Contracting Cell

DRAFT 23 June, 1999

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Associated sections: [ Contracting Cell ] [ Foreign Nation Support Cell ] [ General Engineering Cell ] [ Maintenance Cell ] [ Movement Cell ] [ Operations and Plans Cell ] [ Supply, Maint and Services Cell ] [ Transportation Cell ]

Contents

General
Manning
Operations
Operational Tasks
Plans
Tactical Tasks

General

Providing support to the EAC and its subordinates may require contracting interaction with foreign governments, commercial entities, NGOs, and PVOs. Contracting can be an effective force multiplier of combat service support for deployed forces. When properly used, contracting is another essential tool of the CEAC in support of the mission. Contracting can bridge gaps that may occur before sufficient organic support units can deploy or before scheduled logistics civilian augmentation program (LOGCAP), construction capabilities contract (CONCAP), Armed Forces contract augmentation program (AFCAP), ACSA, or FN resources can provide support. It also is valuable where no FN agreements exist, or where FN agreements do not provide for the supplies or services required. This also requires close coordination with CA, finance and accounting activities, and legal support also is essential.

Operations

Contracting Support Plan.

The CEAC may want to develop a contracting support plan to provide the following information.

• Outline the procedures and policies for implementation of contracting support in the JOA, assuring full utilization of FN, LOGCAP, AFCAP, ACSA, and CONCAP resources.
• Ensure that contracting solutions receive consideration during logistics planning and become part of the CEAC OPLAN.
• Identify EAC subordinate commands requirements that may be met by FN, LOGCAP, CONCAP, AFCAP, ACSA, or contracting support.
• Develop an area data base containing all available data concerning local resources. The data base may include area studies, locally developed logistic support data, a complete listing of existing LOGCAP, CONCAP, and FN agreements available in the JOA, and recommendations from State Department Foreign Service personnel. Information also may come from the United States or civilian organizations (NGOs and PVOs) familiar with the area. This part of the contracting support plan must be continually updated. Address security and quality control aspects of contracting, to include inspection of goods received to ensure against sabotage, poisoning, or other terrorist-style actions and fraud. EAC Contracting Office(s).

The CEAC may establish joint contracting office(s), staffed by personnel from all the Services operating in the JOA (to include linguists and interpreters when required).   This is accomplished within the army by a Contingency Contracting Officers (CCO) to CEAC. The CCO would coordinate the Component Heads of Contracting Authority (HCA) to expedite resolution of impediments to cooperative, joint contracting. CEAC may designate one CCO as the lead to coordinate all EAC contracting activities.

An EAC contracting office would be responsible for the following.

• Include some or all of the warranted contracting officers in the JOA. If more than one contracting office is required, contracting officers may have to be assigned to other smaller joint contracting offices to provide support on an area basis.
• Provide coordination and cooperation among Services that maintain parallel contracting organizations within the JOA. Preclude inter-Service competition for local supplies or services, and obtain the most advantageous prices through consolidation of requirements to more effectively utilize scarce personnel resources.
• Establish coordination and cooperation with CA, finance and accounting activities, and legal support. 
• Provide contracting representatives to the EAC J4 organizational structure. It is critical, upon mission termination or redeployment, that the EAC ensures all records or files are closed out and submitted to the supported combatant commander for disposition.
• Ensure the Federal Acquisition Regulation is followed.

In UN operations, contracting will be accomplished and funded through the UN logistics system to maximum extent possible.

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Plans

Contingency contracting is required to support all deployments.  Portion of the logistics representation on the DJTFAC, JPG or CAP that deploys in advance of the corps must include current contracting support and future operations support.  Each corps as part of its employment contingency plans should identify those support items for each AOR that can be, should be and must be contracted for as a means of expediting support to deployed and deploying forces.  This planning starts from the sustaining base through initial deployments of advanced staffs to completion of the operation and hand off to follow on in support units.

Another resources available to the contracting offices is the ACSA program.  ACSA is a reimbursable, bilateral support program which allows increased flexibility for the on-scene commander by providing a means to quickly (usually 24-72 hours) meet logistics shortfall emergencies. ACSA is designed to be used after FMS, FNS, and contracting avenues have been exhausted or found inappropriate for the situation. CEAC will coordinate with J4-MA to review ACSA status with participating nations or agencies during CAP Phase V, Execution Planning for each operation.

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Manning

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Operational Tasks

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Tactical Tasks

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DRAFT