Defense to restructure contracting in Iraq

The Defense Department's Business Transformation Agency has been charged with restructuring and transforming contracting processes and systems in Iraq.

Gordon England, deputy secretary of Defense, appointed Paul Brinkley, Defense deputy undersecretary for business transformation and co-director of BTA, to direct the Task Force to Support Improved DOD Contracting and Stability Operations in Iraq.

The task force will evaluate DOD business enterprise processes and systems in Iraq affecting contracting, logistics, fund distribution and financial management, and "will ensure alignment to theater commanders' goals for reconstruction and economic development," England wrote in a memo dated June 22.

The task force will not be responsible for actual contracting, but will advise Defense contracting offices on how to improve processes and use software solutions that are consistent with statutory and regulatory requirements, England added.

In his new role, Brinkley will draw on resources from BTA, including shifting some personnel to the task force. Thomas Modly, the other co-director of BTA, will continue to head the agency.

"We appreciate your support for these changes as we adjust to urgent new requirements," Brinkley and Modly wrote in a June 26 memorandum that makes organizational changes to BTA's structure.

As part of the changes, Brinkley and Modly disbanded BTA's Information and Federation Strategy Directorate, moving federation strategy to the oversight of Dennis Wisnosky, chief architect within the office of the deputy undersecretary of Defense for business transformation.

Other management changes include:

• Robert Cook taking over as director of agency operations
  
• John O'Brien III becoming CIO of BTA and
  
• Penny Rabinkoff becoming the agency's general counsel.