WEBVTT 00:26.640 --> 00:41.480 the 00:41.490 --> 00:43.820 contracting team in Walla Walla is 00:43.830 --> 00:47.560 outstanding and I say that Coming here 00:47.560 --> 00:49.730 with a depth and breadth of experience 00:49.730 --> 00:51.930 across all aspects of contracting 00:51.930 --> 00:54.097 within the Department of Defense Corps 00:54.097 --> 00:55.874 of Engineers in our district in 00:55.874 --> 00:58.097 particular is an economic engine in the 00:58.097 --> 00:59.930 region , spending more than $100 00:59.930 --> 01:02.041 million dollars annually . Everything 01:02.041 --> 01:04.152 we do , I mean up and down the rivers 01:04.152 --> 01:06.263 and generation of hydropower supports 01:06.263 --> 01:08.208 the entire economy of not only the 01:08.208 --> 01:10.152 state of Washington but the entire 01:10.152 --> 01:12.540 northwest region . So as we're doing 01:12.540 --> 01:14.596 our work , which in many cases is to 01:14.596 --> 01:17.310 improve the efficiency of the , of the 01:17.310 --> 01:21.030 hydro electric dams . You know , to us , 01:21.040 --> 01:23.207 you know , there's a real impact there 01:23.207 --> 01:26.260 were purchasing is basically with the 01:26.640 --> 01:28.900 Mhm trust that we have with the 01:28.910 --> 01:30.930 american public to spend their tax 01:30.930 --> 01:32.950 dollars . So we take that very 01:32.950 --> 01:35.117 seriously in doing our market research 01:35.117 --> 01:37.290 and verifying the one that the product 01:37.290 --> 01:39.480 is available in a commercial off the 01:39.480 --> 01:42.320 shelf item . And to that we're getting 01:42.320 --> 01:44.431 the best price in a competitive price 01:44.431 --> 01:46.320 for that . We always do it in the 01:46.320 --> 01:48.870 taxpayer's best interests . My team is 01:48.870 --> 01:52.150 dedicated to the engineers , the 01:52.150 --> 01:54.880 operations project managers , tech 01:54.880 --> 01:57.030 division chiefs , all of the people 01:57.030 --> 01:58.970 that make up this district . The 01:58.970 --> 02:01.230 contracting team is dedicated to 02:01.230 --> 02:04.390 supporting them and I'm honor to be 02:04.390 --> 02:06.612 part of that . I've worked closely with 02:06.612 --> 02:08.668 them now for a period of time . That 02:08.668 --> 02:10.990 gives me this great feeling about first 02:10.990 --> 02:13.046 our experience level , which we have 02:13.046 --> 02:15.070 some great experience in the unique 02:15.080 --> 02:17.302 aspects of the contracting that goes on 02:17.302 --> 02:20.040 in this district as well as just a 02:20.050 --> 02:23.360 really wonderful group of young interns 02:23.370 --> 02:25.592 who are excited about doing contracting 02:25.592 --> 02:27.810 for the core and are anxious to learn 02:27.830 --> 02:30.052 was attracted to the contracting career 02:30.052 --> 02:31.830 field because it offers so much 02:31.830 --> 02:33.719 opportunity to learn new things . 02:33.940 --> 02:36.250 There's also a very formal training 02:36.250 --> 02:38.306 program that leads to a professional 02:38.306 --> 02:40.790 certification and there's just so much 02:40.800 --> 02:43.060 opportunity for upward mobility . You 02:43.060 --> 02:46.040 can go as high as you want as quickly 02:46.040 --> 02:48.210 as you allow yourself . You're excited 02:48.210 --> 02:50.210 to begin using social media such as 02:50.210 --> 02:52.690 twitter and facebook as well as Youtube 02:52.700 --> 02:54.922 to get out the word about contracting . 02:54.922 --> 02:56.422 We are exploring different 02:56.422 --> 02:58.533 opportunities to outlet contractors . 02:58.540 --> 03:01.000 Both are solicitations and awards to 03:01.000 --> 03:03.050 allow them to see them online . 03:03.060 --> 03:05.004 Everything we do with the Corps of 03:05.004 --> 03:07.116 Engineers is centered around a team . 03:07.116 --> 03:09.580 We have very complex projects that we 03:09.580 --> 03:11.691 operate that require a team of people 03:11.691 --> 03:13.910 working together to find innovative 03:13.910 --> 03:16.360 solutions . I happen to work on a great 03:16.360 --> 03:18.630 team and contracting . We are the 03:18.640 --> 03:21.220 business advisors to the overall teams 03:21.220 --> 03:23.442 that find solutions . They're , my team 03:23.442 --> 03:25.442 is proud of being able to negotiate 03:25.442 --> 03:28.810 contracts anywhere from $100,000 to 03:28.810 --> 03:32.220 several million dollars and and saving 03:32.220 --> 03:34.387 the taxpayers money . Favorite part of 03:34.387 --> 03:36.920 my job is actually working with groups 03:36.920 --> 03:38.920 of people , the product development 03:38.920 --> 03:42.170 team , there's some huge spectrum of 03:42.180 --> 03:43.902 people that project managers , 03:43.902 --> 03:45.930 engineers , there's environmental 03:45.930 --> 03:47.930 specialists , you're dealing with a 03:47.930 --> 03:49.986 wide range and you're trying to pull 03:49.986 --> 03:52.097 all that stuff together and put it in 03:52.097 --> 03:54.180 one contract and then monitor that 03:54.190 --> 03:56.246 throughout the life of the project . 