Hanscom acquisition professionals recognized by Air Force

  • Published
  • By K. Houston Waters
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – In October, the Department of the Air Force recognized multiple Hanscom-based teams and individuals for excellence in acquisition, test and evaluation, and software development.

Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris, commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, announced the selections for the 2021 Defense Acquisition Workforce Awards, which included members of the Digital Directorate and the Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate.

These nominees will represent the Air Force at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level and compete with top acquisition professionals and teams across all branches of the military.

For Digital, the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar, or 3DELRR, Live-Fly Prototype Demonstration Team was nominated for the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Team Award.

During the award period, the team pivoted to an innovative Rapid Prototyping Middle Tier Acquisition strategy that leveraged multiple contract awards, said Renee Little, deputy branch chief, 3DELRR.

“We also successfully executed technical reviews, maintenance demonstrations, and live-fly demonstrations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “Without skipping a beat, we transitioned to an integration, test and production phase using an innovative Rapid Prototyping Middle Tier acquisition strategy to supply a critical warfighting capability in the shortest time possible to the combatant commanders.”

Since 1997, the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award has recognized teams that demonstrate exemplary innovation and best practices in acquiring and delivering products and capabilities to the warfighter.

AFLCMC Detachment 12, also known as Kessel Run, was named as the Air Force nominee for the Software Innovation Team Award. In addition, test chief Jacquelynn Torson was selected as the Test and Evaluation Award nominee.

From the Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate, Ricky Oliver, chief financial officer and chief information technology officer of the Strategic Services Division, was nominated for the Services Acquisition Award.

Over the past year, Oliver led a multifunctional financial management and information technology sustainment team supporting the Strategic Services portfolio. Oliver helped execute $40.3 billion, which enabled the procurement of contractor services supporting numerous Air Force Life Cycle Management Center missions. He also reprioritized $28.6 million for cyber risk management, which enhanced the Insider Threat Operations Support Program for multiple federal agencies, thereby strengthening civilian and federal computer networks.

In addition, Oliver secured $4.2 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s COVID-19 rapid response, enabling the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory to develop the Digital Health Technologies Data Hub.

The Defense Acquisition Workforce Individual Achievement Awards recognize individuals who demonstrate the highest levels of excellence and professionalism in their respective acquisition functional area.

The Software Innovation Team Award, established in 2019, recognizes teams who are driving speed and innovation in continuous software development and acquisition as evidenced by frequent and high-quality delivery of software capabilities to warfighters.

The Defense Acquisition Workforce is composed of 181,000 civilian and military professionals from the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, Department of the Air Force, Defense Agencies, and Field Activities.

The Digital Directorate is headquartered here. The Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate is headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.