Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) April 2008
A. Installation Acquisition Transformation (IAT) Basics
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. What is IAT? What is not included in IAT? Why does the Air Force need to transform the CONUS Installation Acquisition organization? What are the benefits of IAT? Who Endorses this change? What will be the most noticeable changes under IAT? Will each Installation still have a contracting person? What is the Timeframe for IAT implementation and completion? What is the Integrated Management Framework for IAT? How does IAT align with other transformational efforts, such as BRAC, etc?
B. Organization under IAT
What is the new organizational structure? Who is the Lead MAJCOM? What are the roles and responsibilities of the organizations within the new structure? How will the different levels within the IAT organizational structure be manned? What is the timeframe for implementation of the new transformed Installation Acquisition organization? 6. How much will it cost to implement this new organizational structure? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
C. Strategic Sourcing
1. What is strategic sourcing? 2. What are the benefits of strategic sourcing as it relates to IAT?
D. Small Business
1. How do the goals of Installation Acquisition Transformation and Strategic Sourcing align with those of Small Business? 2. How will local small businesses play in region acquisitions? 3. What will be the role of the base small business specialists under IAT?
E. Contracting Processes
1. When the regional centers are operational, what happens to the MAJCOM-wide long term contracts we have in place, or are currently working on? 2. What types of pre-award and post award functions will be left at the installation level? 3. Will there be any contract migration from installation to regional center? 4. How are we (the contracting community) going to reach out to the Wing customers at each installation relative to changes under IAT?
F. Deployments / Training
1. How will deployments and training change due to the regionalization? 2. How do we get "how-to" training on strategic sourcing to the requirements definition people? 3. How does IAT change workforce development?
G. Personnel Moves
1. How will people move to the RCs and who will stay in the IAS? 2. What will happen to civilian employee positions no longer needed at the installations level and the people currently filling these positions? 3. What is a TOF? 4. What is a TOW? 5. Under IAT, how many personnel will remain at each installation? 6. Will personnel at the installations have to compete for the jobs at their assigned regional center or will they just be reassigned to that location? 7. Will there be a military presence at the installation level or will the leadership be completely civil servant, military, or a combination?
H. Infrastructure
1. There are rumors about environmental concerns regarding the facility slated for the Southwest Regional Center. Is it safe for occupants?
Answers
Installation Acquisition Transformation Basics A.1 What is the Air Force Installation Acquisition Transformation, or IAT? Return The Air Force Installation Acquisition Transformation is an Air Force initiative designed to create the most efficient and effective Installation Acquisition organization consistent with the goals of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century (AFSO21). The transformation focuses exclusively on active duty CONUS Installation Acquisition organizations and will enable the Air Force to purchase the best products and services for installation customers and the warfighter on time and at the best value for the Air Force. A.2 What is not included in IAT? Return IAT does not include major weapon systems and their sustainment, laboratory support or research, development, test and evaluation. A. 3 Why does the Air Force need to transform the CONUS Installation Acquisition organization? Return In late 2005, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Contracting (SAF/AQC) chartered the Installation Contracting Realignment Study to thoroughly examine the current state of active duty CONUS installation acquisition support. The analysis confirmed tactical rather than strategic contracting and acquisition customer support. The study also revealed inconsistent use of skilled contracting resources and an inability to leverage economies of scale for the Air Force to drive efficiencies. These challenges, compounded by an increased contracting workload with more