03:56.246 --> 03:58.810 Our dedication leads to success because 03:58.810 --> 04:00.866 when they get those products on time 04:00.866 --> 04:02.921 and under budget , it allows them to 04:02.921 --> 04:05.143 complete their mission . Success for me 04:05.143 --> 04:07.199 is seeing a small business come in , 04:07.199 --> 04:09.310 learn how to work the process , get a 04:09.310 --> 04:11.421 contract , do some great work for the 04:11.421 --> 04:13.532 district and for the core and for the 04:13.532 --> 04:16.380 country . Get paid for it and give jobs 04:16.380 --> 04:18.324 to those who live in the area . We 04:18.324 --> 04:20.491 recently awarded a contract to a small 04:20.491 --> 04:22.800 business to replace aging equipment 04:22.800 --> 04:25.370 with new state of the art technology 04:25.380 --> 04:27.810 that monitors movement and water flow 04:27.810 --> 04:31.150 at door shock . My success depends on 04:31.150 --> 04:33.630 teamwork and attention to detail . I 04:33.630 --> 04:35.850 know my team has been successful when 04:35.860 --> 04:39.540 our customers gave us positive feedback 04:39.550 --> 04:42.610 that contract has been awarded on time 04:42.620 --> 04:45.930 under budget with a successful result 04:45.940 --> 04:47.940 to me when the program managers are 04:47.940 --> 04:50.980 coming uh to the team and looking for 04:50.980 --> 04:53.202 us to attend meetings because we've had 04:53.202 --> 04:54.813 some value to the meeting um 04:54.813 --> 04:56.924 opportunities to talk about different 04:56.924 --> 04:58.924 methods of contracting , how to get 04:58.924 --> 05:00.750 their uh their requirement on a 05:00.750 --> 05:02.570 contract quickly to meet their 05:02.570 --> 05:04.630 timelines within their budget . So , 05:04.640 --> 05:06.560 you know , to me , when uh the 05:06.570 --> 05:08.626 customers coming to me and asking me 05:08.626 --> 05:10.792 for input , asking my team for input , 05:10.792 --> 05:12.737 then you know , that tells me that 05:12.737 --> 05:14.903 we're doing what we should be doing to 05:14.903 --> 05:14.300 support statistics . I think it's 05:14.300 --> 05:16.120 important also to highlight the 05:16.120 --> 05:18.380 dedication of my staff , the 05:18.380 --> 05:20.602 contracting division , personnel to our 05:20.602 --> 05:23.090 mission in Afghanistan and Iraq and 05:23.090 --> 05:25.200 kuwait . We have had several of our 05:25.200 --> 05:28.150 personnel volunteered to deploy for six 05:28.150 --> 05:30.206 months , some of them even a year to 05:30.206 --> 05:32.372 support our mission in Afghanistan and 05:32.372 --> 05:34.780 Iraq and that's speaks volumes about 05:34.790 --> 05:37.370 their patriotism and their dedication 05:37.370 --> 05:39.530 to our country as well . We'll be 05:39.530 --> 05:42.310 deploying to Afghanistan for six months 05:42.320 --> 05:45.300 and I currently plan to be working on 05:45.300 --> 05:47.467 the close out team . The reason I like 05:47.467 --> 05:49.578 working here at the core of engineers 05:49.578 --> 05:52.200 is I believe in the mission I chose to 05:52.200 --> 05:54.422 remain in Walla Walla and work for this 05:54.422 --> 05:56.589 district because I was born and raised 05:56.589 --> 05:58.700 in the valley and wanted to give back 05:58.700 --> 06:00.922 to the community while working with the 06:00.922 --> 06:02.978 people that brought me to where I am 06:02.978 --> 06:02.900 today . Working with the core is a 06:02.900 --> 06:04.844 wonderful , is a wonderful thing . 06:04.940 --> 06:07.170 Working especially in this district of 06:07.170 --> 06:09.392 the civil works projects that we have , 06:09.392 --> 06:11.614 which is so vital to the infrastructure 06:11.614 --> 06:13.503 of the country and especially the 06:13.503 --> 06:15.226 region . It's a very rewarding 06:15.226 --> 06:17.226 experience . I would recommend that 06:17.226 --> 06:19.337 someone worked for the core . There's 06:19.337 --> 06:21.281 so many opportunities to grow as a 06:21.281 --> 06:23.503 person and to give back to the nation . 06:23.503 --> 06:25.503 It's a great place to work . I love 06:25.503 --> 06:27.726 being a contract specialist . I'm scott 06:27.726 --> 06:29.948 Bextra . I'm Tracey Wickham . I'm craig 06:29.948 --> 06:32.003 Kendall . I'm Ben Wolfram , I'm jake 06:32.003 --> 06:34.059 shaw . I'm Burnin Hadley , I'm brian 06:34.059 --> 06:36.170 wing , I'm county Cochran . I'm Windy 06:36.170 --> 06:38.226 swells . I'm Jeanne Desjarlais . I'm 06:38.226 --> 06:40.392 Lana Murray . I'm ruth ann Hater . I'm 06:40.392 --> 06:40.560 with four little .