January 27, 2020
Status of the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Uniform Program
I know many of you are asking "when can I order my uniforms?". Not yet. I've been working with the National Park Service Contracting Officer, who administers the multi-agency uniform contract, to tackle all the steps necessary to allow the program to open. We provided our program funding document (MIPR) to NPS on 31 October 2019 in anticipation of opening before Christmas. However, we ran into an additional administrative step in having to enter into a new NPS-Corps interagency agreement under a new process. The agreement has now been signed by both parties. NPS has sent the agreement, along with our MIPR, to their finance office for loading into their financial database. Once this happens, NPS will contact VF allowing them to open up their site to accept FY20 USACE uniform orders. As NPS told me yesterday, "progress has been made". Yes, this sounds like the same old song-and-dance from the last couple of years - and I guess it is ... trying-as-we-might to get it opened before the end of CY19 by providing the funding to NPS in record time.

As I mentioned in previous e-mails, there are new items being introduced this year which I believe everyone will like. The national NRM Uniform Committee has done a great job in working with VF Imagewear and the other agencies in coordinating wear tests, evaluations, and, in some cases, recommending new products for inclusion into the program. Your representative is listed below. I'll highlight the new items in my next message that will also, hopefully, announce the opening of our program. Please note that volunteer items cannot be ordered until the site is opened.

As always, I appreciate your patience and I know the direct impact that this causes everyone in hampering your ability to perform your job safely and effectively.

Stephen Austin, Natural Resources Manager

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