Phase Zero Contracting Operations - Strategic and Integrative Planning for Contingency and Expeditionary Operations

Contracting in expeditionary operations is not new. What is new is the scope and magnitude of the roles that contracting and contractors play in today’s military operations. Lack of planning and sound contract integration at the strategic level leads to inefficiencies, ineffectiveness, and, in many cases, outright fraud. Annex W, Operational Contract Support Plan, is the overall operations plan for Geographic Combatant Commands and the Services within the Adaptive Planning and Execution System framework. The authors propose an Integrated Planner and Executor (IPE) model for operational contract support and its integration into Annex W and existing war planning systems by congressionally mandating, authorizing, and funding IPE positions within Service structures. The IPE would be vested with the authority to establish, monitor, and manage Annex W

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Award-term contracts: Good for business?

The use of award-term contracts doesn’t seem to represent the best interests of the U.S. taxpayer—rather, it smacks terribly of the government acquisition environment of two decades ago that pre- ceded the passage of the Competition in Contracting Act

Phase Zero Contracting Operations (PZCO)—Strategic and Integrative Planning for Contingency and Expeditionary Operations

Contracting in expeditionary operations is not a new phenomenon. What is new is the scope and magnitude that contracting and contractors play in today’s military operations. Even if global operating tempos decline, many experts believe that reliance on contractor personnel will remain at current levels, or even grow, in relation to the number of uniformed personnel. Lack of planning and sound contract integration at the strategic level leads to loss of efficiencies, lack of effectiveness, and, in many cases, outright fraud of the executing participants. The authors propose adopting an Integrated Planner and Executor (IPE) and embrace mandates for Operational Contract Support, including generating a thoroughly vetted Annex W into OPLANs. The authors contend that the best means to accomplish integration into existing war planning systems is by congressionally mandating, authorizing, and funding (via appropriation) the IPE positions at the flag and senior executive service (SES) levels within Service structures, such as at the JCASO. The authors recommend that JCASO have more authority within GCC and Service staffs—particularly to establish, monitor, and manage Annex W for GCC and the Services within the APEX framework. These recommendations will allow for greater efficiency and effectiveness in providing contracted support to all military operations

Operation Arctic Heat Case and Exercise for Advanced Contingency Contracting

Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Progra

An Analysis of the Potential Impacts of Ashton Carter's "Should-Cost" Memorandum on Defense Contracting

Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Progra

NATO Phase Zero Contracting

Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Progra

Getting the most from acquisition reforms: FAR 13.5 test provisions for simplified acquisition procedures, commercial-item acquisition

Acquisition research (Graduate School of Business & Public Policy)The past decade has seen a significant change in business practices within the Federal contracting arena. Acquisition reform initiatives have fundamentally transformed the protocols and processes the Federal Government utilizes to procure billions of dollars' worth of goods and services every year. Reforms provided under the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), the Federal Acquisition Reform Act (FARA), and the Services Acquisition Reform Act (SARA), along with ensuing regulatory provisions in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), have created a more business-to-business-like contracting methodology. One such methodology is the FAR 13.5 Test Program for Commercial Items. FAR 13.5 allows the utilization of Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) for all commercial-item designated goods and services up to and including $5.5 million. The FAR 13.5 provisions are aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Federal contracting processes. The FAR 13.5 regulatory provision has tremendous potential to alleviate field contracting activities' work-in-process backlogs, improve cycle-time, reduce transaction costs, and increase customer satisfaction in the business processes designed to provide essential goods and services. However, based on the researcher's review of the business decision protocol at many acquisition and contracting centers, and as a result of similar research conducted in 2004, 2005 and 2006, this text asserts many contracting activities may not be effectively utilizing the legislative and regulatory authority under FAR 13.5 to garner desired efficiencies and effectiveness. Therefore, the objective of this research study is to determine the extent to which the Navy's FISC (Fleet and Industrial Supply Center) activities are capitalizing on the legislative provisions and regulatory provisions of FAR 13.5 and to make specific recommendations for improving the full utilization of the FAR 13.5 commercial-item designation provisions. This sponsored research study: 1) provides an overview of the applicable legislative and regulatory provisions, specifically FAR 13.5, and urges full utilization of the FAR 13.5 provisions, 2) investigates current business practices within the Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (FISC) related to the FAR 13.5 regulatory provisions, 3) determines the extent to which FISC is reporting FAR 13.5 utilization and the degree of effective and efficient utilization of the FAR 13.5 provision, and 4) provides research conclusions and specific recommendations for better utilization of the FAR 13.5 provisions designed to benefit all process-protocol stakeholders, including the FISCs, their supported customers, the Navy and, ultimately, the American taxpayers.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Phase zero operations for contingency and expeditionary contracting-keys to fully integrating contracting into operational planning and execution

