ST. LOUIS –
ST. LOUIS, May 5, 2017 — In an effort to strengthen inter-agency relationships, Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing St. Louis leadership invited local Defense Contract Audit Agency members to their recent Captain’s Breakfast.
As a prime example that proximity does not ensure continuity, many team members from both agencies had never met despite the fact they are located only a few miles apart and work on many of the same programs for the Department of Defense’s second largest prime contractor — Boeing.
The effort was spearheaded by Lucretia Lape, DCMA Boeing St. Louis Integrated Cost Analysis Team director. She worked closely with the contract management office’s commander, Navy Capt. Matthew McLaurin, and its Contracts director, Jo Anne Hamilton Parks, to ensure these contracting neighbors became more neighborly.
“It is important our agencies work together to support warfighters and demonstrate to our customers and industry counterparts the true power of ‘one team, one voice’ — not just within DCMA, but across agencies,” said McLaurin. “When DCMA and DCAA work together, our agencies further enhance our ability to provide unwavering warfighter support.”
The Navy veteran said he was impressed with the turnout as the crowd included more than 75 local contracting professionals. During the event, McLaurin presented five DCAA members with commander coins in recognition for their DCMA mission support efforts.
During the meal many DCAA leaders echoed McLaurin’s thoughts on the benefits of inter-agency cooperation and support.
“Our customers recognize that when we work together, the warfighter truly benefits from the expertise our agencies bring to bear for the warfighter, and that we truly are an asset that contributes toward mission execution,” said Ernst Diefenbach, a resident auditor with DCAA.
For Parks, the most rewarding aspect of the event was reaffirmed by this and similar feedback. “From the comments that DCAA senior leadership gave, the ICAT made them feel that we are indeed ‘one team, one voice’ delivering global acquisition insight that matters.”