Base support services turned over to contractors

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Erik Hofmeyer
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  482nd Fighter Wing reservists performing their annual tour at Homestead Air Reserve Base will notice a significant shakeup in the personnel manning base support services, and they may also see many familiar faces wearing new corporate attire.

As of August 1, Satellite Services Inc. employees commenced operations to provide base operating support (BOS) services in areas such as supply, vehicle operations and maintenance, air traffic management, transient aircraft maintenance, fuels and airfield management, property, roads and runway maintenance and other support services.

The base personnel changes resulted from an elaborate study, entitled an "OMB Circular A-76" by the Executive Office of the President's Office of Management and Budget, which evaluated the most cost-effective method of providing base support services to the mission of Homestead ARB.

The OMB representatives needed to determine whether support services should continue to be performed in-house using civil service personnel or through contracts with commercial sources. Consequently, the study concluded with a directive that base services be contracted to commercial sources, and SSI won the bid for a five-year contract.

"The conversion affected roughly 140 civil service positions that were converted into contractor support," said Maj. Tim Arnett, 482nd Mission Support Group deputy commander. "It was sad to see the civil service positions eliminated, but those were our orders. The government provided early retirement packages and priority placements to the greatest extent possible, and many of the former civil service employees were hired by SSI to stay in place."

Although these personnel changes are novel for Homestead ARB, it isn't the case for other air reserve bases in the command.

"We're the last Air Force reserve base to undergo this study," Major Arnett said. "Other reserve bases all underwent this study years ago, and March ARB and Niagara Air Reserve Station are also being serviced by SSI."

Although, there has been an adjustment period during the conversion, most operations have undergone a seamless transition.

For example, the reservists' role will not change during the upcoming operational readiness exercise. They will get their gear together and go through the exercise and instead of a reservist or government employee assisting the participating servicemembers, it will be somebody in a Satellite Services shirt, said Mr. Mike Regina, SSI project manager, and former 482nd Civil Engineer Squadron operations flight chief.

Major Arnett and Mr. Regina stress how there will be no drop-off in quality, and how SSI contractors uphold the same level of work as federal civil service employees. Companies must provide stringent proof their employees are trained in Air Force policies and procedures, have extensive experience in the career field disciplines and must comply with all safety and operational requirements.

In addition, the Air Force Reserve Command has created the Performance Management Office manned by civil service personnel to ensure contractor oversight and ensure compliance with the contract, Major Arnett said.

"SSI has a strong reputation for quality work on time, the right way the first time, and we're excited to have them on board," Major Arnett said.