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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E264-E265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO MR. SHAY D. ASSAD
______
HON. STEPHEN F. LYNCH
of massachusetts
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I wish to honor a Massachusetts
constituent, Mr. Shay Assad, who will be retiring this year after
nearly 25 years of combined military and federal service to our
country.
He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy;
thereafter, he served two tours of duty aboard U.S. Navy destroyers and
won recognition as the Outstanding Junior Officer, Fifth Naval
District. He is an Aegis Weapons system and Arleigh Burke class plank
owner having served as the Naval Procurement Officer who procured the
Navy's first Aegis system for DDG-47 at the Naval Sea Systems Command.
He commenced federal government civil service as the assistant Deputy
Commandant, Installations and Logistics for Contracts at headquarters,
the Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., serving as the senior civilian
contracting official for the U.S. Marine Corps. Mr. Assad joined the
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) in April 2006. During his
tenure in OSD, Mr. Assad first served as the Director, Defense Pricing
and Acquisition Policy (DPAP). As such he was the recognized functional
leader of a workforce of 27,000 contracting and pricing professionals
responsible for the procurement of approximately $300B in goods and
services annually.
In addition, from January 2009 through June 5, 2011 he concurrently
served in other Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (AT&L) leadership
positions. For a period of time he served as the Acting Deputy Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology. He also performed
the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition. In
June 2011, he left his role as Director, DPAP to serve in the newly
established position of Director, Defense Pricing. In August 2017
through December 2018, he served as Acting Director, DPAP, concurrent
with his duties as Director, Defense Pricing. His combined senior
executive experience in the Defense industry (where Mr. Assad served
for 25 years prior to joining OSD) and in Government was without peer
among members of the Senior Executive Service.
Among his most significant accomplishments for the Department of
Defense, Mr. Assad led the development and implementation of the
largest and most expansive plan in the Department's history that
focused on improving both the size and quality of the acquisition
workforce. This plan, known as the Defense Acquisition Workforce
Development Force (DAWDF) initiative, still serves today as the
cornerstone for improving the quality of the acquisition workforce. In
addition, Mr. Assad developed and implemented the Department of Defense
Contract Peer Review process which oversaw every sole source
procurement in excess of $500 million dollars, as well as every
significant competitive source selection within the Department of
Defense over the past twelve years. The peer review process has been
recognized to have enabled the savings of billions for the taxpayers
through improving the quality of the Department's contract business
dealings.
Mr. Assad also led the OSD peer review team that oversaw the
successful conduct of the largest single source selection in the
Department's history--the KC-X tanker program resulting in saving
billions for the taxpayers. He led the Department of Defense mediation
and developed the successful strategy to resolve litigation associated
with the Department's Space Launch Program, enabling an increase in the
security posture of the United States, while saving hundreds of
millions for the taxpayers.
Over his tenure of federal service, Mr. Assad was the most decorated
contracting and pricing professional in the career civil service having
received numerous federal service awards. Principal among those awards
were: 1) the Distinguished Service Medal with Bronze Palms; 2) the
Distinguished Service Medal; 3) the Secretary of Defense Meritorious
Service Medal; 4) the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Service Medal;
5) a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award; 6) a Meritorious
Presidential Rank Award; 7) the Department of Defense Inspector General
Joseph H. Sherick Award (the highest honor bestowed on non-OIG
employees); and 8) the David Acker Award for Acquisition Excellence. He
was inducted into the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Hall of Fame
in recognition of his leadership in the acquisition profession and for
the establishment of the DAWDF initiative. He has been the Department's
leading advocate for increasing employment opportunities for the blind
and severely disabled; and has received numerous awards to include the
E. Richard ``Dick'' Alley Career Achievement Award (Ability One
Program's highest recognition) and the Osbourne ``Oz'' Day Award for
those efforts.
[[Page E265]]
I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Mr. Assad for his
distinguished service to our country and in wishing him a fulfilling
and enjoyable retirement.
____________________
