MSO Workshop addresses Special Programs challenges, resources

FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Virginia -

The Defense Contract Management Agency Special Programs Mission Support Operations office recently held a workshop at the agency's headquarters here July 16-18.Thirty-five workshop attendees from Maryland, Texas, Virginia, and California received training for key MSO responsibilities, shared best practices, established new processes, gained insight into the contract management office challenges and developed resolutions.

"The MSO vision is 'working to provide mission support excellence,'" said Kari Edwards, MSO director. "The workshop was a first-of-its-kind training to ensure continuity across Special Programs where we received the training, tools and resources needed to help mission support personnel meet our vision."

According to Edwards, the MSO training event helped team members excel at their duties, enhance multi-functional skill sets and create better working relationships.

The following agency, Special Programs, and Defense Logistics Agency subject matter experts served as featured speakers at the workshop:

• Defense Logistics Agency Human Resources: Cayla Weimar, Geoff Jackson, Charles Miller, and Kelli Allmaras
• DCMA Total Force: Risa Compton, Charlene Butler, Kris Filiupu, and Michelle Penn
• DCMA TF Training: Erik Imajo, Stephanie McRae, and Arlene Mitchell
• DCMA Travel Management Office: Carresqual Dixon
• DCMA Correspondence Control: Sarah Galvin
• DCMA AcqDemo Program Manager: Nicole Dandridge
• DCMA Cost and Pricing Regional Command: Brenda Goodrich
• DCMA Agency Records Office: Jessica Williams
• DCMA Special Programs: Kari Edwards, Tammy Queen, Tasha White, Deb Horne, Anne-Marie Rosenthal, Tammy Kneip, Mary Grace Berry

The workshop covered a variety of personnel and administrative training including hiring processes and plans, manpower, performance management, classifications, correspondence control, records management, onboarding, out-processing, travel, risk management, internal controls, government purchasing, awards, payroll, and annual training programs.

The nature of Special Programs and its security requirements can create hiring challenges for the MSO.

"One unique challenge with hiring and onboarding employees is the extensive time it takes to process top secret security requirements," said Edwards. "Positions remain vacant for years because many prospective employees find other jobs during the clearance process."

Workshop attendees held strategic brainstorming discussions to mitigate this challenge and establish ideal practices moving forward.

"To be able to discuss challenges and initiatives amongst colleagues and actively come up with recommended paths forward was invaluable," said Edwards. "Everyone's voice was heard. We resolved system access issues in real-time allowing staff to return to their workplaces and be more effective. Tools and templates were provided to ensure the geographically dispersed MSO offices are on the same page and working in unison. The most meaningful aspects of the workshop were meeting colleagues face-to-face to network and build better working relationships while uniformly consolidating business practices and confronting the tough issues across Special Programs."

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