Iraq — Afghanistan Contractor Census, FY 1st quarter (November – January 2016)

CONTRACTOR SUPPORT OF U.S. OPERATIONS IN THE USCENTCOM AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

BACKGROUND: This report updates DoD contractor personnel numbers in theater and outlines DoD efforts to improve management of contractors accompanying U.S. forces. It covers DoD contractor personnel deployed in Afghanistan (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel), Iraq (Operation Inherent Resolve), and the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).

KEY POINTS: In 1st quarter FY 2016, USCENTCOM reported approximately 43,781 contractor personnel working for the DoD in the USCENTCOM AOR. This total reflects a decrease of approximately 1K from the previous quarter. A breakdown of DoD contractor personnel is provided below:

Afghanistan Summary

• The distribution of contractors in Afghanistan by mission category are:
• Logistics/Maintenance 14,382 (47.2%)
• Base Support 2,350 (7.7%)
• Commo Support 1,064 (3.5%)
• Construction 1,953 (6.4%)
• Security 3,156** (10.4%)
• Training 967 (3.2%)
• Translator/Interpreter 1,773 (5.8%)
• Transportation 1,926 (6.3%)
• Medical/Dental/Social Services 128 (.4%)
• Management/Administrative 2,395 (7.9%)
• Other 361 (1.2%)

        Total: 30,455

*Includes Defense Logistics Agency, Army Materiel Command, Air Force External and Systems Support contracts, Special Operations Command and INSCOM.

**1,083 Armed Private Security Contractors

Operation Freedom’s Sentinel Contractor Posture:

o In 1st quarter FY16 there were approximately 30.4K DoD contractors in Afghanistan. The overall contractor footprint in Afghanistan increased by .8% from 4th quarter FY15.
o Local nationals comprise 45.1% of total contractor force; 16,737 US/TCN remain toredeploy.
o Contractor footprint is expected to remain constant until future base closures are finalized.

Iraq Summary

The distribution of contractors in Iraq by mission category are:

• Logistics/Maintenance 618 (30.5%)
• Base Support 263 (13%)
• Commo Support 122 (6%)
• Construction 138 (6.8%)
• Security 118 (5.8%)
• Training 24 (1.2%)
• Translator/Interpreter 381 (18.8%)
• Transportation 158 (7.8%)
• Management/Administrative 172 (8.5%)
• Other 34 (1.6%)

         Total: 2,028

Operation Inherent Resolve Contractor Posture.

o As of 1st quarter 2016, there are approximately 7,838 contractors supporting US government operations in Iraq. About 2,028 of those contractors are supporting DoD funded contracts.

General Data on DoD Private Security Contractor Personnel in Afghanistan

• Private security contractors (PSC) perform personal security, convoy security, and static security missions.
• USCENTCOM reports, as of 1st quarter FY 2016, the following distribution of PSCs in Afghanistan:

• In Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Public Protection Force (APPF) has primary responsibility for mobile security functions. President Ghani recently issued a decree re-authorizing the use of PSCs by U.S. and NATO forces for circumstances where APPF is unavailable or unsuitable. U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and Operation Resolute Support staff are developing policies to ensure strict adherence to Afghan and sending state law in the contracting and operations of these contractors.

Improvements to Management and Oversight of DoD Contractors

• Operational Contract Support Summit. The first comprehensive DoD OCS Summit, attended by senior leaders from across the Joint Staff, OSD, the Services and Combatant Commands, was held on October 8, 2015. The forum reviewed and discussed strategies to better formalize OCS capability and capacity in the Joint Force. Emerging themes centered around: resource challenges (trained personnel and an enterprise level OCS Common Operating Picture); planning for and conducting OCS in all phases of operations, including phase 0; commander engagement; and, expanded training.
• CJTF OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE (OIR) was turned over to III Corps in September 2015. JS J4 engaged III Corps prior to deployment (July 2015) and provided:

o OCS overview training (July 2105),
o Consulted with III Corps to define OCSIC mission, size and scope,
o Five student seats in Joint OCS Planning and Execution Course (JOPEC) for just in time OCSIC training (August 2015)
o Sustained daily/weekly reach-back training and support (August- October 2015)

In September 2015, JCASO performed an OCSIC initial operating capability (IOC) assessment and reported ‘best JTF OCSIC yet’. Given a view of a possible long-term sustainment mission,
CJTF OIR will assess contractor management policies in the JOA.

Defense Standards for Security Services. 

o Pursuant to Section 833 of the FY2011 NDAA, compliance with American National Standard ANSI PSC.1-2012, “Quality Management Standard for Private Security Company Operations” is required in all DoD contracts for private security services. The requirements and guidance of this standard implement all PSC relevant provisions of US law, Defense Directives and instructions, and promoted consistency with international agreements. Demonstrated compliance with this standard will facilitate identifying technically acceptable contractors and best value. This will enable expedited contract award; mitigate risk of delay of services due to contract award protests; and mitigate risk of contractor non-performance or misconduct in critical early phases of contingency operations. The United Kingdom also requires compliance with this ANSI PSC standard.

o An international (ISO) version of this standard was published by ISO in September 2015. This standard enables international acceptance of the standards in use by the United States and the United Kingdom, increasing consistency and legal compliance in the provision of all PSC services everywhere. ISO recognition will improve competition and manage risk in operational environments which will include PSCs not under the direct control of US or coalition forces. A revision of the PSC DFARS allowing PSCs to demonstrate compliance with either the ANSI or the ISO standard is out for public comment. The final rule is expected to be published in 2QFY16.

• Operational Contract Support (OCS) Functional Capabilities Integration Board (FCIB). This senior executive–level governance forum, chartered by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics in March 2010, provides strategic leadership to multiple stakeholders working to institutionalize OCS. Co-Chaired by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Program Support and Vice Director for Logistics, Joint Staff J4, the FCIB convenes quarterly or as required. On November 24, 2015, the board convened the First Quarter FY16 Principals meeting to review and assess the following:

o OCS Summit 2015 Results and Review
o OCS DOTMLPF Change Recommendation Proposal – Decision Brief
o DoD Contractor Vetting Assessment Update
o USAF OCS Capability Status Update
o DoD Expeditionary Civilian Policy Update
o DCMA Combat Support Agency Review Team (CSART) Update

The Second Quarter FY16 OCS FCIB Principals meeting will be held on February 23, 2016.

• Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office (JCASO). Planning, implementation, and oversight of OCS are Commander's responsibilities and are essential to establishing a strategy for managing contractors on the battlefield as part of the DoD Total Force. JCASO provides the Combatant Commands a joint enabling capability to integrate, coordinate and synchronize OCS during peacetime, contingency operations, and post-conflict operations. JCASO is an essential part of DLA's combat support agency (CSA) role to support the mission objectives of the combatant commands, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Title 10 responsibilities, as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense for OCS policy development and implementation. Examples of current JCASO engagements include:

Deployments:

o Deployed 2-member team to support Operation INHERENT RESOLVE-Kuwait, provided guidance and assistance to C-JTF-OIR OCSIC
o Preparing team to support the stand up of the USCENTCOM-Forward OCS Integration Cell in Qatar, providing guidance, assistance, and training.
o Provides OCS support as requested or directed to CCMDs, Service components, and others, including HA/DR such as Operation UNITED ASSISTANCE
o Participates in joint exercises (e.g., OCS Joint Exercise, KEEN EDGE, and JUDICIOUS RESPONSE) to integrate OCS in training and assess the effectiveness of OCS plans.

Joint Training and Education

• Delivered the OCS module in the Joint Logistics Course at the Army Logistics University
• In coordination with the Joint Staff J-4 as the responsible office of OCS joint training, conducted training of assigned and follow-on forces at the Service Component and Task Force Level(s) to perform the functions of an OCSIC.
• JCASO Planners. Sixteen (16) JCASO planners are allocated among the Geographic Combatant Commands and USSOCOM to assist commanders in identifying gaps where a contracted support capability may be required. Planners integrate contracted support into operational plans and synchronize requirements with subordinate commands, the Military Departments, Defense Agencies, other USG Agencies, and coalition partners. The planners have been instrumental in integrating OCS into Combatant Command plans. Based on demonstrated need for additional OCS planning capability in USPACOM, JCASO also established OCS planners at forward locations in USFK and USFJ.
• Operational Contract Support (OCS) Learning Framework. The Department continues to make progress on the Secretary’s and the Chairman's vision for OCS education and training. Several parallel efforts are underway to incorporate OCS into a holistic learning framework that includes education, individual and collective training, exercises, and lessons learned primarily aimed at non-acquisition personnel.
• OCS in Joint Professional Military Education (JPME). The Joint Staff (J7) revised CJCSI 1800.01E, “Officer Professional Military Education Policy (OPMEP)” on 29 May 2015. It now includes eleven (11) specific learning areas incorporating OCS into 3 of the 5 levels of PME/JPME (IAW 10 USC § 2151) which reaches officers in the grades of O-4 to O-10. Joint Staff (J4) OCS and Services Division (OCSSD) is completing work on Version 3.0 of the OCS Curriculum Development Guide (CDG), which offers JPME institutions guidance, options, specific OCS learning objectives, and suggested content for teaching OCS based on the OPMEP learning areas. The Joint Staff (J4) continues to brief faculty of JPME schools on developments in OCS as part of the Joint Faculty Education Conference held annually and to work with schools individually, as needed. The Joint Staff (J4) is working with students at the Naval Post-Graduate School to develop OCS case studies as additional teaching tools.
• Lessons Learned. The Department’s lessons learned program has completed development and is in final coordination. The program includes an OCS Lessons Learned Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for collecting, analyzing, and processing OCS lessons at the tactical, operational, and strategic level. The CONOPS and SOP leverage DOD’s official system of record for lessons learned, the Joint Lessons Learned Information System (JLLIS) and the Chairman’s Joint Lessons Learned Program.
• Exercises. Planning for OCSJX-16 is underway and scheduled for 13 March – 9 April 2016 at Fort Bliss, Texas. The US Army Contracting Command is providing the exercise director. This year’s exercise brings together nearly 500 trainees from the Active and Reserve forces, the National Guard and our partners representing all Services, U.S. Army South, the 1st Armored Division, the United Kingdom, and Panama, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru as multinational partner observers. OCSJX-16 will train and assess individual skills and unit OCS capabilities based on a decisive action and stability operations scenario in support U.S. Southern Command. The exercise links contract support integration at the Service component, Joint Task Force, and Combatant Command levels.
• The Joint Staff (J-4) is also providing OCS training expertise to U.S. Africa Command to assist them with incorporating OCS training objectives and content into JUDICIOUS RESPONSE 17 (JR-17) to be held 29 November – 9 December 2016 at various locations. JR-17 will be a command post exercise that integrates the capabilities and functions of its Service components, Combined/Joint Task Forces, the Interagency, and multi-national partners to address selected U.S. Africa Command missions.
• Collective and Staff Training. The Chairman’s Joint Training Guidance Notice (CJCSN 3500.01) provides annual guidance to all DOD Components for planning, executing, and assessing joint training for three consecutive years. It includes High Interest Training Issues (HITIs) which are CJCS special-interest items that CCDRs should consider for emphasis in their training and exercise programs. OCS considerations are reflected in the “Ethics, Values, and Leadership” HITI, the “Joint Logistics Enterprise” HITI, the Joint Operational Access HITI, and the main document as part of efforts to realize Joint Force 2020.
• Universal Joint Tasks & Joint Metrics & Readiness Guide. The Joint Staff (J4) has virtually completed staffing on its Joint OCS Training and Assessments (JOTA) Guide v. 1.0 (formerly the Joint Metrics and Readiness (JMR) Guide), which recommends tasks, standards, and measures aligned to the 4 primary UJTs. The Guide assists planners in integrating OCS into joint training and exercises to help ensure realistic readiness assessments for OCS.
• Individual Training. ODASD (PS) and OCSSD are working together to update the three joint OCS computer-based courses released in 2009. The three courses were “joint training certified” in 2013 and are hosted on JKO, the joint community’s web portal for providing key distributed joint training. In May 2015, initial operational capability (IOC) was established for a new and improved course, Joint OCS Essentials for Commanders & Staff (JOECS), to reflect doctrinal changes in Joint Publication (JP) 4-10 and replace the former OCS introductory-level course. Full operational capability (FOC) is expected by the third quarter of FY 2016. In FY 2015, JOECS had 1466 completions, the Introduction to Operational Contract Support (OCS) Planning had 914 completions, and Operational Contract Support (OCS) Flag Officer-General Officer (FOGO) Essentials Course had 332 completions. So far in FY 2016, completions are 271, 380, and 286 respectively.
• The Joint Staff (J4) OCSSD teaches a Joint OCS Planning and Execution Course (JOPEC) at the geographic combatant commands (GCCs) via mobile training teams (MTTs). JOPEC is taught at every GCC and 527 students have been trained to-date. An additional 240 students are expected to complete JOPEC by the end of FY 2016. The JS J4 is seeking to permanently establish JOPEC at a JPME institution or a joint training center.
• On February 25, 2015 Army Logistics University (ALU) began teaching a revised Army OCS course program of instruction. The new course places greater emphasis on mission analysis, requirements development and OCS across the joint force. Due to demand, ALU hired additional instructor capability. In FY 2015, 651 personnel across the Services were trained during 13 classes and Fort Lee and 11 MTTs. In FY 2016, ALU projects 630 trainees from 12 classes at Fort Lee and 13 MTTs.
• OCS Planning. Using the guidance found in the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Manual (CJCSM) 3130.03, Adaptive Planning and Execution (APEX) Planning Formats and Guidance, the Combatant Commands continue to document and expand their OCS planning efforts and products. The Joint Staff (J4) is developing a separate manual, CJCSM 4301.01A, Planning OCS, to assist OCS planners in developing procedures and guidance that integrate, synchronize, prioritize, and focus OCS capabilities on achieving a supported commander’s operational objectives and desired effects for the various types of plans. Action officer level staffing is complete and the Joint Staff (J4) is adjudicating comments on the manual. Anticipated publication is 4Q FY 2016. The Joint Staff J4 is actively involved in the review of Combatant Command Contingency and Operational Plans, as a member of the Joint Planning Execution Community (JPEC) and is developing specific guidance for the Logistics Supplement to the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan to increase the level of planning detail associated with OCS.
• OCS Process Maps and Supporting Guidance. In November 2015, the OCS process map team consisting of subject matter experts from the Joint Staff J4 OCSS Division, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Program Support (DASD (PS)) and DLA’s Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office (JCASO) completed 42 process maps, supporting narratives and developed an outlined for supporting sample documents, best processes and templates. The OCS process maps will be distributed to OCS practitioner and JTF’s staffs providing them with a step-by-step road map to integrate and execute key OCS task across all phases of an operation. The process maps will be incorporated into a future OCS Handbook product that is currently in development.
• OCS Reporting. The Joint Staff J4-led OCS reporting working group (RWG)—with members from OSD, Services, Agencies, and CCMDs—continues to collaborate on OCS reporting to improve monitoring of the status of OCS capability. Participants share templates, techniques, and issues and identify and refine reporting measures to enable better monitoring and integrations of OCS into DoD processes. As a result of the group’s efforts, accuracy and value of OCS risk assessments are improving, functional CCMD reporting has matured to mirror Geographic CCMD (GCC) reporting, risk assessments have expanded to include collaboration across joint staffs and even the interagency, and future changes to reporting policy have been identified. OCS reporting from CCMDs are being monitored and integrated into Strategic level reporting and RAs. Additionally, JS J4 conducted an assessment of actions required to close OCS reporting gaps identified in the JROC-endorsed OCS Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) as well as changes since the ICD was published (e.g., new legislative requirements). Collaboration with RWG members is providing revisions to the OCS Action Plan to more comprehensively track and close OCS reporting gaps in a timely manner.
• OCS Human Capital Strategy. To address OCS ICD Gap #3 requiring a human capital strategy, OUSD (Personnel & Readiness) and JS J4 have identified additional actions and tasks to be tracked in the OCS AP. The JS J4-initiated study has conducted research and is performing interviews with personnel across DoD to assess and recommend manpower, personnel, and training requirements. Results will enable subsequent requirements validation and resourcing decisions.