AF 'First Look' had roots at CAFB

ROBINS AFB, Ga. - The Air Force is going to make it easier for base government purchase card-holders to do business with their local communities by introducing the wing-commander driven First Look Program initiative. The FLP initiative is designed to employ purchasing power to GPC users to align micro-purchase spending with the Secretary of the Air Force’s vision for smarter business practices. Maj. Gen. Cameron Holt, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics deputy assistant secretary for Contracting said AF GPC holders spend $1.8B annually. Holt, who was previously a Columbus (Miss.) AFB contracting squadron commander, learned from the Columbus Chamber of Commerce that it could be difficult to do business with the base. “What I decided (at CAFB) was we were going to fix that.” CAFB conducted a “reverse vendor fair,” he said, by having all base requirement organizations come and set up information booths for the vendors. Michael Hogan, Air Force HQ deputy assistant secretary for contracting sourcing and transformation chief, said First Look is going to use the 26,000 GPC holders as a tipping point in bringing $1.8B into local communities around AF installations. “Through partnerships we have found 107,000 businesses,” he said. “That’s a huge engine to be able to drive opportunities to those local small businesses.” (Source: Robins AFB 08/31/21) AFSC Contracting host Air Force First Look Program workshop > Robins Air Force Base > Article Display