Headquarters' Perspective

The Corps has been providing Natural Resources Management uniforms under a centralized allowance-based program since the early 1980’s. We have had five multi-year interagency uniform contracts with our sister agencies (the National Park Service and the Fish & Wildlife Service) and share many identical items under an “economy-of-scale” arrangement, which has resulted in reduced costs and better service for everyone.

We entered into our latest five-year interagency contract with VF Imagewear on 1 October 2005. The award followed a lengthy procurement period, which involved the preparation of a comprehensive specification package by the agencies’ Contracting Officer Technical Representatives and the evaluation of a number of technical and price proposals by a 9-member review panel. This was a very competitive process, which resulted in many improved business practices and reduced costs in many of our uniform items.

Under this new performance-based award-year contract, VF Imagewear has even more incentive to perform at a superior level. Part of the review process involves direct feedback from our uniform wearers. There are a number of ways to provide input including: contacting your District Uniform Coordinator (who will forward your comments to the national committee and HQ); completing VF Imagewear Comment Cards (VF Program Manager Kristi Hinton personally answers each card) and/or complete the Feedback page here under the Uniform Program web site. Your comments will be included in all contractor performance reviews.

The NRM Uniform Committee meets every year with the NPS and FWS. Committee members bring to the table all the comments and suggestions from employees within their divisions. The committee met in January 2006 and made a number of recommendations for Headquarters consideration and possible approval. The committee’s decisions and recommendations can be found on the Decision Matrix under the Uniform Program News/Currents page of the NRM Gateway.

Our current uniform has evolved over many years of program/product improvements as a direct result of input from everyone. Please remember that we must consider professional image, comfort, function, cost, durability, inventory levels, and many other factors when making decisions that will affect the national program. The NRM uniform is an important part of the Corps face-to-the-nation -- and how it is worn, and the manner on how we carry out our duties is critical to maintaining the credibility of the Natural Resources Management Program within the Corps of Engineers.