The Charleston District is a district on the rise and is continually reaching new milestones. In June 2012, the Charleston District accomplished another milestone by issuing their first ever Job Order Contract (JOC). This important award vehicle will aid in the execution of end-of-year projects for one of the District’s military customers, Joint Base Charleston, which includes Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), Army Strategic Logistics Agency- Charleston (ASLAC), Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU), Naval Munitions Command (NMC), and Mission Support Group (MSG).
The even more significant note about the District’s first JOC is that it was also set aside for small businesses in historically underutilized business zones (HUBZone). The five-year JOC was awarded to Northcon, Inc., located in Hayden, ID, and is not to exceed $15 million or $3 million/year, whichever comes first. Northcon was already performing the duties of a JOC in the Charleston area at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), so the District was very confident that they would be a trusted contractor and would be able to hit the ground running at Joint Base Charleston.
The unique aspect of a JOC is that the contract enables a large number of repair, maintenance and minor construction projects to be completed under a single contract rather than forcing the District to issue individual contracts for small projects. This results in work starting between 75-85 percent faster than traditional contracting methods. The JOC with Northcon includes various task orders for maintenance work including repairing overhead lighting, replacing a roof, repairing a building foundation, renovating restrooms, resurfacing floors and more.
"We have to look for creative ways to get work done for our customers," said Anthony Josey, Charleston District’s Deputy for Small Business Programs. "We have to find the best way to deliver first class products to them within their timeline."
A JOC is mutually beneficial for the contractor and the Charleston District. The contractor knows it has a standing contract to complete work with the ability to gain more work in the future. The District knows it is receiving quality work as the contractor has a financial incentive to provide a quality product in order to remain on the contract.
As previously stated, Northcon is a HUBZone small business, meaning they are in an area that has been established based on economic distress numbers set by the Small Business Administration. In order to receive this designation, the company must employ a certain number of residents from the local area. The Charleston District has set a goal of awarding 13 percent of all contracts throughout the year to HUBzone businesses. Since the exact amount of the JOC cannot be pre-determined as the contracts are awarded on-going, the District doesn’t know exactly what amount of the 13 percent is accomplished with this contract, but it is a large portion.
"The JOC is a great way of meeting the customer’s needs on time and it really speaks to our versatility as a district," added Josey. "We can be as creative as the project is when it comes to contracting."
The Charleston District is proud to show off its capabilities of awarding different contract types for different projects within five mission areas. The rapid transition of the Charleston District from a primarily civil works district to a versatile district with military construction projects showcases the capabilities this entrepreneurial district brings to the USACE community.