99 -- Request for Expressions of Interest - Participation in the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center's Education and Training Partnership with the State of Oklahoma's Colleges, Universities and Trade Schools

1) This is a request for companies interested in working with the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC) and State of Oklahoma educational institutions to graduate/produce workers prepared to fill a variety of blue collar and white collar positions at OC-ALC in the future. OC-ALC and Oklahoma educational institutions established an Education and Training Partnership a few years ago to do just that. This joint endeavor has been very successful to date. This partnership is very important in light of an aging existing OC-ALC workforce and a smaller pool of workers in younger generations. At the same time, OC-ALC is embarking upon several transformation initiatives to improve efficiency and effectiveness and ultimately improve support to our operational forces. 2) OC-ALC's success in the future will depend upon its ability to recruit and hire a highly capable organic workforce while at the same time expanding its partnerships with industry. As we expand these partnerships with industry, our industry partners will also have a need for new workers. To avoid competing for the limited number of current graduates, OC-ALC is interested in working with industry and state educational institutions to increase its current capacity for producing skilled workers. OC-ALC envisions interested companies collaborating with their industry colleagues to jointly determine their future workforce needs in support of Tinker Air Force Base by entering into an agreement for that increased capacity with state educational institutions. OC-ALC also envisions establishing an Associate Contractor-like Agreement with its industry partners to outline the rules of engagement. OC-ALC will not be a party to or responsible for any industry commitment or agreement for hiring workers produced by state educational institutions. 3) However, OC-ALC does expect to cooperate with its industry partners in this endeavor. Those companies interested in discussing the potential for working with OC-ALC and Oklahoma educational institutions for future education and training needs are requested to submit written or electronic expressions of interest to the Contracting Officer listed below not later than 19 March 2004.