436th Contracting Squadron End of Year Updates

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Molly Mellinger
  • 436th Contracting Squadron
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Happy New Year! Hopefully you're already experiencing some small improvements that the end of a Fiscal Year (FY) brought to your organization. Perhaps your unit obtained some useful supplies for its members.  Maybe you're seeing construction workers begin the renovation of a facility that is in dire need of repair.  Or, maybe some badly needed parts for your equipment is finally on order and will help increase your efficiency.

436 CONS absolutely could not have had such a successful End of Year (EOY) without the cooperation from the wing's requirement owners, and especially our wingmen in the Comptroller and Civil Engineer Squadrons. With less than two weeks remaining in Fiscal Year 2014, AMC funded all of CE's "hip pocket" projects - about $20 million in base improvements. Soon, you will begin to see a surge in construction efforts on the base, improving the quality of life, working environment, and efficiency of mission accomplishment for the 10,000 military, civilians, and dependents of Team Dover. This September, Dover AFB's CONS was postured for success more than ever before. AMC trusted Dover AFB with a lion's share of the MAJCOM's EOY funds.  Executing $18 million in contract awards and $787,000+ in modifications, Dover's CONS delivered a massive EOY success!

Each EOY, 436 CONS prepares to handle more than half of the year's contracting needs from July through September.  This year, over 60% of FY14 dollars were awarded on EOY contracts. To put this into perspective, imagine if your unit performed more than 60% of its mission in a single quarter. In 3 short months, your pilots would be flying 60% of their sorties, the DFAC would serve 60% of the year's meals, and maintainers would complete 60% of annual maintenance requirements. This is exactly what happens in the Contracting Squadron. Literally hundreds of contracts are signed, orders are made, and the goods and facilities your unit needs for mission success are delivered. In order to provide for Team Dover, the 44 members of the 436th Contracting squadron work day and night to find balance in funding for your requirements, operating within federal law, and of course filling your request with the best value product or service.

In July 2015 when the current Fiscal Year begins to close, here's how you can enable CONS to effectively deliver your requirement:

- Communicate your requirement early with your resource advisor- avoid having unfunded requirements at the close of the Fiscal Year

- Have a clear and complete statement of need. As the technical expert for your requirement, communicate what you want (including technical specifications) to contracting to ensure the item delivered will meet your need.

- Research the availability of your requirement in the commercial market before sending your requirement to Contracting. Providing quotes, drawing, pictures, etc. will help us understand your requirement and be able to expedite the purchase.

- If you no longer need a requested requirement, cancel it as soon as possible and communicate the cancellation with Contracting.