The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington Contracting Department recently held its annual Contracting Community Exchange event at the Joint Base Andrews Smart Conference Center. The event, which was the first in-person gathering in four years, brought together contracting personnel from various offices and installations to share lessons learned, best practices and foster collaboration.
Kathryn Balonek, the contracting director, emphasized the importance of the event in building friendships and strengthening the contracting community.
"It's a nice chance for us to get to know each other, have the offices share lessons learned, best practices, and get to build friendships to enhance our output as a community," she said.
The event, previously held virtually due to COVID restrictions, was a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the contracting community. Balonek noted that while the future may see a return to a hybrid format, the in-person event was a critical step in bringing everyone together after a challenging few years.
She expressed her hope that, “The event would enable the department to execute more efficiently, in compliance with regulations, and build a more cohesive organization that can surge support where needed.”
When asked about the main takeaway for contracting staff, Balonek emphasized, “The importance of using resources and relying on fellow contracting community personnel.”
The event featured presentations from guest speakers, including NAVFAC Assistant Commander for Acquisition Cindy Readal, who highlighted the department's increasing obligations and lower number of actions, a trend that aligns with the overall goals. Erin Quimby, the chief of contracting office for NAVFAC Atlantic addressed the importance of building relationships and collaborating in a flexible workforce that includes remote, teleworking and in-person personnel.
NAVFAC Washington Executive Officer, Capt. Juliana Strieter and Rebecca Tittle, the labor and employee relations director also presented to the group.
The Contracting Community Exchange provided an opportunity for contracting personnel to connect, learn and grow together as a community. Contracting personnel from key installations and bases such as Naval Support Activity (NSA) Annapolis, Bethesda, and Washington Navy Yard (WNY), Naval Support Facility Dahlgren and Indian Head, Andrews Air Force Base and Marine Corps Base Quantico, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Contracting Core Divisions at WNY attended the event. Distant remote employees from California, Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Carolinas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Norfolk, Virginia also attended the event.
The attendees contributed their unique perspectives and experiences to the collaborative discussions and team building activities.