DON Recognizes Acquisition Excellence

The Department of the Navy recognized more than 50 acquisition professionals for exceptional efforts in the acquisition field during a Pentagon ceremony Nov. 17.

Hosted by Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) Sean Stackley, the 2016 Acquisition Excellence Awards celebrated individuals and teams for upholding key tenets of acquisition including competition, affordability, technical expertise, innovative techniques and professional acumen.

"Today, we recognize those who have distinguished themselves amongst the tens of thousands who are equally committed to ensuring that our Navy and Marine Corps is the most capable fighting force in the world," said Stackley.

Undersecretary of the Navy, Dr. Janine Davidson, was the keynote speaker for the ceremony and thanked the awardees and their families for their commitment.

"Thank you for all you have contributed in the past and all that you do on a daily basis and for everything you will continue to contribute to ensure that those who choose to challenge our Sailors and Marines in todays or tomorrow's battlespace will not face a fair fight," said Davidson.

"Your hard work is deeply appreciated by our Sailors and Marines," she said. "Your efforts serve the needs of our warfighters and ensure our nation is a ready force."

The Department of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Awards were established by the Secretary of the Navy in 2008 to recognize military and civil service individuals and teams who have made the most outstanding contributions to enhancing competition and innovation throughout the acquisition lifecycle and in support of Navy and Marine Corps acquisition programs.

During the ceremony, Stackley presented the Rear Adm. Wayne R. Meyer Memorial Award, the most prestigious of the Acquisition Excellence Awards. The Rear Adm. Meyer award recognizes the individual who exemplifies the highest examples of acquisition excellence and whose achievement brings significant crest to the Department of the Navy (DON) acquisition community. Mr. Mike Gutermuth, the director of shipbuilding contracts division at Naval Sea Systems Command received the award for his leadership and contracting expertise resulting in effective, innovative acquisition strategies including the negotiation and contract award for the construction of 10 Virginia Class submarines, the U.S. Navy's largest ever shipbuilding contract, saving nearly $2 billion.

In a separate ceremony, Mark Andress, assistant deputy chief of naval operations for information dominance, received the first Vice Admiral James R. Doyle, Jr. Award. The award recognizes the individual from a resource sponsor's office who best exemplifies those attributes which were the hallmarks of Doyle's leadership while he served as deputy chief of naval operations for surface warfare during the development of the AEGIS Program. Andress received the award for his efforts to ensure DON platforms' enterprise information technology systems and weapons systems address cyber vulnerabilities.

Additional award recipients are:

Program Manager of the Year
Capt. Michael C. Ladner, Program Executive Office (PEO) Integrated Warfare Systems

Acquisition Professional of the Year
Ms. Carrie L. Bender, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport

Dr. Al Somoroff Award
E-2/C-2 Program Office (PMA 231), PEO Tactical Aircraft Programs

Field Acquisition Activity Award
Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast

Ron Kiss Maritime Technology Transition Award
Family of Field Medical Team, Marine Corps Systems Command

Competition Excellence Acquisition Team of the Year
LHA 8 Affordability Team, Amphibious Warfare Program Office (PMS 377), PEO Ships

Innovation Excellence Acquisition Team of the Year
Model-Based Systems Engineering Team, Undersea Integration Program Office (PMW 770),
PEO Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence

Office of Small Business Programs Secretary's Cup
Naval Supply Systems Command

Office of Small Business Programs Sarkis Tatigan Award
Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk

Office of Small Business Programs Oreta B. Stinson Small Business Advocate Award
Ms. Holli W. Galletti, Deputy Program Manager, H-60 Program Office (PMA 299),
PEO Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Mission Programs

Mr. Evan L. Littig, Deputy Program Manager, Surface Ship Modernization (PMS 407), Naval Sea Systems Command

Small Business Team Award
Multiple Award Contract-Multi-Option Acquisition Team (PMS 407), Naval Sea Systems Command