Airman signs humanitarian contracts in Mali

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Elaine Aviles
  • 39th Air Base Group Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) --  With thousands, sometimes millions of dollars at stake, contracting officers take their jobs seriously. They visit work sites, meet the employees and get a feel for the job at hand.

Tech. Sgt. Brad Smith, of the 39th Contracting Squadron here, is no exception. But his most recent work site was not down the road or in the next city; it was thousands of miles away in Africa.

Smith recently returned from a trip to Mali, where he signed more than $430,000 in contracts earmarked for State Department-funded humanitarian projects ranging from schools to medical clinics.

Department officials give federal agencies a handful of these projects, destined to help needy areas of the world, each year. This year, Air Force officials handed its share to U.S. Air Forces in Europe, which, in turn, selected Incirlik to spearhead the projects. The project eventually landed on the lap of Smith.

“It was an honor to be selected,” he said. “I knew it would be a lot of hard work but with a rewarding pay off.”

Since the construction sites are in remote locations like Gao and Timbuktu, Smith’s first hurdle was to gather and compare quotes from various contractors.

“Since I was so far away, the defense attaché in Africa had to meet with contractors and take the bids,” he said. “We made selections based on this information.”

Once he wrote the contracts, Smith traveled to Mali where he met up with his team, which included people from the humanitarian program and a U.S. ambassador. As the sole contracting officer, Smith signed every contract.

“Once I sign, I’m responsible for the projects,” he said. “I wanted to meet with the contractors before I made that commitment.”

That was easier said than done. The contractors are spread out in remote areas without phone lines or even a paved landing strip, he said.

“People would travel miles just to bring us a Pepsi,” Smith said. “The reception was wonderful.”

Grateful for the new school or medical clinic Smith’s team represented, local villagers pulled out all the stops. In one village, camels lined the streets into town. In another, a band gathered to welcome the team.

“The receptions meant a lot because we knew the villagers were poor,” he said. “They fed us and made us feel very welcome.”

Back at Incirlik, Smith’s job is far from finished.

“Now that the contracts are signed, I become an administrator and ensure everyone is paid and the projects proceed on schedule,” he said. “But I’m expecting a few initial glitches in that process.”

For these contractors, payment is not as simple as direct deposit. Contractors face up to a 14-hour drive to pick up their pay.

“Once we smooth out the process, I’m expecting everything to go as planned,” he said.

In any case, the end result is worth the extra work, Smith said.

“This is all for a great cause,” he said. “Because of what I’m doing, children will have new schools and people will have access to better medical facilities. I’m glad I could help.”