99th Contracting Squadron wins ACC annual award Published Jan. 7, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Thomas Spangler 99th Air Base Wing NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The 99th Contracting Squadron has won the Air Combat Command Contracting Squadron of the Year award for the 2013 fiscal year. This award is given once a fiscal year to the best contracting squadron in all of ACC. The 99th CONS will now compete Air Force wide against contracting squadrons from other MAJCOMs. The 99th CONS coordinates material and commodities acquisition for all wings, squadrons and tenant units at both Nellis and Creech AFBs. "If a squadron needs materials or services to accomplish their mission, they would contact the 99 CONS to acquire those materials or services for them," said Senior Master Sgt. Raj Panchal, 99th Contracting Squadron superintendent. "The 99th CONS was the number one contracting squadron in all of ACC to execute all of the funds across the installation and meet the fiscal draw downs and budget cuts," said Panchal. "This is probably one of the primary reasons we won the award." In addition to meeting tight budget constraints the 99th CONS completed many significant contracts over the past year to help maintain Nellis and Creech AFBs. One of the squadron's major accomplishments is contracting more than 330 non-military and non-General Schedule employees working at the Mike O'Callaghan Federal Medical Center. These contracted employees help provide care to more than 62,000 active duty members, retirees and veterans on any given day throughout the year said Panchal. Airman 1st Class Juan Manzano, a 99th CONS contracting journeyman, contributed to the squadron with his contracts. His most significant contract was a "$350 thousand phone upgrade for Creech AFB made on the last day of the 2013 fiscal year" said Manzano. In addition to contracting for Nellis and Creech AFB, the 99th CONS also maintain contracts with small local businesses. The 99th CONS will provide small local businesses with contracts to work on Nellis AFB. "It is because of these small business contracts the 99th CONS has pumped over $9 million into the local economy," said Panchal. In order for a local business to be awarded a contract they must apply through the System of Award Management. "The SAM ensures that a potential local business is valid and doesn't have any exclusions, such as failing to live up to a previous government contract, which would prevent them from potentially gaining a current government contract" said Manzano. The combination of meeting smaller budget requirements while also maintaining contracts to improve Nellis and Creech AFB, and the local economy have contributed to the 99th CONS winning the annual contracting squadron if the year award.
