Two Edwards civilians win AFMC contracting award

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Air Force Materiel Command officials named two civilians here as winners of the 2005 AFMC Contracting Awards.

Melissa Petter received the non-supervisory category of the Secretary of the Air Force Professionalism in Contracting Award, and Deanna Wright won the science and technology category for Outstanding Contracting Civilian GS-11 and below.

The contracting awards recognize the outstanding individual, team and organizational accomplishments among AFMC contracting professionals and are a tribute to the important role contracting has within AFMC and the Air Force, said Thomas Wells, AFMC director of contracting.

"These awards and the accomplishments within our Edwards contracting community represent the hard work and dedication of all our contracting professionals," said Karen Zang, Air Force Flight Test Center's contracting deputy director.

The winners significantly impact how this command interfaces with its customers and suppliers and how AFMC successfully meets the needs of the warfighters, Mr. Wells said.

"[Ms. Petter and Ms. Wright] are very deserving of these recognitions. These are well earned accomplishments that truly show their dedication and commitment to the contracting field and to their customers," Ms. Zang said.

The awardees are scheduled to attend the Annual Contracting Awards Banquet April 4 to receive their awards.

AFMC-wide professionalism award
As a contract officer with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Ms. Petter awarded $10 million in contract actions supporting the mission of the AFRL, $4.1 million for the critical modification to place the Phase II Booster Demonstration program and $800,000 for the Phase III small launch modeling and simulation effort.

She single-handedly awarded critical, complex Technology Investment Agreement action for Solar Thermal research sharing. She was also the catalyst on a Small Business Innovative Research Integrated Process Team.

"Ms. Petter is definitely a hard worker and focused on customers' needs in supporting the mission and ensures that she facilitates them," Ms. Zang said.

One of Ms. Petter's achievements is leading the negotiating team for the Missile Defense Agency's more than $50 million Micro Satellite Propulsion Experiment program, which demonstrates the configuration of propulsion technology.

Ms. Petter also received the AFFTC contractors Annual Outstanding Contracting Team Award, Division Civilian of the Quarter for 2nd Quarter of 2005 and 2005 AFFTC contractors 3rd Quarter Outstanding Contracting Team Award.

To improve her professional development, Ms. Petter completed and received her certificate in Acquisition Professional Development Program Level II in contracting, completed course work for APDP Level III and earned a Level I Program Management certification. Ms. Petter has a masters degree and is a graduate of Copper Cap's Outstanding Scholar Program, which is a three-year internship program.

Ms. Petter, also finds ways to improve the morale and quality of life of the contracting community by joining and serving in various programs such as the National Contract Management Association Antelope Valley Chapter, wherein she served as president.

"Winning an award is great," Ms. Petter said. "But it is really the whole (AFRL) team that won. I wouldn't be able to do my job if they didn't help me. It is really a team effort."

By winning the AFMC award, Ms. Petter is also the Air Force nominee.

Outstanding Contracting Civilian award
With just a year of experience, Ms. Wright managed a Joint Venture contract, which supported the critical Strategic Sustainment/Phase II Boost and Orbit Transfer Demo program. She helped reduce the proposed fee for the closing of the Joint Venture by 42 percent, saving more than $100,000.

Ms. Wright, a contract specialist with AFFTC, also pursued AFFTC's first-ever Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Small Business Innovative Research Phase III for a $15 million program to develop Advanced Paraffin-based hybrid rockets.

She was able to produce 40 actions for $9.7 million and administered 46 Research and development contracts totaling more than $54 million, ensuring full value delivered to AFRL propulsion directorate.

In addition, Ms. Wright's major contribution on managing resources was her development of streamlined ConWrite template, which helps contractors manage SBIR Phase I awards.

Ms. Wright also pursued her professional development by earning her APDP Level I certificate in minimum time and is currently working on her Level II contracting certificate. She has a bachelors degree in business administration.

"My winning an award was a good surprise to me," Ms. Wright said. "I didn't expect it. I was just working hard and doing my job."