OEA Announces Job in WA

This JOB ANNOUNCEMENT for the open OEA Grant position that provides technical support to the over 1900 defense businesses in WA as they look to continue contracting with DOD or diversify into other sectors and markets.

This position is an integral part of the current DOD OEA grant that you all supported last year and will play an important role in advancing this effort in the state over the next year, including supporting the roll out of the defense supply chain mapping data.

This position is based in Seattle and intended to work closely with PTAC, PNDC and NDIA, as well as the sector lead program and our ADO network, in their efforts to support the military and defense sector businesses in WA.This will include efforts in the proposed Trade & Export grant amendment effort.

If you know of anyone who may be interested or are willing to send this out to your networks, it would be greatly appreciated.

The position closes next Thursday, 20 AUGUST.

Washington Military Alliance Announces Interim Leadership Team

The Washington Military Alliance (WMA) named four members to serve as their executive leadership team while the organization moves forward as a chartered public-partnership formed to provide a single voice in representing the state’s interests as the U.S. Department of Defense proceeds with spending cuts and potential military base downsizing.

Rich Hadley, representing the Association of Washington Business; Tiffany Speir, South Sound Military and Communities Partnership; Gary Brackett, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, and John Powers, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance will lead the WMA. The leadership team was selected to represent each of the WMA’s four focus areas: industry, infrastructure, military community advocacy organizations, and economic Associate Development Organizations (ADOs) respectively.

“Washington’s military and defense industry represents some $16 billion to our state’s economy and tens of thousands of jobs. I applaud the leaders and members of our Washington Military Alliance for stepping up to promote and protect this vitally important sector,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “I’m confident that this is a powerful, effective public-private partnership to forge a successful path forward for every community that relies on our military assets.”

Convened in 2012 and formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding by Gov. Inslee in September 2014, WMA is a consortium of some 20 organizations with an economic or workforce interest in the state’s defense community. One of the first major accomplishments of this stakeholder group was a joint effort to secure a $4.3 million USDOD Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) grant to help assess and forecast statewide economic impact of Washington’s defense industry, and plan local assistance for potential defense industry adjustments.

Over the next six months, the WMA will draft bylaws, identify a sustainable organizational structure, and reach out to additional community stakeholders. The interim executive team was elected to serve until a permanent leadership team is selected through an approved bylaw process.

The group also appointed a committee of members to advise the Washington State Department of Commerce on activities related to the USDOD grant. The OEA grant advisory committee has 11 members: Troy McClelland (Economic Alliance Snohomish County), Robin Toth (Greater Spokane Inc.), Tiffany Scroggs (Thurston County Economic Development Council), Andrea Spencer (City of Bremerton), Sarah Lee (Puget Sound Regional Council), Tiffany Speir (South Sound Military Community Partnership), John Powers (Kitsap Economic Development Council), Rich Hadley (Association of Washington Business), Gary Brackett (Tacoma-Pierce Chamber of Commerce), Dave Hunt (Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition), and an open at-large seat.

About the Washington Military Alliance

Washington State is home to a diverse military industry, with varied military and defense missions, needs, and opportunities and a different stakeholder group for every aspect of an issue related to the military and defense community. It was important to the Governor to convene a group of diverse military community stakeholders to come together with one voice in response to potential cuts to defense spending.

In response, the Washington Military Alliance (WMA) was convened in late 2012 and formalized under Governor Jay Inslee in September, 2014. Find more information here.

State Receives DOD Grant for Military Downsizing Impact Preparation

Washington state has received a $4.3 million Department of Defense (DOD) grant to support local efforts to address the impact of potential downsizing of the state’s defense industry, Gov. Jay Inslee announced today.

The funding, from the DOD Office of Economic Adjustment’s Defense Industry Adjustment program, is matched by more than $500,000 in state and local dollars through the newly-formed Washington Military Alliance. The alliance was convened by the governor to prepare for military downsizing and includes a diverse group of military and defense stakeholders that represent industry, veteran, workforce and economic development interests across the state.

