LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The Air Combat Command Installations and Mission Support Directorate (ACC A7) of the United States Air Force and NISH signed a memorandum of understanding June 1 to jointly support each other for ongoing AbilityOne contract requirements performed at ACC installations.
As final signatories on the MOU, Brig. Gen. Dave Howe, ACC A7, and Bob Chamberlin, NISH President and CEO, demonstrated the highest level of cooperation and set the stage to enhance communications between the two organizations. The goal of the MOU is to establish a partnering process model, pricing process model and a pricing template that ACC and NISH will use to standardize the entire solicitation process for ACC installations that use AbilityOne for custodial and grounds maintenance.
NISH is part of the AbilityOne Program and is a central non-profit agency designated by the President's Committee for Purchase from People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled to assist the "committee" in administering the AbilityOne program. The AbilityOne program was created by the Javits Wagner O'Day Act and is comprised of two national, independent organizations - the National Industries for the Blind and NISH.
The AbilityOne program is a preferred supply source for federal customers to satisfy their needs with quality products and services at fair market prices and leverages a national network of non-profit agencies to further develop and expand the wide array of solutions it provides. The program seeks to maximize the employment of people who are legally blind or who have other severe disabilities by leveraging on the dollars spent by federal agencies procuring goods and services to support installations, such as ACC bases throughout the United States.
ACC A7 and NISH leadership embraced this innovative acquisition approach as an opportunity to satisfy ACC procurement needs in the current economic climate while maintaining the public's trust and fulfilling the public policy objectives of the AbilityOne program.