Small Business Contracting with the Ogden Air Logistics Center
Written by Kelly Fodel
MLF 2009 Volume: 3 Issue: 8 (September)
The center has worldwide engineering, sustainment and logistics management and maintenance support responsibilities for some of the Air Force’s most sophisticated weapon systems, including the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles. The center is the Air Force Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence (CITE) for low-observable, ‘stealth,’ aircraft structural composite materials and provides support for the B-2 Spirit multi-role bomber. Program management for two of the Air Force’s fighter aircraft is performed at this center. Hundreds of F-16 Fighting Falcon jet aircraft annually receive depot maintenance, modification and repair on the base. Additionally, the number of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs that receive depot level inspections, modifications and maintenance continues to grow.
The center has responsibilities for Air Force-wide item management, depot level overhaul and repair for all types of landing gear, wheels, brakes and tires and is the logistics manager for all conventional air munitions, solid propellants and explosive devices used throughout the Air Force. The center is the Air Force technical repair center for composites.
There is an entire office at the OO-ALC dedicated to maximizing small business participation in the center’s programs and base operations support. Lisette Leduc is the director of the Office of Small Business Programs. The Office of Small Business Programs must reach goals set by the Air Force Materiel Command. The yearly goal for 2009 states that 26.67 percent of contract work on the base should go to small business. Said Leduc: “That is a very high goal, but it was based on historical [data]. It went up 4 percent from last year.
” The office enjoys having a positive effect on the local and state economy. “Last year, we issued $3 billion in requirements, and about $161 million of that went to local firms,” Leduc said. “Hill AFB has a huge impact, and we inject a lot of dollars to Utah businesses.” “We counsel contractors and give them help on where our requirements are, and where there are opportunities for them to participate in the work going on here at Hill,” Leduc said. “We do a lot of outreach.”
Leduc’s office focuses on vendor outreach, routinely holding vendor fairs on base, where on average 50 contractors are invited to visit the base. The contractors receive the opportunity to showcase their wares to government purchase card holders, as well as learn the current requirements at Hill. It is a matter of matching up the company’s specific capabilities and expertise with the areas of need. Thanks to the federal stimulus package, a large amount of money has been poured into the construction arena. Leduc has been telling companies that construction is currently a great area to get work at Hill AFB.
Education is a priority for the Office of Small Business Programs at the OO-ALC. Leduc said her staff strives to educate both internally and externally. They educate their own contracting officers, program managers and engineers to learn of areas that they are looking for sources. The office spends a lot of time with source development to bring new sources into use. Additionally, the office monitors and manages if the center is reaching its contracting goals.
“I generally get three unannounced visitors and 20 phone calls from contractors each day,” Leduc said. Those contractors are looking for information about how to get involved in doing business with the OO-ALC. Leduc said it is key for them to become well-informed on the basic requirements. These include registering with the CCR (Central Contractor Registration). A company can register with the CCR by going online to www.ccr.gov. Business owners can also receive advice and assistance from small business development centers and the procurement technical assistance centers (PTACs) by visiting www.sba. gov and www.aptac-us.org/.
“We work very closely with the PTAC here in Utah,” said Leduc. “We listen a lot. That’s a big part of what we do. We listen to what these contractors have out there that they are doing and developing. We are the ones that hear when a new company comes in with something they are excited about and want to sell to the government. They come to us. So a big part of our day is spent listening and then trying to direct, point and counsel.”
Leduc offers this advice to small companies: Call the office and come visit! Her staff is there to help and work as the middle man. She also advises keeping a close eye on Fed Biz Opps (www.fbo.gov). This Website serves as a virtual marketplace where the federal government advertises all of its current requirements. “If they are not watching Feb Biz Opps and seeing the actual requirements coming out and seeing the types of things that we are buying, they are missing the boat.”
The office does face some challenges in doing its job well. The biggest hurdle is keeping up with what the current requirements are at Hill, figuring out what the needs are and lining them up with the available resources. This is due to the small staff that Leduc has at her disposal. Including Leduc herself, there are only four people staffing the Office of Small Business Programs. That requires the staff to do a lot of networking across the base to be fully aware of any current or upcoming requirements.
However, Leduc is quick to point out that the challenges of the job pale in comparison to the successes. “When we see something that is new and exciting, we get excited about it and hope we can project that excitement onto the requirements side as well, that they can pick up on it and have the funding to pick up on it. When all the stars align and you can connect the dots, it is very rewarding.” ♦