U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville programs support Air Force medical mission

Huntsville Center
Published Nov. 25, 2013
A team of a seven people from the Air Force Medical Support Agency visited U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Nov. 13-14 to meet with representatives from the Center's Installation and Support and Programs Management Directorate.

Over the two days, the AFMSA's personnel met with representatives from ISPM's Operation and Maintenance Engineering Enhancement and Medical Repair and Renewal programs. Discussions centered around lessons learned and execution of the $90 million in requirements sent by AFMSA in FY13, as well as the future FY14 requirements of this valuable customer.

Huntsville Center's OMEE program provides Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity service contracts available to execute maintenance requirements for 31 Air Force Medical Treatment Facilities.

These contracts can provide scheduled maintenance, corrective maintenance, pest management, aseptic management, grounds maintenance, biomedical equipment maintenance and repair/replacement services in support of medical or non-medical facilities.

The availability of a wide range of operation and maintenance services in these basic contracts allows the AFMSA to practice "one stop shopping," thereby achieving efficiency and cost savings. The contractors were selected for the ID/IQ on their experience performing O&M in medical facilities and their knowledge in medical specific requirements associated with The Joint Commission and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

Crystal Bennett Echols, MRR/OMEE branch chief, said the AFMSA has utilized the OMEE program for many years and OMEE currently provides support valued at more than $55 million a year for the AFMSA facilities. She said due to some "cross pollination" of personnel amongst the MRR/OMEE branch, AFMSA recently began bringing requirements to the MRR program as well.

"In FY12, this customer brought $6 million in requirements to MRR," Bennett Echols said. "In FY13 that number increased to almost $28 million."

During this week's visit, Bennett Echols said AFMSA indicated that number could possibly grow to more than $40 million for FY14.

The Medical Repair and Renewal program at Huntsville Center offers a fast track, efficient method for design and execution of all types of medical facility repairs, renovations, conversions, alterations, additions and construction projects. MRR provides program/project management, engineering, contracting and construction support to multiple Department of Defense and non-DOD agencies/ locations nationwide. In FY13, this team managed more than 175 projects valued at more than $350 million and awarded approximately $150 million in new medical facility repair/renovation projects Army, Air Force and Navy.

"Our meetings were very productive," said Maj. DaNishia Barton, AFMSA Sustainment Branch deputy chief. "We're very excited and impressed with Huntsville Center's capabilities. For AFSMA, the patient is our priority and all the folks at Huntsville Center are very knowledgeable about the work required to ensure we have quality medical facilities. Because of the services Huntsville Center provides, we have the tools available to provide medical care for the warfighter and the rest of the Air Force family and support the Air Force mission."