Nashville District Contracting named best in USACE

Nashville District Public Affairs
Published Nov. 26, 2019
Jill E. Stiglich, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers directorate of Contracting, presents the “Best District/Center Award” to Lt. Col. Sonny B. Avichal, Nashville District commander, and Isaac Taylor, Branch Contracting chief, during the Society of American Military Engineers Federal Small Business Conference Excellence in Contracting Awards Program Nov. 21, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Angela Randall)

Jill E. Stiglich, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers directorate of Contracting, presents the “Best District/Center Award” to Lt. Col. Sonny B. Avichal, Nashville District commander, and Isaac Taylor, Branch Contracting chief, during the Society of American Military Engineers Federal Small Business Conference Excellence in Contracting Awards Program Nov. 21, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Angela Randall)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 26, 2019) – Companies can rest assure they are getting the very best contracting support in the entire U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when they do business with the Nashville District.

Jill E. Stiglich, USACE directorate of Contracting, confirmed it when she presented Nashville District officials with the “District/Center Award” during the Society of American Military Engineers Federal Small Business Conference Excellence in Contracting Awards Program Nov. 21, 2019 in Dallas, Texas.

Lt. Col. Sonny B. Avichal, Nashville District commander, and Isaac Taylor, Branch Contracting chief, accepted the accolade on behalf of the entire result-oriented team that refined processes and delivered contracts for vital civil works programs.

“The incorporation of a joint risk register program in the Chickamauga Lock Chamber Construction Contract improved understanding of risk tolerance and informed decision making between industry and government,” Avichal said. “It is one of many examples of how the contracting team excelled and is revolutionizing the way the Corps is doing business.  The team championed best practices, delivered quality projects, safeguarded taxpayer dollars, and I’m very proud of them and the recognition of their hard work.”

The award rating period covered October 2017 to March 2019, a time period when the Nashville District Contracting outshined other high profile projects, and emergency and disaster missions across the Corps of Engineers.

Heather Turner, Nashville District Contracting chief, said she is very happy to see that Corps of Engineers leadership recognized her team’s hard work and dedication.

“Every person that supported the district’s contracting efforts performed at a high level and contributed to this team award, which highlights how the Nashville District as a whole works together in unique and challenging situations,” Turner said. “The various project delivery teams find a way to make sure the district’s mission is successfully accomplished.”

Turner noted that her team worked to rebuild technical competencies and focused on communication. She said they chartered and refined a synchronization team responsible for work acceptance and project prioritization, which produced a higher level of organizational engagement and improved communication, recognized as a best practice by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.

It resulted in routine partnering meetings and executive engagements with command and industry, such as the Joint Risk Registry Program that the team piloted with the Chickamauga Lock Chamber Construction Contract.  The district used the register to improve processes, identify risk, potential impacts, and mitigation measures. The efforts of the team led to the Corps of Engineers adopting the use of the registry process across the enterprise.

More notable achievements involved identifying the need for additional warrants and obtaining voluntary increases of warrant levels, and they began rebuilding the bench with 11 hiring actions. Managers also organized weekly acquisition strategy meetings with stakeholders, weekly team meetings with contracting employees, and monthly meetings with procuring contracting officers across the Nashville District and Detroit District.

Nashville District Contracting also supported contracting efforts across the Corps of Engineers. They coordinated with several other districts and USACE Headquarters to refine the scope, negotiate, and award a $3.5 million sole source contract for the Corps-wide earned value management of the Hurricane “Storm” Supplemental Program.

They also supported the $130 million Great Lakes Dredging with a Multiple Award Task Order Contract, supported the Detroit District’s Soo Lock Mega Project, and have solicited several requirements using invitation for bids with definitive responsibility criteria.

“Contracting’s accomplishments warrant being named best in the Corps of Engineers,” Avichal stressed. “Taking the initiative to improve how we do business is indicative of their professionalism and determination to seamlessly manage and deliver contracts. They are leading the way as we corporately find ways to revolutionize the Corps.”

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