CGHQ, Washington, D.C., May 22, 2024 —
You might be familiar with the Coast Guard’s Buy Better Revolution, an enterprise-wide transformation initiative and a cornerstone of the Commandant's strategic plan. This transformation initiative is crucial to modernizing how Mission Support operates, enhancing procurement processes to better support the contracting workforce, their customers, and mission partners. AKA – buying things (yup, you guessed it) better!
On 29 February, Vice Admiral Paul Thomas, Deputy Commandant for Mission Support, signed the Contracting & Procurement (C&P) Modernization Blueprint. This document, which kicks off the next phase of the Buy Better Revolution, provides 20 strategic short- and long-term recommendations aimed at transforming the Coast Guard's C&P ecosystem into a best-in-class operation.
In line with the Blueprint, VADM Thomas also signed the C&P Modernization Program Integration Office (PIO) Charter, creating an office responsible for the planning and execution of the Blueprint’s recommendations. Mr. Keith O'Neill, Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA), was appointed as Director of the PIO, and will be guided by an Executive Steering Committee (ESC) and the DCMS Deputy for Material Readiness (DMR). Mr. O’Neill’s leadership of the PIO, and role as HCA, will be integral to the success of the C&P Modernization.
The C&P Modernization PIO will work to implement the Blueprint’s recommendations in gradual phases from 2024 to 2028, designed to build on incremental successes and facilitate continuous improvement.
The first phase focuses on nine key recommendations, setting the stage for early achievements and addressing initial concerns. As the Coast Guard embarks on these transformative projects, workforce engagement and collaboration are more crucial than ever. All members are encouraged to review the C&P Modernization Blueprint found on the C&P Modernization Interactive Blueprint page and can stay up to date on the PIO’s latest activities by visiting the C&P Modernization PIO CGPortal site.