Courtesy Photo | From left to right: Five of the six members who encompass the Naval Supply Systems...... read more read more
Six members of the Department of the Navy Category Management and the Fleet Logistics Center San Diego contracting teams were recently awarded one of the most prestigious honors for Department of Defense logisticians.
The NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center San Diego (FLCSD) Navy Wireless Spiral 3 Team was named the recipient of the 2020 Gears of Government Award under the category of Council Awards by the Chief Acquisition Officer’s Council. The team, which is comprised of CDR Joel Pitel, Marcia Cruz, Leontine Thompson, Maria Papet, Juana Perez and Mark Ascione, was selected for their innovative solution for wireless contracts that lead to an overhaul of wireless contracts across the Department of Defense and other government agencies.
Specifically, the team’s work that started more than 10 years ago to acquire and manage wireless services for the Department of the Navy, was recognized by the Secretary of Defense Reform Lead for Services Acquisition and Category Management and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy-Procurement as “the model for effectively executing demand management strategies” and as the most efficient, strategically sourced contract in DoD.
According to the nomination, the FLCSD Navy Wireless Spiral 3 Team, “designed the current wireless solution, a $993.5 million-dollar program… that enhanced wireless services based on usage data, customer requirements, and market research to deliver a cost effective, best-value suite of contracts. The DON Wireless Spiral 3 contract solution offered unlimited minutes and text for all voice plans, [and] allowed for both pooling and sharing of data.”
Marcia Cruz, the deputy director for Regional Contracts Department stated that prior to 2008, many people thought acquiring this type of extensive contract was impossible.
“It was like a field of dreams - build it and they will come,” she said. “No one thought it could be done, but we worked very hard to make it happen.
“We are so proud to be honored with this award because it is a result of our efforts to save the government millions of dollars that can be used in supporting the warfighter. That is the bottom line,” she added.
The Navy Spiral 3 contracts centralized and streamlined mobility purchases, standardized available services, and provided tools to track use and manage demand. Wireless Spiral 3 competitive pricing lowered the average cost per device by approximately $8.00; managed more than 408,000 phone lines; and routinely achieved 20 percent or greater in discounts when buying at an installation or enterprise level. Implementing these demand management strategies saved DoD components as much as 40 percent and a self-reported estimated savings of $177 million, across the DoD and other federal agencies, over five years.
The millions of dollars saved due to their efforts alone exceed the standard for the award requirement as outlined in the memo to qualifying government agencies:
-Achievement of positive, measurable outcomes, which may have included supporting Agency Priority Goals and Cross-Agency Priority Goals;
-Quality of communication and coordination with internal and external stakeholders;
-Scope of impact on staff/customers/agency mission and/or the significance of the services to those staff/customers/agency mission;
-Awardees that were persistent in overcoming obstacles to achieve successful outcomes; extent to which the individual or initiative exemplified excellence in public service; and
-Particular consideration was given to regional, field, and/or customer-facing staff, as well as diversity across mission areas and components of award recipients.
The magnitude of what Cruz and her fellow team members accomplished is so remarkable that they were nominated to compete for the coveted President’s Award, which traditionally entails an award ceremony at the White House. The award winners will be announced in November.
CDR Pitel, director of FLC San Diego’s Code 200 Contracting Department, attributes the team’s award to previous recognition by FLC San Diego’s higher headquarters, Naval Supply Systems Command.
“This all started by being recognized as the 2019 Office of Federal Procurement Policy and Chief Acquisition Officer Council Acquisition Excellence Team Award which was followed by 2019 NAVSUP Logistics Team of the Year. It was a positive domino effect, so I was very proud and happy that we we’re now competing for the coveted Gears of Government President’s Award.” He noted.
Leontine Thompson, director, Category Management Division within the Navy Category Management Program Office, has been with FLC San Diego since 2006 and instrumental in the development of the top of the line wireless contracting process since coming aboard. In fact in 2018, after assessing 13 wireless contracts across the Federal Government, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), DoD Information Technology (IT) Reform Team determined Navy Wireless Spiral 3 was “best of breed” and merited adoption for standard use, subsequently directing all DoD organizations to procure unclassified wireless devices and services from the Wireless Spiral 3 Multiple Award Contracts.
“We were thrilled to be recognized for our hard work developing industry partnerships that started off with only three people but manifested into such a forward thinking, top grade acquisition team,” she said. “It truly is an exceptional feat to be honored in this manner.”
The Gears of Government Award is a fairly new awards program that began in 2018 with the first awards presented in 2019. The program recognizes individuals and teams across the Federal workforce whose dedication supports exceptional delivery of key outcomes for the American People, specifically around mission results, customer service, and accountable stewardship.
Although they sought out to provide more efficient and effective wireless solutions for their mission partners, Cruz is humbled by the overall effect the team has had, and will continue to have on the Navy’s mission.
“Being recognized like this just makes you realize you’re actually making a difference for the warfighter,” she stated. “That in itself is something to be proud of.”
Fleet Logistics Center San Diego is one of eight fleet logistics centers under Naval Supply Systems Command, headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, the command's mission is to provide supplies, services and quality-of-life support to the Navy and joint warfighters.
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2020 23:39 |
| Story ID: | 374410 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, US |
| Web Views: | 866 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, San Diego-based Navy contracting unit wins top government award, by Katesha Washington, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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