Theater Logistician Maj. Gen. Kenneth S. Dowd - KMI Media Group

The new task orders are the continuation of the Army’s plan
to transition work from the single-source LOGCAP III contract
to the multiple-award LOGCAP IV contract.
So far, there have been 10 task orders awarded under LOG-
CAP IV, Loehrl said.
The task orders encompass base life support services and
logistics support, which include base setup, food service, facilities
maintenance, and morale, welfare and recreation to name
a few, Loehrl said.
The Army had previously transitioned all LOGCAP work
in Kuwait from LOGCAP III to LOGCAP IV (DynCorp), as well
as awarded some new work in Afghanistan under LOGCAP IV
(Fluor and DynCorp).
These newly announced task orders will transition all work
in Afghanistan to LOGCAP IV. Similar processes to compete and
transition the work in Iraq are also under way.
“The transition will be operationally driven, and methodically
undertaken to ensure a transition that is seamless to the
warfighter,” Hayden added.
“The transition is not a ‘turnkey’ operation and is extremely
complex,” Thompson said. “Before we even begin the legacy
task order transitions, we will be starting the urgent work
required for force expansion [in Afghanistan].”
The first step in the process is to conduct a post-award conference
scheduled in early August, Thompson said. The conferees
will discuss such areas as transition touch-points, explain
the process, and reach agreements between contractors on the
conduct of the transition, known as protocols, Thompson said.
“During the transition the incumbent continues to provide
services and will do so until the U.S. government is satisfied
that the incoming performance contractor [IPC] can assume
full operation of the function,” Thompson explained. “Once the
IPC has demonstrated full operational capability, the incumbent
is officially released from responsibility and the IPC is
officially assigned full responsibility and accountability for
performance execution.”
Reviews, audits and continuous oversight of contractor
performance will be ongoing—as with all government
contracts—to make sure government and American taxpayers’
interests are protected, ASC officials said.
The contractors’ performance will be measured by the
Defense Contract Management Agency and Defense Contract
Audit Agency in accordance with pre-established performance
standards, ASC officials said.
“DCMA and DCAA provide oversight of contractor business
systems, and the LOGCAP IV task orders contain award-fee provision
incentives for the contractors to maintain these systems
at an adequate level. DCMA also provides quality assurance
representatives in-theater to oversee the contractors’ work,”
Hayden explained.
“DCAA reviews contractor billings to ensure they are appropriate.
In combination, these measures provide a high degree of
protection against inappropriate practices during the execution
of these task orders,” she said.
Thompson said that there are monthly and semi-annual
evaluations.
“On a monthly basis there is performance evaluation to
monitor the progress,” he said, conducted by LOGCAP support
officers and the DCMA.
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Furthermore, there is a semi-annual award fee evaluation
board that meets to review the performance contractor’s
strengths and weaknesses. Since the contract is a cost-plus
award fee contract, the contractor is given an opportunity
through the contract to demonstrate practices that are over
and above what is expected by the contract. When this happens,
the contractor is then able to earn its proposed award fee,
Thompson said.
And, there is more checking too.
“DCAA will do floor checks [on-the-site reviews] for us. They
will monitor and look at proposals if we ask them to do so,”
Thompson said. “But on the tactical side of the house, they do
floor checks. On the strategic side, the business systems back
here in the continental United States, the DCAA will be looking
at the business systems that each contractor has, and judge
along with DCMA, the wellness of the systems.”
A concern of Congress and other U.S. organizations has been
subcontracting—the use of, additional costs, ensuring quality
of work, and employing local nationals, etc. The federal government,
however, cannot directly supervise subcontractors.
While prime contractors are not obligated by law to offer
contracts or employment to indigenous firms or inhabitants,
they are encouraged to do so, Thompson said.
“Why?” he rhetorically asked. “Obviously to build up the
development of their own country.”
Thompson referenced the views of Army General David
Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, saying part
of the strategy is to “employ the local population to help build
their economy.”
The subcontractor acts on behalf of the prime contractor.
However, there is no privity of contract between the government
and the subcontractor. If an issue arises, the U.S. government
must address this with the prime contractor, Thompson
said.
“From a performance [perspective], it’s transparent to us
because we don’t care if it’s a prime that’s self-performing or
they have a sub. We hold them to the contract terms and conditions.
We make sure contractually that’s there’s a flow down. So
whenever the sub fails, so does the prime,” Thompson said.
With the increase of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Thompson
predicted that competition among the local populace for
employment would rise based on the finite pool of skilled
laborers.
“The introduction of more U.S. forces in Afghanistan is
going to mean the vetting process for the Afghans is going to
get tougher,” Thompson said. But, if work is offered they will
come, he said. ✯
Jon Connor is a public affairs specialist with the Army Sustainment
Command at Rock Island, Ill. He is a retired Army
soldier and served at the Pentagon for four years in the Army’s
Office, Chief of Public Affairs. He is graduate of the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in mass communications-journalism.
For more information, contact MLF Editor Jeff McKaughan at
jeffm@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at
www.MLF-kmi.com.
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