Acquisition Efficiency Working Group Bringing Reform to Life: Meet NCMA's Team Advancing Acquisition Efficiency

RESTON, Va., June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With the launch of the National Contract Management Association's (NCMA) Acquisition Efficiency Working Group, focus now shifts to the experts—the practitioners with proven experience innovating in both the buying and selling sides of federal acquisition—who make up this mission-critical team. Formed in response to Executive Orders and Presidential mandates focused on transforming federal acquisition, the Working Group will bring its collective know-how to bear to help policymakers quickly implement meaningful reform. 

Chaired by Wes Bennett, currently an NCMA Board Member and Vice President of Contracts at Booz Allen Hamilton and previously of Microsoft and DARPA, the Working Group is composed of a balanced, cross-sector coalition of experts. From publicly traded corporations and private capital-backed new entrants to academia and public agencies, the group comprises the organizations of all sizes that provide the software, hardware, and services to the government as well as the Federal agencies that buy them. All have experience in federal procurement, with nearly half also having worked with nontraditional companies. This diverse representation, grounded in hands-on experience across acquisition operations, policy, and transformation, ensures the group's recommendations are both actionable and focused on outcomes that matter—speed, transparency, and efficiency.

"This group was designed to reflect the ecosystem we aim to improve," said Bennett. "By bringing together experts from across the acquisition lifecycle and from organizations of different sizes and missions, we ensure we're tackling challenges from every angle. Our goal is to provide solutions that streamline acquisition practices, make lasting change by enabling the workforce to operate differently, and ultimately serve the mission more effectively."

Serving alongside Bennett as Vice Chair is Soraya Correa, President and CEO of the National Industries for the Blind, who is well-known for her role as the Chief Procurement Officer at the Department of Homeland Security where she created the Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL). Their leadership is supported by a dedicated roster of Working Group members, including:

• Eric Crusius
• Tim Cummins, Executive Director, Commerce and Contract Management Institute
• Megan Dake, Vice President, Corporate Contracts and Estimating, Lockheed Martin
• Julie Dunne, Principal, Monument Advocacy
• Dave Ferris, Head of Global Public Sector, Cohere
• Lesley Field, Former Deputy Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget
• Heather Gerczak, CFCM, CPCM, Fellow, Chief Administrative Officer, Integral Federal, Inc
• Claire Grady, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Mantech
• Sally Guyer, CEO, World Commerce & Contracting
• Christopher Hetz, Applied Intuition
• Cameron Holt, Maj Gen, USAF (Ret), President, Strategic Markets, Exiger
• Leslie Husler, EVP Corporate Strategy, Persistent Systems, LLC
• Ian Kalin, CEO, TurbineOne
• Matt MacGregor, Senior Director, Strategic Growth, Anduril Industries
• Benjamin McMartin, Esq, CPCM, Senior Fellow, George Mason University, Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting
• William Roberts, Director of Emerging Technologies, ASI Government

As this group evolves and expands its work, additional names and areas of expertise may be added.

The Working Group's Vice Chair, Soraya Correa said, "This isn't a think tank—it's a powerhouse of action! These experts represent the full spectrum of acquisition management from frontline contracting officers to strategic policy leaders. They've lived the system's challenges, dismantled barriers, led transformative efforts, and are uniquely positioned to drive enduring cultural and operational change."

As part of NCMA's commitment to improving acquisition outcomes, the Acquisition Efficiency Working Group will draw on the research initiatives of the Commercial and Contract Management Institute—the driving force behind NCMA's data analysis and cross-sector insights. By leveraging the Institute's deep expertise, the Working Group will develop practical recommendations to streamline regulations, modernize the workforce, and promote adoption of NCMA's Contract Management Standard® (CMS™). These outcomes will guide forward-looking training strategies and be shared through reports, events, and forums that engage the broader acquisition community.

For updates and more information, visit www.ncmahq.org/acquisitionefficiency.

About NCMA

National Contract Management Association (NCMA) – www.ncmahq.org – is a thriving community of over 100,000 contract management professionals globally. Dedicated to fostering a globally recognized contract management profession and strengthening its connections with related acquisition communities, NCMA serves a diverse membership spanning both the public and private sectors. Through its steadfast commitment to facilitating the growth, advancement, and impact of practitioners, NCMA provides a platform for the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums, driving innovation and excellence in contract management.

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SOURCE National Contract Management Association