Fort Benning (Force Reduction)
Abstract
The Valley Partnership Joint Development Authority (VPJDA), a Bi-State Regional Authority providing regional planning, community and economic and community development assistance in East Alabama/West Georgia, will implement a Loss Mitigation Strategy through Economic Diversification in response to the Army force reductions at Fort Benning, Georgia of some 3,402 positions which ultimately resulted in a decrease of approximately 5,100 regional jobs and a decrease in the defense economy of $800 million in regional annual revenues. From January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, the VPJDA will work to create economic diversification and growing jobs in the business sectors of: (1) Aerospace, (2) Automotive, (3) Call Centers, (4) Cyber and Information Security, (5) Film and Media, (6) Financial Services. Equally as important is to establish a greater interface for Defense Contractor companies with the region’s corporate community so defense contractor entities might better compete for economic opportunities. This economic diversification strategy will diversify the workplace by striving to reduce the impact of Defense Contractor and Soldier Losses and begin to lessen its reliance on the Defense Department as well as create more non-defense related jobs to assist the defense contractor community in participating in regional economic opportunities. The outcomes and deliverables are as follow: First, one of the recommendations from the Comprehensive Community Impact Assessment was to diversify the regional economic, specifically pursuing activities that would expand. Recommended type business sectors are: (1) Aerospace, (2) Automotive, (3) Call Centers, (4) Cyber and Information Security, (5) Film and Media, (6) Financial Services. The Valley Partnership Joint Development Authority (VPJDA) will seek an experienced consultant to assess the current state of these industries within the region and develop a comprehensive regional strategy to support the expansion and sustainment of existing companies as well as grow new companies/entities that provide these services in the region. Our deliverable is to conduct a Comprehensive Industry Assessment to the Regional and Defense Contractor firms report Secondly, the VPJDA will seek an experienced consultant to facilitate engagements with regional and defense contractor firms directly impacted as a result of the force reductions at Fort Benning. The consultant will conduct interviews with these firms to determine the specific affects resulting from the force reductions, ability to carry out other non-DoD business in the region. Interviews will capture how to help grow existing businesses, how to grow opportunities from the “civilian and community” sector that existing defense contractor community might competitively compete for “civilian and community” business growth opportunities. , attract new firms and investments, pursue special opportunities for growth and diversification and how the VPJDA can advocate economic growth. The experienced consultant will provide a recommended method to measure a success matrix. The experienced consultant will provide the assessment, planning, implementation, and coordination strategy documents for use by counties in the Bi-state Study Area for implementation of various planning actions, capital improvements, and program planning. The Consultant will be expected to pull together a very flexible and concise strategy and then assist local governments and business leadership in coordinating its implementation. Our deliverable is to have an Action Plan in response the Comprehensive Report on impacts to Regional and Defense Contractor report.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 04, 2020
- Source ID
- HQ00051810032
Entities
People
- Brian Sillitto
Organizations
- Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation
- Office of the Secretary of Defense