complexities and ongoing mission support commitments, were stressing installation contracting and acquisition to effectively perform its mission. A.4 What are the benefits of IAT? Return Although the Air Force has a proven track record of providing effective procurement operations at the installation level, pressing resource constraints dictate that we must do so as efficiently as possible so these savings can be used for pressing Air Force priorities. This transformation allows the Air Force to: Take full advantage of strategic sourcing and leverage the buying power of the Air Force Optimize the limited number of skilled acquisition resources dispersed across six Major Commands and 71 separate buying activities Reduce the acquisition of redundant goods/services from many of the same vendors Increase supplier relationship management More efficiently provide delivery of procurement support across all installations A.5 Who Endorses this change? Return The Secretary of the Air Force approved IAT on August 20, 2007. He designated SAF/AQ as the champion for the transformation and named AFMC as the lead major command. The Air Force Chief of Staff approved IAT in January 2008 with the approval of Program Action Directive 07-13, “Implementation of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Direction to Transform and Consolidate Headquarters Management Functions.” A.6 What will be the most noticeable changes under IAT? Return The foundation of IAT is strategic sourcing, a best business practice for procurement. Strategic sourcing allows us to look at what and how we purchase goods and services as an Air Force and then decide if we can do so more efficiently and effectively. This methodology drives an organizational structure change and re-aligns CONUS contracting activities under Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) and establishes an Installation Acquisition Center (IAC) at Wright Patterson, AFB. It creates five Regional Centers (RC) and redefines base-level support into Installation Acquisition Squadrons (IAS). A.7 Will each Installation still have a contracting person? Return Each installation will have an IAS. It will be reduced in size and scope from today’s Contracting Squadron, but will be a direct link for all customers on the installation and local businesses. Whether an item is procured locally or at a Region will often be transparent to the customer. The goods and services required to meet our Air Force mission will still be delivered to the customer, just more effectively. A.8 What is the Timeframe for IAT implementation and completion? Return Since the SECAF approved IAT, we have been aggressively working the implementation plan. While standup of Provisional Directors for the IAC and RCs is slated for April 2008, complete transformation under IAT is anticipated to take 3-5 years. A. 9 What is the Integrated Management Framework for IAT? Return The Governance Structure is responsible for providing strategic vision, guidance and decisions on key aspects of IAT implementation. The structure is comprised of three tiers: IAT Governance Board, IAT Executive Steering Group and IAT Process Advisory Council. (1) The Governance Board is chaired by SAF/AQ and AFMC/CC with SAF/AQCA serving as the Secretariat. Membership consists of senior HAF leaders.
(2) The Executive Steering Group is chaired by AFMC/CV/CA and SAF/AQ. Members are the MAJCOM/CVs with the IAT-PMO as the Secretariat. (3) The Process Advisory Council is chaired by SAF/AQC and HQ AFMC/PK with the IAT-PMO as Secretariat. Members are the Installation Acquisition Center (IAC) Provisional Director and the Region Provisional Directors A.10 How does IAT align with other Transformational efforts, such as BRAC, etc? Return Both BRAC and Joint Basing considerations and impacts are being rolled into IAT. SAF/AQCA has a representative on the Headquarters Air Force-level teams to ensure direction and guidance is incorporated into IAT. Organization B.1 What is the new organizational structure? Return The new organizational structure has three distinct tiers; the Lead Major Command (MAJCOM), five geographic-based Regional Centers (RCs) and Installation Acquisition Squadrons (IASs), formerly Contracting Squadrons, located at Air Force installations within each region. B.2 Who is the Lead MAJCOM? Return The Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) has been selected because one of its core missions is to provide acquisition management and support to the Air Force. B.3 What are the roles and responsibilities of the organizations within the new structure? Return Lead Major Command (MAJCOM): The Lead MAJCOM is responsible for management and oversight of the entire Installation Acquisition and Contracting enterprise, including providing guidance for enterprise-wide Strategic Sourcing, managing Installation Acquisition and Contracting resources, establishing enterprise-wide contracting policy, providing continuity and standardization during the transformation, coordinating across RCs, and developing standardized training materials. Supported MAJCOMs: The supported MAJCOMs are other CONUS MAJCOMs which will receive installation contracting support from the transformed acquisition organization. Each will retain a reduced-sized contracting support staff to serve as a liaison with the IAT organization and facilitate procurement of MAJCOM requirements. Regional Centers (RC): RCs will be established as geographically based buying activities responsible for implementing AF and AFMC directed policy and guidance, QA and GPC program oversight, and executing regionally focused and select enterprise wide strategic sourcing activities. RCs will report directly to the Installation Acquisition Center Director at AFMC and will coordinate as appropriate with the designated Supported MAJCOM contracting support staffs and other staff and/or field organizations. Additionally, RCs will provide contracting specific guidance and oversight to Installation Acquisition Squadrons. The Regional Centers will be at the following locations: Northeast Regional Center Southeast Regional Center Hampton Roads, VA Warner Robins, GA
