News Release
August 7, 2015
For Immediate Release
Contact: Vivian Lopez
[email protected]
562-533-7526
ICYMI: Fort Polk, Rosepine enter into agreement for custodial services


The following is a release from the Fort Polk Public Affairs Office:

FORT POLK, La. - U.S. Army Garrison Fort Polk and the town of Rosepine have entered an agreement providing custodial services for the installation located in the heart of Louisiana's Vernon Parish.

Col. Jarrett Thomas II, garrison commander, and Rosepine Mayor Donna Duvall signed a five-year intergovernmental support agreement (IGSA) awarding a custodial contract, part of the Army's Public-Public Partnership program, during a specially-called town council meeting June 5.
"We are fortunate and privileged to have this," a smiling Duvall told those who filled the Rosepine City Hall meeting room for the signing. "It's good for both the town of Rosepine and its people."

The contract, worth $1.71 million a year over the five-year life of the agreement, provides custodial care to more than 100 facilities - or about 1 million square feet of space - on Fort Polk, said Nathan Jernigan, chief, Operations and Maintenance Division, Fort Polk Directorate of Public Works.

"Our current contract is about $2.4 million a year, so this is a significant savings for Fort Polk," Jernigan said. "Of equal importance is the integration of Fort Polk with the local community."

Thomas lauded the opportunity for Fort Polk to extend its partnership with a community partner.

"This is a win-win for Fort Polk and the people and town of Rosepine," Thomas said. "We have great relationships with Rosepine, Leesville, DeRidder and other local communities and IGSAs such as this allow us to make them even better."

Thomas said the IGSA with Rosepine builds on a similar agreement for grass-cutting services on Fort Polk, signed with the city of Leesville on March 8.

"This allows members of the local community to work on Fort Polk and help serve our Soldiers, and we really appreciate that," he said.

Thomas said Fort Polk's facilities take a lot of work to maintain.
"With this contract, our Soldiers can focus on their Army mission: To train for our nation's defense."

The contract was made possible by the fiscal year 2013 defense authorization bill that authorized military installations and their host communities to enter into intergovernmental support agreements for base support services. As part of the Public-Public Partnership program, IGSAs allow the Army to solicit partnership proposals from the field and benchmark existing partnerships.

"This has been a great initiative by IMCOM (Installation Management Command)," Thomas said. "We'll find more opportunities as they come up."

Duvall said the agreement would allow the town of Rosepine to do much needed work on its infrastructure.

"We do not have many revenue streams so this is going to be a tremendous help, especially with our water system which needs a lot of work," she said. "It's been a blessing."

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Fort Polk Progress is a regional organization focused on coordinating the efforts of the local communities, the State of Louisiana and the Louisiana Congressional delegation on supporting the Army, the mission at Fort Polk, and the quality of life for soldiers and families stationed in Louisiana.

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