# News

## U.S. Air Force LogoUnited States Air Force

# Fiscal year 21 drives innovation, readiness across command, enterprise

              - Published  Oct. 13, 2021
              -                             By Marisa Alia-Novobilski                                                    
              - Air Force Materiel Command

**WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) --  **
The **Air Force Materiel Command** executed more than $68.5 billion across all funding areas in fiscal year 2021, closing out the year 99.9% obligated despite challenges related to **COVID-19**, Operation Allies Refuge and Welcome, underfunded enterprise programs, innovation needs and more.“This was truly a team effort, and ongoing fiscal challenges, the threat of a government shutdown and COVID limitations were no match for our workforce and their dedication to ensuring mission success for our warfighter,” said Col. Jason M. Holcomb, AFMC Financial Analysis division chief. “Though most of our portfolio execution happens earlier in the year, our team rallied and was able to fund 18 major unfunded requirements totaling $55.6 million in the final 48 hours of the fiscal year. This was truly a team effort, and I’m extremely proud and honored to have such a great team.”While a majority of the $2.6 billion in AFMC Operation & Maintenance funds went towards Air Force enterprise programs, the command made significant investments in innovation projects and AFMC We Need initiatives, with nearly $20 million allotted to drive efforts in these areas. Projects funded in these areas included infrastructure and facility upgrades, information technology and training.O&M funding included:
            - $87.4 million for more than 45 unfunded requirements, to include $55.6 million for 18 UFRs during the final days of fiscal year closeout; funded projects include network and communication updates at the Eglin Air Force Base range ($3.3 million); Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems ($20 million); Military Personnel Support at Edwards AFB ($157,000); information technology programs ($30,000+); and personnel moves ($888,000); among other projects
            - $11.5 million in Squadron Innovation Funds for over 170 projects, including significant IT investments ($4.9 million); new processes and automation ($2.7 million); infrastructure upgrades ($1.1 million); and training ($1 million)
            - $9.7 million for AFMC We Need initiatives, including infrastructure improvements at multiple AFMC locations and IT equipment upgrades
            - $3.9 million to support Operation Allies Refuge and Operation Allies Welcome, primarily for deployed AFMC personnel
            - $23.5 million for COVID-related needs, to include tracking mechanisms, reporting, prevention and analytics

As the designated executive agent for the Air Force’s largest Centralized Asset Management Portfolio, the command played a key role in keeping the enterprise mission-ready. AFMC executed $19.5 billion in the CAM portfolio, to include $12.3 billion for Air Force active duty weapon system sustainment, $1.4 billion in Space Force WSS, and met $5.8 billion in active duty flying hour budget needs.Additional efforts included:
            - Execution of $1.4 billion of Space Force WSS for the first time, executing a critical transfer of $320 million of funding across appropriations
            - $410 million in reimbursements to partners, including the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, Foreign Military Sales Partners, NASA, F-35 Cooperative Partners and more
            - Addressing over $450 million for congressional marks towards WSS, to include divestiture reversals critical to the Air Force mission
            - $78 million in readiness funding and $726 million in UFRs resulting in no critical UFRs left at the end of year after 20 programs identified at failure throughout FY21

To support business operations across the enterprise, the Working Capital Fund team executed $16.3 billion, with an end of year cash projection at $1.2 billion, improving their financial position significantly in FY21. New data analytic efforts are expected to continue to enhance management capabilities in this area.In the contracting realm, AFMC obligated $58.7 billion in Federal Acquisition Regulations-based contracts in FY21, which amounted to 75.1% of total Air Force spending in this area. The contracting team completed more than 60,000 FAR-based contracts and obligated $1.3 billion in non-FAR-based contracts over 3,200 contract actions.Noteworthy accomplishments in the contracting area include:
            - Supported the integration of AFWERX into Air Force Research Laboratory; this included five Small Business Innovation Research ‘Sprints,’ that led to the award of 1,400 contracts valued at $381 million
            - Expansion of the new Air Force contract writing system (CON-IT) to 18 AFMC Systems Contracting offices, who used it to award more than 1,400 contracts worth $928 million

The AFMC Small Business program also set a new record in 2021, executing over $9.2 billion in small business contracts, which exceeds prior year levels by more than $1 billion. The FY21 success include 137 Phase III SBIR contract awards, an increase in the number of awards to minority, woman-owned and Service Disabled Veteran businesses, and an significant increase in the number of small businesses receiving their first AFMC contract award.“I could not be more proud of our expert financial Airmen across the mission for their hard work up to the final hours this year,” Holcomb said. “As we finalize our books for FY21 and pivot to the new fiscal year, we know hard work is ahead, but our dedicated, skilled teams are geared up and set to keep our command and the Air Force mission-ready.”

FSUSAFAFAir ForceAir Force Materiel CommandAFMCfundingCentralized Asset Management Portfolioinnovationbudgetfiscal year 2021contracting