Midwest Regional Center Southwest Regional Center Northwest Regional Center
St. Louis, MO San Antonio, TX Colorado Springs, CO
Centers of Excellence (COE) - A COE is a robust multifunction group to manage and acquire goods and services in a specific commodity space. COEs will be aligned under and receive acquisition guidance and oversight from the RCs responsible for the region in which the primary organization is located. COEs will drive additional economies of scale in the transformed installation acquisition organization by managing the purchase of specific goods and services across the entire Air Force. COEs are the contracting execution organization supporting large FOAs (e.g. AFCEE) and formally established Commodity Councils (e.g. AFMSCC) to provide AFwide acquisition support. COEs may also be established to support AF/MAJCOM unique needs on a limited basis. Installation Acquisition Squadron (IAS) – IASs will be responsible for performing limited contracting actions (commodities, services and minor construction), providing business advisory and contract administration services at the installation level. IASs will also be responsible for implementing AF and AFMC directed policy, acting as contracting advisors to installation Leadership, conducting QA and GPC program monitoring and surveillance, and articulating installation requirements to RCs and COEs to support strategic sourcing opportunities. Limited warrants will be available at the IAS level to provide urgent buying support. The IAS will report to the commander for the installation on which it is located, but will receive GCA authority from its designated RC. B.4 How will the different levels within the IAT organizational structure be manned? Return The RCs will be manned with positions transitioned from current installation and specialized contracting squadrons, leaving a reduced footprint at the installations to operate as IASs. These positions will migrate to the RCs in a disciplined manner during the FY10-12 timeframe. The Manpower Focus Area Teams from each region, PMO and SAF/AQCA met in mid-April to "right-size" (determine the right skill sets and manpower end-state for each IAS, COE and RC) the workforce under IAT. Once the skill sets and required grade mixes are determined, we will have a clearer picture of what opportunities are available to the contracting workforce. We do anticipate there will be a resources mix of civilian, enlisted, and officers at the RC and IAS. The final numbers, grades, and skill mixes is anticipated by the end of FY08 or sooner. B.5 What is the timeframe for implementation of the new transformed Installation Acquisition organization? Return Provisional standup of Directors of the Installation Acquisition Center and the five Regional Centers is slated for April 2008, however complete transformation of the Installation Acquisition organization is anticipated to take 3-5 years. B. 6 How much will it cost to implement this new organizational structure? Return We are currently validating the spend and savings data in the FY 2010 Program Objective Memorandum (POM) process and will make those numbers available when the validation is complete. Strategic Sourcing C.1 What is strategic sourcing? Return Strategic sourcing is the collaborative and structured process of critically analyzing an organization’s spending and using this information to make business decisions about acquiring commodities and
services more effectively and efficiently. Strategic sourcing is a business best practice that allows the Air Force to: Eliminate duplication of effort in acquiring goods and services Minimize supply chain costs through integration and collaboration Demonstrate savings through the power of leveraged purchasing Create visibility and accountability of Air Force spend, demand, and supply data Drive commonality and standardization of products Simplify the purchasing process at the tactical, or installation, level C.2 What are the benefits of strategic sourcing as it relates to IAT? Return Strategic sourcing enables the AF to: Review where and how the Air Force spends its installation funding at a macro level Analyze strategically at the market level (rather than tactically at the individual unit level) to determine the right products/services to acquire to meet the customers needs. Leverage purchasing volume to obtain volume discounts (realizing a reduction in cost per unit) Drive commonality and standardization of requirements Reduce business cycle times to better meet customer expectations Better integrate customers’ needs and suppliers' capabilities Small Business D.1 How do the goals of Installation Acquisition Transformation and Strategic Sourcing align with those of Small Business? Return Installation acquisition transformation is about making strategic decisions with respect to how we acquire goods and