Navy Task Order for Pilot Contract Closeout Services Provided by NIB through AbilityOne Program

Rear Admiral Mark Heinrich, commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS), a Naval Supply Systems Command Echelon III command, approved the first Navy task order to pilot contract closeout services provided by National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and the AbilityOne Program at a signing ceremony September 17, 2010 at NIB. (Picture: Adml Heinrich (front/left), John Qua, VP Services, NIB at signing ceremony. Rear left to Right: Kim Zeich, Deputy Executive Director, The Committee For Purchase; Kevin Lynch, President & CEO, NIB; Scottie Knott, COO, NIB)

Contract closeout services demonstrate the value of strategic sourcing and the resulting mutually beneficial relationships between government agencies and the AbilityOne Program.

This task order will assist the U.S. Navy in reducing a backlog of contracts requiring closeout actions and facilitate the return of unused obligated contract funds to the government. At the same time, the task order will create seven job opportunities for people who are blind in upwardly mobile, career-oriented positions.

On June 29, 2010, NIB, as the prime contractor and contract closeout program manager for the AbilityOne Program, executed an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with the Department of the Army for provision of contract closeout support services for all of the Department of Defense (DoD). Closeout services were added to the mandatory AbilityOne Procurement List concurrently with the DoD-wide IDIQ contract. With these essential building blocks in place, individual task orders such as this first Navy order from COMFISCS will flow to the AbilityOne Program via NIB.

The NIB point of contact for Contract Management Support (CMS) services is John Coney, who may be reached at 703-310-0564 or jconey@nib.org.