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From toilet paper rolls to dinner rolls, it is all about contracts.

Nowhere does that hit home more than it does in a deployed environment.

“In order to raise up a bare base, you need contracts,” said Capt. Randy Culbreth, commander of the 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. “With Operation Enduring Freedom, most of the base services are contracted out. That means that we go through local organizations, and not military assets for services.”

The squadron supports base operations by providing many of the services units need to keep the mission going in the war on terrorism, said Culbreath, who is deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Its members contract nonmilitary sources to purchase goods and services.

More than $46 million has been devoted to 2,200 contracts, and approximately 30 percent of Al Udeid’s functions are contracted out.

The squadron comprises 11 contracting specialists. They spend about half of their time in downtown Doha, Qatar’s capital, purchasing goods at local businesses and forming ongoing working relationships.

“We’re the facilitators between the requested service and the contractor,” said Staff Sgt. Joey Ramirez, a contracting officer deployed from Schriever AFB, Colo., who spends much of his time in Doha.

Tech. Sgt. Steve Munnell, a contracting specialist with the 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, discusses the progress of a medical tent with a Qatari contractor. Munnell is deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah. (Official Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Tarkan Dospil)

The process of finding a buyer is a rather simple one. Unit officials determine a need, such as potable water, for example. Then they call contracting with the need; contracting specialists travel downtown and find the best supplier for the buck. Once a supplier is found, a contract is drafted and signed.

“We try to use the ‘best value’ system, which is when you spend a little more to get a quality product, something that will last longer,” Ramirez said. “The old idea of contracting through the lowest bidder is a pretty outdated concept.”

Dealing with the host-nation civilians is the most interesting aspect of the job, Ramirez said, adding the Middle Eastern method of business is quite different from the American way.

“Their business practice is very personable,” he said. “Out of the three hours we might spend with a supplier, two are spent with pleasantries. They want to have tea and a conversation, and show us their business. They want us to know what makes them successful. It’s quite different from the typical American idea of ‘business comes first.’”

Contracting people have a variety of vendors available and can go through virtually anyone. Contracts can be approved on the spot, Culbreth added, and range from one-time buys to five-year deals.

“We use a vendor database to find many of our suppliers,” Culbreth said. “We actually have a supplier database so many of them will call us.”

Culbreth said the base populace generally does not recognize their work. The squadron members consider themselves silent helpers whose job stays “in the shadows.”

“This is a very high-profile job,” he said. “But people don’t usually know about us as long as things are going smoothly. The sun shines on us very briefly.”

As the Air Force uses more contracts, Culbreth said he expects his role to become more demanding.

“More and more functions are being contracted out, which will make my job a lot more interesting,” he said. “Continuing to find quality vendors and sources to provide the Air Force the best possible product will be challenging, but very rewarding. When you see someone satisfied with a contracted service, you can say, ‘Hey, I was a part of that.’”

Above Article by Airman 1st Class Tarkan Dospil
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs, Published in Air Force News