Air Force honors contract negotiators at MacDill

TAMPA, Fla. - A squadron at MacDill just received an award as an outstanding unit in the entire Air Force, but they don't fly planes. They negotiate and grant contracts for everything from laundry to artificial intelligence and many of those contracts go to small businesses in the Tampa Bay area.

"We do about 900 pounds of laundry a day for MacDill," says Craig Holloway, a manager at Tampa Laundry Company on Gandy Boulevard, which launders linens from U.S. Central Command and scrubs from the base clinics.

According to Lt. Col. Brian Sheehan, the base spends $63 million a year with small businesses. 

"Small business is the key to our economic engine," says Sheehan, who was the commander of the 6th Contracting Squadron for about 18 months.

The squadron handles contracts for the base's aerial refueling wing and U.S. Central Command along with other units based at MacDill.

The squadron recently won top recognition from the Air Force. Sheehan credits the honor to an increasing focus on buying new technology, even from start-up entrepreneurs.  

"I've been surprised to know how many are in the greater Tampa area and Florida at large," says Sheehan. "You think of those as being out in Silicon Valley, but they're here and we're excited to work with them."

Sheehan recently negotiated a $500,000 procurement of artificial intelligence technology to help protect the base's 7 miles of shoreline. The sensors will detect intruders and cut down hours on the equipment and personnel needed to patrol the waters in boats. The system is to arrive next month.

"We'll be the first air force base to bring in this technology and we really think it is going to make a big difference for our defenders," Sheehan says.

Over the past 5-10 years, he says the Air Force has streamlined the buying process, especially for technology.

"We're always looking to speed up the process because the sooner we can get the contract, the quicker we can get what the warfighter needs," says Michael Terranova, a contracts officer at MacDill.

For information about available contracts and how they are awarded, visit https://beta.sam.gov/search?keywords=MacDill%20AFB%20Commercial%20Solutions%20Opening%20&sort=-relevance&index=opp&is_active=true&page=1.

The following PDF documents contain information about the group's so-called pitch day, where businesses can present their business to the squadron.