services. The end result is an ability to look across the United States Air Force enterprise, analyze our spending and make decisions that in many cases will provide opportunities for small business which we don't provide today. Our experience with strategic sourcing to date reveals we are often able to target segments of our spending to small businesses that were previously being awarded to large businesses simply because we did not have the strategic planning in place. Additionally, our transformation will not change the deliberate acquisition planning that has to take place prior to a decision on the contracting approach. It is during this acquisition planning process that the acquisition team, to include our small business representatives and often representatives from the Air Force small business community decide how best to acquire a good or service. D.2 How will local small businesses play in region acquisitions? Return One of the key tenets of IAT is to maintain our Socio-economic base. With more visibility into requirements generation under IAT, and the involvement of small business representatives, we anticipate small business contracting awards could increase. Local small business will still see advertised requirements and continue to have direct interface at the IAS. D.3 What will be the role of the base small business specialists under IAT? Return The intent is to maintain small business roles at the IAS similar to how the DBOs perform functions today. Contracting Processes E.1 When the regional centers are operational, what happens to the MAJCOM-wide long term contracts we have in place, or are currently working on? Return
As a general rule, long-term contracts that are already in place or ready to be awarded will continue as awarded or planned. These may be transitioned to a regional center portfolio at some time in the future as appropriate. Follow-on contracts awarded by a region will normally take into account these contracts to ensure services or commodities continue after the MAJCOM contract ends. E.2 What types of pre-award and post award functions will be left at the installation level? Return The IAS is projected to handle certain levels of post and pre-award functions. Pre-award functions at the IAT will include: Strategic Business Advisor, assisting customers with requirements generation, conducting the Multi-Functional Team meetings, proposal evaluation with technical customer team and any contract administration. Post-award functions will center on contract administration with the level of administration determined jointly between the IAS, COE and RC, based on requirements. E.3 Will there be any contract migration from installation to regional center? Return Under IAT, the "heavy lifting" of contract buying will be done at the RCs and COEs. There will be a migration of contracts to the RC or COE in a phased approach during the 3-5 year implementation plan. The workload at the IAS will not transfer until the positions can transfer to the RC to handle the workload. Until the transfer, installation contracting will perform procurement activities on a "business as usual" basis. The strategic sourcing unit at the RC will make strategic business decisions in concert with the IAS to determine transfer of workload and acquisition planning or requirements. E.4 How are we (the contracting community) going to reach out to the Wing customers at each installation relative to changes under IAT? Return While the IAT Roadshow team is visiting each affected installation to spread the word about IAT, each contracting squadron commander has an IAT Communication tool kit available to help communicate the IAT message. The Air Force IAT Communication Plan was approved in April 08 to standardize the message and provide various means to communicate. In addition, the IAT PMO office established a Change Management and Communication Focus Area Team to be proactive with IAT communications at all levels. Deployments/Training F.1 How will deployments and training change due to the regionalization? Return Deployments will not be changed because of IAT, there will still be the same amount of personnel deploying throughout a year. Contingency Airmen will be trained at both Regional Centers and Installations Acquisition Squadrons. The training will be standardized and have more continuity because it comes from one CONUS MAJCOM as opposed to 6 different CONUS MAJCOMs. F.2 How do we get "how-to" training on strategic sourcing to the requirements definition people? Return Part of the training plan on strategic sourcing is to educate both the customer base (requirements generator) and the vendor base. Training for both entities is projected to be available by late FY08 or early FY09. F.3 How does IAT change workforce development? Return The focus on Strategic Sourcing and associated structural reorganization will allow our contracting workforce expanded opportunities for increased leadership, training and mentoring. Aligning operations under one major command will provide a consistent training plan for our civilian and military workforce that includes strategic sourcing and will leverage a greater range of expertise at all levels.
