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-2. The exception allowed AFICC to limit the number of sources to solicit bids or proposals, in essence fast tracking the process to get the booths in the hands of JB-MDL Defenders faster. 

With the necessary information, Kessler and Haijsman conducted market research, and prepared contract documents and approvals for the contract award so the guard booths would begin arriving within four weeks to meet “the urgent, immediate need of security forces at JB-MDL,” Kessler said. 

The first five booths were delivered within two weeks of contract award with five additional booths delivered each week after that. 

For more information on AFIMSC and its installation and mission support across the Air and Space Forces, visit www.afimsc.af.mil.