Air Force Materiel Command surpassed its goal of awarding contracts to small businesses in Fiscal 2014—the first time in nine years, according to a Jan. 20 release. A perennial leader when it comes to small business awards, AFMC gave 12.03 percent of its business in FY 2014 to small businesses, for a total of $3.7 billion, up from the 10.41 percent goal for the year. “Fiscal 2014 started with budget cuts, and total obligations across AFMC were also down from the previous year. Although total obligations were decreased, we obligated more of that portion to small businesses,” said AFMC Director of Small Business E. Jean Smith. At the beginning of the year, AFMC Commander Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger mandated more opportunities for small business, despite the drawbacks, added Smith. The command managed around 65 percent of Air Force contracts, including 46 percent of small business prime awards in 2014.
Three types of U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft participated in air-to-air refueling with a commercial tanker for the first time last month, coinciding with a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Singapore that concluded Nov. 24.