ST. LOUIS –
My DCMA showcases the Defense Contract Management Agency’s experienced and diverse workforce and highlights what being a part of the national defense team means to them. Today, Andrew Parcels shares his story.
My name is Andrew Parcels, and this is “My DCMA.”
I am an Integrated Cost Analysis Team engineer at DCMA Boeing St. Louis in Missouri. My job duties include reviewing contractor proposals to assist in obtaining the best value for the buying commands. I also assist employees in the Technical Directorate at DCMA headquarters by teaching classes on performing technical proposal reviews.
I have been a part of the DCMA team for three years. I like working at DCMA because it is rewarding to work for both the warfighters and the taxpayers. By reviewing contractor proposals and making recommendations, our team assists the buying commands in obtaining the best value for the taxpayer’s dollar.
DCMA is important to America’s warfighters because we ensure that the best product for the dollar is provided to the warfighter. We assist in the Department of Defense’s overall transformation to a more agile, efficient, and responsive mission posture.
Some of the great things about working at my location include me witnessing the growth and understanding the depth of the various programs. Some programs such as the F-15 Eagle and the F/A-18 Hornet have been around for decades, and some are cutting edge and at the forefront of technology such as MQ-25 Stingray. This location has a lot of history in providing an edge to the U.S. military.
As DOD and DCMA continue to find areas of duplication and streamline, I am excited to see how our agency will become more integrated and involved in more areas of the acquisition process. I have only been here a few years, but even in that time, I have seen a greater emphasis on resource allocation such as high-value/high-risk work and ensuring that we are doing the work with the highest return on investment.
Although I am still relatively early in my government career, one of my future career goals is to move into a program management role. Something unique about me is that as an engineer, my work is often in the details, but I enjoy seeing how that detailed work fits into the bigger picture for the buying commands, the agency, and the department as a whole.
My favorite hobbies include spending time with my family. I especially enjoy spending time with my daughter because the toddler years are fun. I also enjoy interacting with my colleagues. With the roll-out of the vaccines, I look forward to being able to see my teammates in person and returning to some pre-COVID normalcy.