Space Systems Command headquarters in Los Angeles, Calif., at sunset. (SSC)
WASHINGTON — The Space Force’s one-stop-shop for industry engagement — the Space Systems Command Front Door — is now fully staffed, and ready to help companies new to Pentagon contracting figure out who to talk to within the sprawling space acquisition bureaucracy, according to SSC’s Col. Joseph Roth.
“We have a team that can answer the email, and we have operators standing by, which has been a problem in the past,” he told the Space Industry Days conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The two-day conference is co-sponsored by AFCEA’s Los Angeles branch, the National Defense Industrial Association’s Greater Los Angeles division, the Southern California Aerospace Professional Representative, and the Air and Space Force’s Schriever Chapter.
Roth, who is the Front Door’s director, said his “core team” now comprises eight people. “We may hire more, but I think we’re right at that sweet spot where we don’t want to get too big, but we really want to be effective.”
The Front Door is designed to provide basic information Space Force programmatic requirements, and broadcast information about SSC’s traditional program-related industry days and new pre-program “reverse industry” days. In particular, it is aimed at connecting firms, especially those new to the Pentagon’s space acquisition labyrinth, with a “sherpa” to guide them to the right office and right contracting processes.
Space Systems Command’s Front Door for industry engagement has eight “core” staff now on board.
“In summary, the Space Systems Command Front Door is a really important initiative by the command to help connect industry with requirements from the Space Force and Space Systems Command,” Roth said. “And we’re definitely putting a lot of effort behind it. It’s something I think could provide really great, valuable service to both the industry and our senior leaders within the Space Force.”
Roth explained that the Front Door team is first trying to “tease out what the requirements are” in each of SSC’s mission areas led by its acquisition officers, or program executive officers, and heads of its operational Deltas — to be able to communicate those needs and wants to industry. Those mission areas are space sensing; assured access to space; communications and positioning, navigation and timing; space domain awareness and combat power; and battle management, command, control and communications.
From the industry side, Roth said, the Front Door team is looking for near-term solutions to those needs.
“We don’t want your traditional industry brief. We want capabilities that we can get after the threat quickly,” he said. “So, something that’s novel, something we’re unaware of that your company is doing would be really important for you to communicate, so we can get some quick wins.”
Roth stressed that he is looking for industry feedback about how the Front Door initiative is working, and how the team can improve it.
“If you haven’t talked to any of the Front Door team members, definitely talk to them and pull them aside and provide them that feedback,” he urged.
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