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Contingency
Contract Administration Services - Supporting Any Mission, Anywhere
In The World
DCMA has been designated a combat support agency subject to the provisions of the Goldwater-Nichols National Defense Reorganization Act. While this is a new designation and adds many new challenges and opportunities, supporting the warfighter is not a new concept for the Agency. DCMA's responsibilities fall into three major categories. First, it provides sound acquisition and contract management support throughout the DoD. Second, it partners with the Department's acquisition and logistics organizations and America's defense industry in planning and developing the best ways to support operating forces during wars, threats to national security or humanitarian missions. Third, DCMA also deploys alongside America's warfighters to provide contingency contract administration services (CCAS).
Advising DoD-Partnering With The Defense Industry
DCMA is an active member of the Warfighting Commanders in Chief (CINC) joint planning teams. During the last decades, DCMA has been deployed on a variety of missions and has worked with the CINCs to administer Air Force Contract Augmentation Program and Logistics Civil Augmentation Program contracts and manage all contractor support on the battlefield. That knowledge and experience enables the Agency to provide practical insights that help make operational plans more efficient and effective.
DCMA also supports joint exercises and CINC planning by using its knowledge of the defense industry and its global in-plant presence to keep DoD up-to-date on contractors' capabilities to meet wartime surges in the demand for critical services and materials. DCMA also maintains the ability to team with the Services and industry to expedite the delivery of defense systems, services and spare parts in support of CINC operations.
Deploying with America's Warfighters
One of DCMA's major missions is to provide contingency contract administration services (CCAS) when American forces are deployed outside of the U.S. Because the Military Services rely heavily on contractors to provide logistical support when deployed, DCMA CCAS teams provide critical contract management support. During these "contingencies," which include natural disasters, terrorist activities, the collapse of law and order, political instability, or military operations, DCMA helps ensure the safety and comfort of the men and women who must do their jobs under some of the most difficult conditions imaginable.
Among other things, DCMA manages the contracts that help provide the warm showers, hot food, and clean latrines that can boost the morale of troops, and help protect the lives and health of the refugees or civilians they are trying to protect.
Conducting combat and humanitarian missions in remote locations can often require providing massive amounts of food, water, supplies and building materials. Meals must be served, water must be purified, fuel must be tested and distributed, soldiers and civilians must be sheltered, and refuse and hazardous materials must be disposed of properly.
It has become a common practice to use civilian contractors to provide base support services during these operations. Administering these contracts often requires more human resources than most contract management offices have available within their normal staff. And, because contingencies are most often carried out in unstable environments, the resources needed to support CCAS can vary throughout the mission. To ensure that there are always enough qualified people to get the job done, DCMA dispatches special teams of contracting experts to accompany troops as they deploy to combat, humanitarian and peacekeeping missions around the world.
As a joint combat support agency, DCMA works to help ensure the readiness of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps as well as Unified Commands, NATO, Joint Task Forces and the United Nations. DCMA maintains a close relationship with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and CINC staffs, and DCMA personnel regularly take part in unified command and service component training exercises.
Every Contingency CAS effort is administered by one of DCMA's forward deployed commanders, and civilian employees work side by side with warfighters on the battlefield.
Whether dealing with U.S. or foreign contractors, or with the joint task force components, DCMA provides value-added services in several functional areas. DCMA helps to direct contractors and monitors their quality control programs. DCMA is responsible for property administration accountability and disposal. DCMA reviews, monitors and negotiates costs, and conducts on-site fuel testing.
DCMA's International District (DCMDI) is responsible for providing Contract Administration Services (CAS) support overseas, and during a contingency it draws trained and experienced personnel from DCMA's East and West Districts. DCMDI is responsible for maintaining a roster of active military personnel and "emergency-essential" rated civilians who are available for rapid CCAS deployment. Civilian employees must pass a physical exam prior to being so designated. Due to the strenuous nature of deployed assignments, all employees must be free from any health or medical conditions that would restrict their mobility, and must not have any non-correctable vision problems that would prevent them from using firearms or operating a motor vehicle.
DCMA also provides legal services for CCAS. Attorneys may either be designated as a member of the CCAS team, or may provide support to the team on an as-needed basis. Attorney support may include legal advice and representation in all areas including, but not limited to, contract law, personnel law, and operations law as well as environmental law and the Status of Forces agreement.
DCMA's Overseas Experience
Since DCMA's predecessor organization, DCMC, was created in 1990, the organization has played a critical role in America's overseas deployments. Albania-mission: Support Operation Shining Hope by providing wide-ranging services and coordinating efforts in Germany and Italy. Haiti-mission: Support U.S. and multinational forces from September 1994 through March 1995. Rwanda-mission: Provide humanitarian support from August-September 1994. Somalia-mission: Support U.S. and UN forces from December 1992 to September 1994. Bosnia and Kosovo: DCMA currently has its 14th team rotation in Bosnia, and its 3rd team rotation in Kosovo. Providing contingency contracting administration services under field conditions is a living expression of DCMA's creed-One Focus: Customer Focus. When customers need us, DCMA is there at their side. |
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