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News | Oct. 5, 2021

My DCMA: Wilma Norsworthy, administrative contracting officer

By LaTonya Johnson

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, Wilma Norsworthy shares her story.

My name is Wilma Norsworthy, and this is “My DCMA.”

I am an administrative contracting officer at DCMA Atlanta, but I am based here. I have been a part of the DCMA team for 12 years. Some of the great things about working at my location include learning from the different challenges posed each day. The nature of my work ranges from simple to complex. I have discovered new and innovative methods to complete the various tasks.

As an ACO, my workload consists of oversight of more than 600 contracts. I perform a variety of contract administration functions, including reviewing disclosure statements and information in the contract business analysis repository; participating in contractor audit follow-ups; analyzing overhead negotiations; cancelling funds; and reviewing Defense Finance and Accounting Service transactions.

I am responsible for ensuring assigned contracts are closed within the allotted timeframe after the necessary close-out documents have been received based on low-risk memorandums, audit reports and final vouchers.

I work with contract administrators, contractors and functional specialists on a daily basis. I anticipate problems, and I develop, integrate, and implement the recommended solutions to these diverse and complex issues across multiple areas and disciplines. I am also a grant officer, in which, I approve and provide support for grants assigned among three teams at my contract management office. In addition, I serve as the workload acceptance lead representative to review contracts and determine if they fall into the non-core services or core services categories.

I like working at DCMA because I am able to use my 40 years of experience — both as a civilian and my prior military experience. I am a retired Army lieutenant colonel. In my current job, I train and mentor contract administrators and Keystone employees assigned to our contracting team. I previously mentored soldiers while in the military.

DCMA is important to America’s warfighters because we are responsible for providing goods, supplies and services to the warfighter at the right place at the right time. Our efforts to procure goods, supplies and services ensure mission success for our warfighters.

DCMA has changed over the years, including the certification process for contracting personnel. When I came to DCMA in 2009, the contract certification program included Levels I, II and III Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act, also known as DAWIA, certification. Now the agency is going to a single-track contract certification. There is a change as to whether a degree is required for the GS-1102 contracting job series. The acquisition courses have also changed that are required for certification.

There are other noticeable changes as well. When I arrived at DCMA, I served as part of the Emergency Essential Personnel program. I deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. The incentives were great and employees who participated in it had a sense of pride working closely with and supporting our warfighters. The program is different now than when I arrived, but the goal is still to support our warfighters.

As DCMA evolves, I am excited about continuing to do my job. I will continue to represent the organization in a professional manner through my actions taken and decisions made to maintain high productivity on my job.

My future career goals include continuing to mentor others, and I would like to pursue future acquisition promotion opportunities. My goals are to work closely with the contract administrators and other team members to ensure that we are successful in meeting all of the established metrics and goals for our organization. I will continue to be a team player and assist wherever is needed.

My hobbies include singing, running and exercising. Something unique about me is that I enjoy singing gospel music.