PANAMA CITY, Fla. –
Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) is committed to serving the nation, the warfighter and the mission, but that’s nearly impossible without the infrastructure to achieve success.
Matthew Hammond, NSWC PCD contracting officer, has been with this Navy lab over five years and has helped the command by navigating through complex regulations and a challenging post-Hurricane Michael environment. He is driven to secure favorable outcomes and save the government significant resources. Although his role may simply appear to be all paperwork, there’s much more behind his impact.
“[For contracts personnel] our responsibilities are quite dynamic and can vary at any hour, day, with any action, contract, program or customer engagement. When our customers need outside government support, either through services or supplies, I am part of the team that is responsible for getting that support from a need to a deliverable,” said Hammond. “The work our brilliant and dedicated NSWC PCD scientists and engineers do to support the warfighter has, and will always likely, need industry support. So, we are part of that support, defense, and offense to ensure that when a service or supply is purchased the interests of the United States are safeguarded.”
Hammond explained how his team is tenacious with pricing and costs, responsible for ensuring terms and conditions are met, and consistently vigilant to support NSWC PCD’s technical teams throughout the acquisition cycle. He couples his proficiency with another key element to help this Navy lab deliver relevant solutions in the littorals from seabed to space.
“I take the responsibility of safeguarding personally. While not ‘frontlines’ visible, it is critically important to me to support in [all] ways that we can,” said Hammond. “Every dollar saved through negotiations or through protecting the Navy from litigation is another dollar that can be spent somewhere else to support the warfighter in another way. When we meet our regulatory compliances, we are part of that mesh who protects the warfighter, the U.S. taxpayer, and public in some way. We also are advocates for small businesses and our local industrial base to keep a strong community that can support the warfighter.”
For his efforts, he was recognized with the Navy Civilian Service Achievement Medal.
“I was extraordinarily honored by the command and leadership. I am not one for spotlights, so I definitely felt like a fish out of water,” said Hammond. “But ultimately, it reminded me that any work of mine that contributed to this achievement medal was due to a strong team of peers and leadership that fostered the kind of environment which allowed me to thrive.”