FORT LEE, Va. –
FORT LEE, Va., Nov. 16, 2017 — Navy Vice Adm. David Lewis, Defense Contract Management Agency director, was presented with a lifetime achievement award for acquisition excellence during a Pentagon ceremony, Oct. 12.
The Rear Adm. Wayne E. Meyer Award, given to individuals exemplifying the highest examples of acquisition excellence and whose achievement brings significant benefit to the Navy’s acquisition community, was presented to Lewis at the annual Department of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Award ceremony.
“To me, this is a collective award,” said Lewis. “My history in shipbuilding, ship repair, at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command and with DCMA is all about the great people who are delivering the equipment and systems our warfighters need and expect to fight and win our nation’s wars. It is an honor for me to represent them in this way.”
Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, was the guest speaker at the event that honored more than 30 people and organizations for their work in improving the Navy’s acquisition business.
"We need to continue to drive innovation to regain our technological edge, and focus on affordability and accountability," said Lord. "It's through your efforts we'll ensure the safety and security of the American people."
In a Navy career spanning almost 40 years, Lewis has led the delivery of 25 ships and the procurement of another 60. At SPAWAR he led the design, development, delivery and sustainment of communications and information warfare capabilities. At DCMA he is responsible for the worldwide contract management for over 19,500 contractors and more than $223 billion in unliquidated obligations.
One of Lewis’ many assignments was working for Meyer as the Aegis Shipbuilding Program manager. “I was required to see the admiral at least quarterly for a couple of hours to discuss his perspectives on how things were,” Lewis said. “The admiral was neither shy nor unclear about how he thought how we were doing. Over the course of my three-year tour, I learned a lot.”
As the founding project manager for the Aegis weapon system, Meyer is regarded as the "father of Aegis” and the award is the premier feature of the department’s awards ceremony.
The awards were established by the secretary of the Navy in 2008 to recognize military and civil service individuals and teams who have made the most outstanding contributions to enhancing competition and innovation throughout the acquisition lifecycle and in support of Navy and Marine Corps acquisition programs.