In 2012, Washington’s military industry accounted for 136,000 jobs and $15.7 billion in economic activity. There are more than 1,500 companies doing defense work in 35 of 39 Washington counties. Washington has the sixth largest military presence in the nation with personnel at bases and assets throughout the state. The industry supports military personnel as well as civilian jobs in cybersecurity, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, clean technology, and information and communications technology. 

“The military and defense sector is an economic backbone for many Washington communities and a driver of economic development statewide,” Inslee said. “As the DOD reduces military assets around the country, we want to make sure we are prepared and ready. By planning ahead, we will ensure Washington remains in a strong position to support our military and defense infrastructure, its diverse industry supply chain and the tens of thousands of jobs associated with this industry.”

The DOD grant will help implement a plan to minimize the impacts of military downsizing on regional businesses and communities. The plan, called the Washington State Military and Defense Sector Industry Adjustment Analysis and Strategy, was developed in collaboration with the Washington Military Alliance and the Department of Commerce. It will:

•    Assess the extent of the military and defense contracting footprint in the state,

•    Create a strategy and support system to reduce the exposure of regional businesses that are overly reliant on military and defense spending,

•    Support capability for technology transfers and advanced commercial spin-off of DOD programs to the private sector,

•    Generate a seamless transition to retrain and place dislocated defense contract employees in new jobs,

•    Study future opportunities for industry growth in both the public and private sector in order to meet defense needs, and

•    Focus on retaining and strengthening Washington state’s defense sector businesses and workforce.

Jorgensen Forge, a Tukwila company doing U.S. Navy contract work, is a prime example of the type of company that can benefit from the grant, said Kristiné Reeves, the state Department of Commerce’s military and defense sector lead.  The company, like several others in the state, has reduced its workforce as defense contracts have declined.

“This plan was fostered by the state’s Department of Commerce in response to community need and involves a partnership with eight local private organizations and several state agencies,’’ said Rich Hadley, president emeritus of Greater Spokane Inc. “This will touch all corners of Washington and demonstrates great public/private collaboration and a coordinated effort to keep this important industry an economic driver.”

“One core tenet of our statewide economic development and competitiveness strategy focuses on developing opportunities in key industry sectors,” said Commerce Director Brian Bonlender. “This is the same approach we take with the aerospace, life sciences and other key industries and provides the focus we need to ensure that Washington remains highly competitive for jobs today and well into the future.”

“As we work to represent four of the five largest defense communities in our state, the Puget Sound Regional Council is proud to partner with the Governor’s office, the state Department of Commerce and others to marshal our resources and strategically focus our efforts on understanding the defense supply chain in our state and then working to ensure that supply chain is prosperous and can grow for years to come,” said Pat McCarthy, president of the Puget Sound Regional Council.

About the Washington Military Alliance
The WMA provides a forum for collaboration in the state between local governments, military installations, state agencies and federal agencies. It serves as a policy advisor to the governor, other state agencies, the Legislature and others. Inslee signed a memorandum of understanding with Washington’s congressional delegation and more than 30 military, business and economic development organizations from across the state.

The group was originally convened to collaborate on production of the Washington Military Alliance Report, which identified impacts to Washington’s military and defense infrastructure and develop initial recommendations in response to a possible Base Realignment and Closure Commission action. Inslee reconvened the group to ensure the state’s ongoing response and preparation during DOD deliberations.

For More Information about the military and defense sector or the Department of Defense grant, please contact Kristiné Reeves at 206-910-1624 or Kristine.reeves@commerce.wa.gov.

from Office of the Governor press release 9-25-14

I-5 Improvements Grants Approved

The Department of Defense announced today the City of Lakewood will receive $5.7 million from a special fund designed to increase access to military medical facilities – Madigan Healthcare System.

You may learn more at Wednesday's RAMP meeting. 

DoD plans to distribute $299.6 million to eight transportation projects to improve access to medical facilities affected by the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) process.  Congress included $300 million for these transportation improvements in the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011.

The eight projects will improve transportation access to medical facilities at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., Fort Belvoir, Va., and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.  A list of the selected projects may be found at: http://www.oea.gov.

