United States Army Contracting Command

Army Contracting Command
ACC distinctive unit insignia
Active2008–present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
RoleArranging contracts
Part of U.S. Army Materiel Command
Garrison/HQRedstone Arsenal,
Alabama
MottosArmati, Comparator, Custos (Latin)
("Soldier, Emptor, Guardian")
WebsiteOfficial website
Commanders
Current
commander		MG Douglas S. Lowrey

The United States Army Contracting Command (ACC) is a command of the United States Army that provides contracting services. Headquartered on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, the ACC is a component of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

The elements of Army Contracting Command are: the contracting centers, the contracting support brigades, a contracting battalion, and the Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) and its assigned units.

History

In January 2002, the secretary of the army and the chief of staff of the army (CSA) directed the assistant secretary of the army for acquisition, logistics and technology (ASA(ALT)) to begin planning for the formation of an army contracting agency.

On October 1, 2002, the Army established the U.S. Army Contracting Agency (ACA)—a field operating agency (FOA) under the office of ASA(ALT). The ACA was headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia.

One of the ACA’s primary functions was to provide contracting support for contingency operations. The Army Contracting Agency received responsibility for contracting in support of the "missions" of the following units: the Army Forces Command, the Army Training and Doctrine Command, and the Army Military District of Washington.[further explanation needed]

The agency also provided contracting support for the IT and commercial products of the Army Chief Information Officer/G-6, the Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, and the Army Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems. An ACA component was formed for this purpose, the Information Technology E-Commerce and Commercial Contracting Center (ITEC4).

The Army Contracting Agency received the information management and installation-related contracting functions of the following specialty commands:

Said specialty commands retained their existing contracting functions (including contingency contracting), while the information management and certain installation-related missions were tasked to the ACA.

Transition to command

On October 1, 2008, the U.S. Army Contracting Command (ACC) was established. The ACC incorporated the contracting mission of the Army Contracting Agency. The ACC was headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and was designated a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC).[needs context]

ACC became responsible for a majority of the contracting work of the U.S. Army. Initially, it consisted of two subordinate commands, responsible for installation and expeditionary contracting, along with other contracting elements.

Consolidation of Army Contracting Command-New Jersey

ACC-New Jersey (ACC-NJ), including its mission to arrange ammunition contracts, was officially incorporated into ACC-Rock Island (ACC-RI) on May 4, 2026. ACC-RI became responsible for contracting services in armaments and ammunition programs. According to the Army, a munitions program that was ready for transition from research and development to full-scale production previously required handoffs between different contracting centers. These handoffs between contracting centers had potential to cause delays, and reportedly were mitigated by consolidating ACC-NJ into ACC-RI.

Organizational structure

Contracting centers

Contracting support brigades

Direct reporting contracting battalion

Mission and Installation Contracting Command

MICC distinctive unit insignia

Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) is a one-star command headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, responsible for mission and installation-related contracting services for the U.S. Army. It is a component of the U.S. Army Contracting Command.

MICC is made up of approximately 1,500 employees (military and civilian), and is assigned a number of units: two contracting support brigades (CSBs), two field directorate offices (FDOs), and 33 field offices throughout the nation and Puerto Rico, which provide contracting support for the U.S. Army.

The MICC was initially established as the Installation Contracting Command (ICC) on October 1, 2008. One day later, however, the ICC was redesignated as the Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC), retaining the same mission and functions.

Headquarters:

Contracting support brigades (CSBs), field directorate offices (FDOs), and related elements:

Former elements

Expeditionary Contracting Command

Expeditionary Contracting Command (ECC) was a one-star command active from 2008 to 2017 and responsible for expeditionary contracting. Headquartered most recently at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, the ECC was a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Contracting Command.

The ECC consisted of the following units: nine contracting support brigades (CSBs), seventeen contingency contracting battalions, sixteen senior contingency contracting teams, and ninety-two contingency contracting teams.

The Expeditionary Contracting Command was discontinued and merged with the Army Contracting Command on October 1, 2017.

Assigned contracting brigades and contracting support brigades (approximately in the mid-2010s):

Source:

412th Contracting Support Brigade

The 412th Contracting Support Brigade was responsible for contracting operations in and around Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The 412th CSB was deactivated in 2017, and replaced by a field directorate office (FDO).

Organization:

Source:

Insignia

Distinctive unit insignia

ACC distinctive unit insignia

The distinctive unit insignia of the U.S. Army Contracting Command was approved by the Institute of Heraldry on June 23, 2008.

The olive branch and arrows represent the command's contracting mission, in peacetime and wartime. The eagle symbolizes strength and vigilance. The motto "Armati, Comparator, Custos" (Latin) roughly translates to "Soldier, Emptor, Guardian". An alternate interpretation is "Soldiers guarding soldiers through careful purchase."