Personnel Moves G.1 How will people move to the RCs and who will stay in the IAS? Return Personnel migrating to a Regional Center or remaining at an IAS is dependent upon a required skill-set mix. The correct skill-set mix is being developed and will address the transition/movement of positions. G.2 What will happen to civilian employee positions no longer needed at the installations level and the people currently filling these positions? Return There are significant opportunities at the Regional Centers and we want to retain as much of our expertise as possible. For positions that will move to the Regional Centers, the first step will be to determine if the movement of employees is a Transfer of Function (TOF) or a Transfer of Work (TOW). Once an affected employee is identified; we will adhere to the regulatory processes, meet all bargaining obligations and provide the affected employee all applicable rights and entitlements including transition assistance, if applicable. Employees will receive separate in-depth briefings concerning all rights and entitlements under TOF/TOW G.3 What is a TOF? Return A TOF is defined as a “function ceases in one location and moves to another location not performing the function at the time of transfer.” The function must cease at the losing location upon the effective date of the transfer. With TOF employees have the right to transfer with the work in lieu of downgrade or separation. Under a TOF, Operating Locations can be established at the losing location and employees moved to the new location when the mission dictates. A mobility agreement would be signed at the time of accepting or declining the TOF. If employees accept a TOF they will be provided Permanent Change of Station (PCS) entitlements allowed by regulation, including household goods shipment, travel, a house hunting trip, temporary quarters, and misc. expenses. If employees decline a TOF they are entitled to benefits and rights under all applicable regulatory guidance for placement. Every effort is made to place employees who decline a transfer; however, if all placement efforts are unsuccessful, employees may be separated on the effective date of TOF. G.4 What is a TOW? Return If it is determined a transfer of function does not exist, employees fall under TOW. This means that Reduction-In-Force rules apply. Employees do not have the right to transfer with the work, but management may offer the opportunity to transfer with the work. Employees may apply for vacancies through normal recruitment processes and Reduction In Force (RIF) procedures apply. All rights and benefits are afforded to affected employees. G.5 Under IAT, how many personnel will remain at each installation? Return We do not yet know how many personnel will remain at each installation. In mid-April Manpower Focus Area teams from each region met with the PMO and SAF/AQCA to "right-size" (meaning the right skill sets and manpower end-state is identified for each IAS, COE and RC) IAT. The end-state mix is set for identification in Program Plans (PPLANS) developed by each MAJCOM for the C2 Enabling Program Action Directive. We expect to have numbers for the Contracting Workforce by the end of FY08 or sooner. G.6 Will civilian personnel currently at the installations have to compete for the jobs at their assigned regional center or will they just be reassigned to that location? Return This will depend on is the position is determined to be TOF or TOW. TOF - employees will transfer with the work in lieu of separation or downgrade without competition. TOW - Management may move employees without competition to the new location via Management Reassignments. Vacancies will be competed and all merit promotion principles will apply.
G.7 Will there be a military presence at the installation level or will the leadership be completely civil servant, military, or a combination? Return There will be a resources mix of civilian, enlisted, and officers left at the IAS. The Manpower Focus Area Teams from each region, PMO and SAF/AQCA met in mid-April to design the future end-state. The final numbers, grades, and skill mixes is anticipated by the end of FY08 or sooner. Infrastructure H.1 There are rumors about environmental concerns regarding the facility slated for the Southwest Regional Center. Is it safe for occupants? Return Today, bldg. 171 at Kelly USA (formerly Kelly AFB, TX) is not the same building it was when Kelly AFB was open. At one point, an environmental analysis, conducted by the Air Force, found sealed (not exposed) asbestos within the building structure. The building was stripped to its metal beams and all asbestos was removed along with lead pipes, etc. After the environmental clean-up it was inspected by both the state and federal EPAs and received a clean bill of health. The EPA Certificate of Compliance is on file with the Port Authority of San Antonio (the current owner of bldg. 171).