The projects were selected through a competitive process that considered proposals from states and communities around installations whose medical facilities were affected by the most recent BRAC round.  Congress directed the department to give priority to those locations where BRAC actions created transportation challenges that might impede access to medical care.  The selection panel included health care and transportation experts from the Departments of Defense and Transportation.

Funds will be distributed by Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment once the applicants provide complete applications, including comprehensive plans and environmental information pertaining to the selected projects:

• Installation: Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA
• Applicant: City of Lakewood, Washington
• Project Title: Madigan Army Medical Center Access Improvement Funding Request: $5.7 million

·                     Installation: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, MD

o                               Applicant: Montgomery County, Maryland

·                                            Project Title: Maryland 355 Multimodal Crossing
Funding Request: $40 million

o                               Applicant: State of Maryland

·                                            Project Title: Maryland 185 & Jones Bridge Road/Kensington Parkway
Funding Request: $18.3 million

·                                            Project Title: Maryland 355 & West Cedar Lane/Cedar Lane
Funding Request: $19 million

·                                            Project Title: Maryland 355 & Jones Bridge Road/Center Drive
Funding Request: $4.3 million

·                                            Project Title: Maryland 187 & West Cedar/Oakmont Avenue
Funding Request: $7.3 million

·                     Installation: Fort Belvoir, VA

o                               Applicants: Fairfax County, Virginia / Commonwealth of Virginia

·                                            Project Title: RT 1 Widening from Telegraph Road to Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
Funding Request: $180 million

·                     Installation: Joint Base San Antonio, TX

o                               Applicant: City of San Antonio, Texas

·                                            Project Title: I 35-LOOP 410 Connector
Funding Request: $25 million

Changes Coming for JBLM

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM
Military Affairs Committee, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

Date & Time: Wednesday, Oct. 12, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Place: La Quinta Inn, 1425 E. 27th St., Tacoma 98421
Register: Online here.

AGENDA:

REPLACING SCHOOLS ON JBLM
Debbie LeBeau, Superintendent, Clover Park School District. Ms. LeBeau will have just returned from conferencing with the DoD’s Office of Economic Adjustment about the grant application for two new schools to replace existing facilities on JBLM.

The replacement of local obsolete and deteriorating schools was a primary objective of the Chamber's annual Washington-to-Washington, D.C. trip for the last two years. A cooperative effort with the Clover Park School District and other community advocates resulted in a new and first funding for replacement of schools on installations.

I-5 IMPROVEMENTS AT JBLM
Dan Penrose, Project Manager, South Sound Military & Community Partnership. The City of Lakewood and the South Sound Military & Communities Partnership have submitted a $5.7 million grant request to the Defense Department which will improve access to Madigan Army Medical Center and relieve congestion currently experienced on portions of Interstate 5 adjacent to Joint Base Lewis-McChord. When constructed, the overpass and ramp improvements at Berkeley Street (Freedom Bridge) will reduce delays and improve safety for the more than 1.4 million patients that visit Madigan annually.

FUTURE MEETINGS

Oct. 12 Chamber’s Annual Meeting. Featuring Keynote Speaker, Mr. Barry Moltz. Click here to find out more about Barry Moltz.

Nov. 10 John Anderson Citizen-soldier of the Year. The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee will present the 32nd annual John Anderson Military Citizen of the Year at the Rotary Club of Tacoma’s luncheon. Place: Landmark, 47 St. Helens, Tacoma 98402. Price: $15

FINAL: Joint Base Growth Coordination Plan Available

The road map for improved collaboration in the South Sound - the Joint Base Lewis McChord Growth Coordination Plan - has been posted to the public website for your review and future use. The consultants have taken considerable time to work on improving the tone of the Plan, streamlining recommendations and strategies, and alerting our audience of the importance of JBLM to this region and the incredible opportunities before us.

The JBLM Growth Coordination Plan is available for downloading through the links provided here. To facilitate reviewing and downloading, both the Executive Summary and the Plan are provided in separate files. For those of you interested in the technical materials that support the recommendations of the Plan, stand-alone files of each Appendix are provided.

Thank you to all of the stakeholders that have devoted their time and energy to support this process and their dedication to improving the quality of life in the South Puget Sound region.