The annual Department of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Awards Program recognizes individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions in enhancing competition and promoting innovation throughout the acquisition lifecycle and in support of Navy and Marine Corps acquisition programs.
As one of five major Department of Navy acquisition commands, NAVWAR provides research and development, systems engineering, testing and evaluation, technical, in-service and support services to its respective acquisition program executive offices (PEOs) during all phases of a program’s lifecycle.
The below NAVWAR and PEO teams and individuals were recognized for their efforts during fiscal year 2020 (FY20).
The Program Executive Office for Digital and Enterprise Services (PEO Digital) Naval Enterprise Network (NEN) Program Office (PMW 205) - Winner of the Dr. Al Somoroff Acquisition Award
PEO Digital’s NEN Program Office received the Dr. Al Somoroff Acquisition Award for implementing creative and effective management processes resulting in lower costs, with more than $258 million in savings during FY20.
NEN Program Office demonstrated outstanding resource management and enhanced competition resulting in better buying power for the government by implementing “Alpha Contracting.” The program ensured the delivery of quality supplies and services to the customer during the Next Generation Enterprise Network – Recompete (NGEN-R) end user hardware contract transition.
Additionally the NEN Program Office improved sustainability and readiness for operational forces by leveraging COVID-19 supplemental funding, via the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Securities Act, to properly resource Navy Enterprise Office 365 migration and sustainment efforts.
Capt. (ret) William McNeal, Program Manager (former), PEO Digital’s NEN Program Office (PMW 205) -- Finalist for Program Manager of the Year
Capt. (ret) William McNeal, former program manager for PEO Digital’s NEN Program Office, has been nominated as finalist for the Program Manager of the Year for his exceptional leadership in addressing multiple challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all while continuing to advance NEN Program Office priorities.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NEN Program Office faced a globally-distributed workforce, in a remote work status that required vastly expanded network access and new tools for interaction and productivity in a very short time, despite budget shortfalls and equipment shortages caused by a global manufacturing slowdown.
To address these challenges, McNeal led the NEN Program Office in leveraging supplemental funding via the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Securities (CARES) Act to resource Office 365 migration and sustainment efforts through FY20, providing more than 360 thousand users across the Navy with a reliable and secure tool for maximum collaboration and productivity during COVID-19.
John Armantrout, Program Manager, the Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I) Cybersecurity Program Office (PMW 130) -- Finalist for Program Manager of the Year ACAT II and III
John Armantrout, program manager for the PEO C4I Cybersecurity Program Office, has been nominated as a finalist for Program Manager of the Year for his leadership, team-building, collaboration and ethics leading the Cybersecurity Program Office acquisition efforts during FY20.
Armantrout’s transparency ensured team members understand the program impact on missions and how each team effort directly contributes to warfighter operations. He delegated responsibilities appropriately while providing proper guidance, direction and encouragement; allowing staff to be empowered and motivated to produce quality products.
Armantrout was resourceful in leading the team to utilize the first PEO C4I middle tier acquisition for rapid fielding, while successfully transitioning one of two rapid deployment capabilities into the first PEO C4I software acquisition pathway program. He led acquisition solutions through the disruptive trials of COVID-19 restrictions, balancing team execution and delivery of critical cybersecurity capabilities to the warfighter, while focusing on the health and safety of all involved personnel.
Debra Streufert, NAVWAR Contracts branch head, Program Executive Office for Manpower, Logistics, and Business Solutions (PEO MLB) -- Finalist for Acquisition Professional of the Year
Debra Streufert, the NAVWAR Contracts branch head and the supervisory procuring contracting officer in support PEO MLB, has been nominated as a finalist for Acquisition Professional of the Year for her stellar oversight of PEO MLB's multi-billion dollar contract portfolio. This portfolio includes manpower, personnel, training and education systems; the Logistics Functional Area Management program support consisting of 200 programs of record; and an array of defense business systems for the Navy.
PEO MLB tasked the Navy Enterprise Business Solutions Program Office (PMW 220) to realign the entirety of its contract efforts from the Naval Supply Systems Command's (NAVSUP) Business Solutions Center (BSC) into NAVWAR. Essentially, PMW 220 had previously used BSC as an assisted acquisition organization, but was now transitioning into a direct oversight role. Because of the scope and scale of all the contracting efforts, PMW 220 consulted Streufert for her expertise in order to plan for and execute the contractual moves. Her involvement and leadership were key to the transition's success.
Streufert also led PEO MLB and PMW 220 in awarding over 11 major contracting efforts in an extremely aggressive and short period, resulting in more than $1.5 billion in tasks and the transfer of all Navy Enterprise Resource Planning work efforts from NAVSUP to NAVWAR. Her leadership, contracting, and business skills were essential to accomplishing this major change.
Overall winners for the categories of Program Managers of the Year, and Acquisition Professional of the Year will be announced at the Acquisition Excellence Awards Ceremony this fall.
About NAVWAR:
NAVWAR identifies, develops, delivers and sustains information warfighting capabilities and services that enable naval, joint, coalition and other national missions operating in warfighting domains from seabed to space and through cyberspace. NAVWAR consists of more than 11,000 civilian, active duty and reserve professionals located around the world.