List of commanders

No. Commander Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Duration
Executive Director, U.S. Army Contracting Command
1
Jeffrey P. Parsons
Jeffrey P. ParsonsMarch 13, 2008September 27, 20113 years, 198 days
2
Carol E. Lowman
Carol E. LowmanSeptember 27, 2011May 17, 2012233 days
Commanding General, U.S. Army Contracting Command
1
Camille M. Nichols
Major General
Camille M. Nichols		May 17, 2012October 2, 20131 year, 138 days
2
Theodore Harrison III
Major General
Theodore Harrison III		October 2, 2013August 19, 20151 year, 321 days
3
James E. Simpson
Major General
James E. Simpson		August 19, 2015May 31, 20182 years, 285 days
4
Paul H. Pardew
Major General
Paul H. Pardew		May 31, 2018June 21, 20213 years, 21 days
5
Christine A. Beeler
Brigadier General
Christine A. Beeler		June 21, 2021June 14, 20242 years, 359 days
6
Douglas S. Lowrey
Major General
Douglas S. Lowrey		June 14, 2024Incumbent2 years, 133 days

References

  1. ↑ Weitzel, Mikhael (July 31, 2014). "Military customs and traditions inspire unit cohesion". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2026-04-21. ACC's motto is "Armati, Comparator, Custos," roughly meaning "Soldier, Emptor, Guardian."
  2. ↑ "U.S. Army Materiel Command Partnership Resource Guide 2015-2016". Faircount Media Group. 2016-07-13. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Jeffress, Suellen D. (January–February 2003). "The U.S. Army Contracting Agency | Army AL&T magazine" (PDF). asc.army.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-21. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  4. ↑ "ACA Overview Brief" (PDF). ndia.dtic.mil. 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  5. ↑ Haggerty, Sarah (July–September 2008). "AMC Stands Up the New U.S. Army Contracting Command | Army AL&T magazine" (PDF). apps.dtic.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-02-02. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  6. ↑ U.S. Army Expeditionary Command Archived 2012-10-16 at the Wayback Machine, About. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  7. ↑ Aviles, Jose A. (June 15, 2026). "New contracting structure at ACC equals integrated armaments lifecycle". www.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2026-06-15. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
  8. 1 2 "U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-06-18. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  9. ↑ "AMC Permanent Orders 249-02" (PDF). api.army.mil. U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC). September 5, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  10. ↑ "MICC colors & lineage". army.mil. MICC Public Affairs. September 13, 2021. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  11. ↑ "AMC Permanent Orders 277-03" (PDF). api.army.mil. U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC). October 3, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  12. ↑ "Leader's Perspective: MRI restores contracting structure, recovers customer base". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
  13. ↑ "MICC Fact Sheet" (PDF). 1 January 2026.
  14. ↑ Expeditionary Contracting Command Archived 2014-08-17 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 2013.
  15. ↑ Expeditionary Contracting Command Archived 2014-08-17 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 2013.
  16. ↑ LTC Hylton, David (October 19, 2017). "Expeditionary Contracting Command Cases Colors". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2017-11-20. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  17. ↑ "Subordinate Commands | ECC". acc.army.mil/ecc. Archived from the original on 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  18. ↑ Elkins, Daniel P. (April 26, 2017). "412th CSB cases its colors for inactivation". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2019-01-26. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  19. ↑ "MICC Fact Sheet" (PDF). micc.army.mil. June 21, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-22. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  20. 1 2 "U.S. Army Contracting Command". tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil. The Institute of Heraldry (TIOH), Washington, DC. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  21. ↑ Weitzel, Mikhael (July 31, 2014). "Military customs and traditions inspire unit cohesion". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  22. ↑ "ACC CSM looking for motto suggestions". army.mil. July 31, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2026-04-21. The command's official motto, 'Armati, Comparator, Custos' is Latin and is loosely translated to Soldiers guarding Soldiers through careful purchase.
  23. ↑ "Army Stands Up Contracting Command". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  24. ↑ "Army Contracting Command leadership changing". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  25. ↑ Became deputy to the commanding general of ACC until her retirement in August 2012.
  26. ↑ "Nichols named new ACC commander". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  27. ↑ "Media Advisory: ACC Change of Command and ECC Relinquishment of Command Ceremony". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  28. ↑ "ACC welcomes new commander". army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  29. "Major General Paul H. Pardew - General Officer Management Office". gomo.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-07-10. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  30. ↑ "Major General Paul H. Pardew - General Officer Management Office". gomo.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-07-10. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  31. ↑ Affairs, SAMANTHA HILL Army Materiel Command Public. "Pardew takes reins of Army Contracting Command". The Redstone Rocket. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  32. "Brigadier General Christine A. Beeler - General Officer Management Office". gomo.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-07-10. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  33. ↑ "Brigadier General Christine A. Beeler - General Officer Management Office". gomo.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-07-10. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  34. ↑ "DVIDS Webcast - U.S. Army Contracting Command Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony". DVIDS. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  35. ↑ Teutsch, Rebecca (2024-06-13). "U.S. Army Contracting Command to celebrate Change of Command ceremonies". WHNT-TV. Retrieved 2024-06-15.