The Army’s chief weapon’s buyer announced earlier this week her intention to retire in January, which will allow time to resolve two bid protests holding up two major acquisition programs.
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) Heidi Shyu announced her resignation in an email to her staff on Monday, according to the Army. The news came to light just as her Air Force counterpart, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition William Laplante, announced his own plans to leave the Defense Department for MITRE Corp.
Shyu was confirmed as ASA(ALT) in September 2012 after serving in an acting capacity for more than a year. She previously served as the principal deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army, the position now held by Army Lt. Gen. Michael Williamson. She came to government from Raytheon [RTN], where she last served as vice president of technology strategy for space and avionics systems.
The Army began downsizing and modernizing after more than a decade of war under Shyu’s watch. She also took office just as sequestration cuts hit the Defense Department in FY ’13. Still, she was able to protect several key acquisition programs seen as essential to the Army’s future, including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), Armored Multipurpose Vehicle (AMPV) and multi-year rotorcraft procurement.
Shyu will be in office long enough to see the conclusion of protests against the contract awards for both JLTV and the Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) contracts.
The $6.7 billion initial JLTV contract was awarded to Oshkosh [OSK] in the summer. Losing contender Lockheed Martin [LMT] quickly launched a protest, followed by supplemental protests, that are under consideration by the Government Accountability Office.
JLTV is the largest vehicle program the Army has on its books, involving the purchase of nearly 50,000 vehicles to replace aging and under-armored Humvees. A $35 million CIRCM low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract for new sensors and systems to protect Army helicopters from heat-seeking missiles was awarded to Northrop Grumman [NOC] in September, a decision that was protested by losing competitor BAE Systems.
Shyu was able to secure the award of the $1.2 billion AMPV contract to BAE after General Dynamics [GD] pulled its bid from the program in May, as well as ushering multi-year procurement contracts for the Boeing [BA] CH-47 Chinook that runs through 2017 and the AH-64 multi-year 3 that runs through 2021. The sale of Sikorsky to Lockheed Martin for $9 billion also occurred during her tenure.
James McAleese, founder of McAleese and Associates, a government contracts consulting and legal firm, said Shyu has been a “staunch protector” of research and development investment in projects like future vertical lift (FVL), the improved turbine engine program (ITEP) and vehicle armor and lethality upgrades.
McAleese points out in an email that under recently installed Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark Miller acquisition priorities have shifted to weapons and capabilities that will be useful in a contested fight, including jammers, missiles and cyber capabilities.
McAleese said to keep on an eye on Williamson and Principal Civilian Deputy Gabe Camarillo, who has been nominated for Air Force assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs, as a replacement is sought for Shyu.
Williamson served as the assistant deputy for acquisition and systems management before being appointed principal military deputy to ASA(ALT) in April 2012. His most recent assignment was as deputy commanding general of Combined Security Transition Command, Afghanistan.
Camarillo has been Shyu’s immediate subordinate since his appointment in 2012. From 2010 to 2012, he served as the special assistant to the assistant secretary.