distribution unlimited.The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) has published several works that highlight significant progress in the planning and execution of Operational Contract Support. For example, The Yoder Three-tier Model for Optimal Planning and Execution of Contingency Contracting (YTTM) research project (NPS-AM-05-002), the Joint Effects-based Contracting project (NPS-AM-08-127), and many others are recent published works that may be instrumental in shaping public and military policy related to the structure, planning, and execution of Operational Contract Support. Of particular note is the NPS Joint Effects-based Contracting project (NPSAM-08-127), which created a new concept of Operational Contract Support and developed and exercised simulation modeling to demonstrate the efficacy of the concepts. A key element of the work was the identification and creation of a Phase “0” operational model. The results are that with the Phase “0” concept in operation, significant efficiencies and greater effectiveness can be achieved in planning and executing any operation requiring Operational Contract Support. This sponsored research report proposes and formulates the concept of contract integration into joint doctrine and planning documents as a key element of meeting potential gains in efficiency and effectiveness of operations, and in meeting elements of the revised title 10 U.S.C. section 2333, directly shaping public policy. Of particular concern to the author is that despite significant movement and progress in developing the Operational Contract Support construct, joint planners and practitioners in supported and supporting roles are still suboptimized due to the lack of an integrated structure and construct at the joint strategic level. The early planning phase parleyed terminology utilized by the warfighter and planning communities, aptly titled Phase Zero operations, that is, all planning and exercising that can and should occur prior to an actual real-world event or before a contingency crisis is manifest. The clear purpose and intent of this research is to provide a concept model that can guide planners and resource holders to create and utilize the recommended mix of personnel, platforms, and protocols to achieve better contracted effects, create efficiencies and effectiveness, and improve business operations across the full spectrum of war and peacetime operations. The research incorporates a thorough examination and review of key literature germane to the background and development of the work. The author creates a framework of integration into Phase Zero – shaping phase- doctrine and provides the construct for operation reality. This work will formulate and further develop operational construct concepts into executable concepts for incorporation into joint doctrine, planning documents, and business operations, and will explore implications for war-fighters, logisticians, and contracting offices. Specific conclusions and recommendations are provided in the final chapter, along with areas recommended for further research. The concepts developed and presented in this research report will meet the warfighter and legislative requirements for improved integrative planning, and will be optimized to complement and best support the Unified Combatant Commander’s desired effects as iterated in the Operation Plans and Operation Orders - OPLAN and OPORD - by incorporating a holistic approach of the right mix of credentialed personnel; refinement and utilization of existing platforms utilized in the joint planning environment; and implementing, exercising, and fully employing forwardleaning protocols necessary for the creation of a sound business effect.Naval Postgraduate School Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research ProgramApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

To what extent are DoD activities capitalizing on commercial item designation statutory and regulatory provisions underFASA, FARA, and SARA: getting the most from limited resources

The following article is taken as an excerpt from the proceedings of the annual Acquisition Research Program. This annual event showcases the research projects funded through the Acquisition Research Program at the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy at the Naval Postgraduate School. Featuring keynote speakers, plenary panels, multiple panel sessions, a student research poster show and social events, the Annual Acquisition Research Symposium offers a candid environment where high-ranking Department of Defense (DoD) officials, industry officials, accomplished faculty and military students are encouraged to collaborate on finding applicable solutions to the challenges facing acquisition policies and processes within the DoD today. By jointly and publicly questioning the norms of industry and academia, the resulting research benefits from myriad perspectives and collaborations which can identify better solutions and practices in acquisition, contract, financial, logistics and program management. For further information regarding the Acquisition Research Program, electronic copies of additional research, or to learn more about becoming a sponsor, please visit our program website at: www.acquisitionresearch.org. For further information on or to register for the next Acquisition Research Symposium during the third week of May, please visit our conference website at: www.researchsymposium.org.;Premise: The past decade has seen a significant change in business practices within the Federal contracting arena. The changes have created a more business-to-business like contracting methodology, via commercial item designation streamlined procedures, for the conduct of Federal procurements meeting specific criteria defined in statutory authority provided under the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), the Federal Acquisition Reform Act (FARA), and the Services Acquisition Reform Act (SARA). The aforementioned legislation allows for the utilization of Simplified Acquisition Procedures for all commercial item designated goods and services up to and including $5 million. The legislation was passed in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Federal contracting processes. However, based on informal review of the business decision protocol at many acquisition and contracting centers, and as a result of similar research conducted in the Fall of 2004, contracting activities may not be effectively utilizing the legislative authority to garner efficiencies and effective service provision that may be possible under the new legislation. Objective: The objective is to determine the extent to which DoD activities are capitalizing on the legislative provisions of FARA, FASA, and SARA, and to make specific recommendations for improving the full utilization of the commercial item designation provisions. This objective is critical to contracting and acquisition commands (as well as those they support) to achieve reduced acquisition lead times, reduce transactional costs, and generally, garner efficiencies and effectiveness not possible without the legislative provisions. The research would: 1) provide an overview of the legislation; 2) investigate current business practices within DoD related to the legislative provisions; 3) analyze and determine the extent to which DoD is capitalizing on the provisions, and; 4) make specific recommendations for better utilizing the legislation to the benefit of DoD.Third Annual Acquisition Research SymposiumApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited