Brent Thomas aims to increase services spend under management

Brent Thomas, the product lead for Human Resource (HR) Solutions, is today’s #PEOEISTeammateTuesday. Thomas has more than 24 years of acquisition experience and currently manages a $7.6 billion assisted-acquisition-management program that awards contracts for Army and Department of Defense customers. He ended his impressive 22-year service in the Army as a senior acquisition officer at Fort Knox managing material capability requirements for platform battle command systems. An Iowa native with a thirst for adventure, he enjoys off-road motorcycle riding. His children, 22-year-old twins, inspire him to set a good example for them. Thomas answered eight questions about his career and life.

Describe HR Solutions.
We provide assisted acquisitions for organizations that need HR services. We help organizations like the U.S. Army Installation Management Command procure contracted solutions such as counselors who provide suicide-prevention and victim-advocacy services. We help our customers acquire cost-effective HR services supporting many critical requirements.

What do customers appreciate about the HR Solutions program?
Our customers are not experts in defense acquisition and rely on us for that expertise. My team understands the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the steps required to pull a contract together. We guide our customers through the entire acquisition process so they can focus on their job—providing counseling and other HR services—and not the complicated nature of the FAR. Most of our customers are repeat customers because we have very high customer-satisfaction ratings.

How quickly can HR Solutions get requirements on contracts?
HR Solutions awarded its fifth-generation indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts in December 2018. The contracts have a $7.6 billion ceiling and an ordering period that extends into 2028. The contracts support two mission areas: personnel lifecycle support (PLS) and recruitment – management and administrative support (R-MAS). Our PLS and R-MAS IDIQ contracts were awarded to top-performing industry partners. Having fully vetted, highly qualified prime vendors supports streamlined acquisition processes and significantly reduces procurement acquisition lead times.

Because we have existing relationships with our prime vendors and streamlined procedures, we are able to release a solicitation and get it on contract within 90 days. In a full-and-open competition, it can take more than a year to award a simple contract.

What advice do you have for industry?
Open communication is key. If you have questions, ask them early. Don’t be afraid to communicate with us. Don’t try to guess at what we're trying to ask for if you don't understand the requirement as we described it. Ask for clarification before you submit a proposal.

What is your top goal this year?
We want to increase the Army’s services spend under management. HR Solutions is the Army’s preferred strategic source for delivering quality HR services and a Tier 1 program under the federal government’s category-management initiative. Task orders awarded by HR Solutions support a Department of Defense goal to bring additional spend under management.   

What advice do you have for people who have just joined the Army Acquisition Corps?
Always have a plan. You may or may not execute it exactly the way you have it drawn up, but you need to have a starting point and a direction. And you don't have that without a plan. Your plan is a path to follow. You should always look for innovations and other ways to improve and not just continue down a path because that's what you said you were going to do.

Why have you been so successful in your career?
I think outside the box and look for new ideas to improve processes. I encourage my team to share their ideas. I am not wedded to doing things the same way just because that is the way we’ve always done it.

How has your team adjusted to COVID-19?
My team teleworks. We are using collaboration tools like Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams to stay connected and share documents.