FAQ ON U.S. FORCES PRESENCE IN ROMANIA

Table of Contents

• What will the presence of U.S military forces bring to Romania?
• How will Romanian military facilities be used by U.S. forces in Romania?
• What is Joint Task Force - East?
• How will JTF-East be utilized by the U.S. Army in Romania?
• How will JTF-East be utilized by the U.S. Air Force in Romania?
• What is the legal authority for the U.S. military presence in Romania?
• Why did the U.S. sign the agreement?
• What facilities will be used in Romania?
• What will be the permanent personnel and facilities structure in Romania?
• What will be the procedures for rotating U.S. Army and Air Force units through Romania?
• What facilities are planned for U.S. Army use?
• What facilities are planned for U.S. Air Force use?
• What business opportunities do the facilities create for Romanians?
• How will contractors and vendors be notified and selected?
• Where can interested persons get more information about business opportunities related to the military facilities?
• What upcoming activities are planned?

What will the presence of U.S military forces bring to Romania?
• The presence of US Army and Air Force personnel in Romania will allow American and Romanian armed forces to routinely train together and increase the interoperability of our forces,. It is our expectation and hope that the Romanian armed forces, as well as the local community, will benefit from the extensive infrastructure projects that the United States and Romania are planning at the training facilities.

How will Romanian military facilities be used by U.S. forces in Romania?
• Romanian military facilities will be used as temporary duty forward operating sites for training by U.S. military forces, primarily U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force, in close cooperation and with the permission of the Romanian government. The facilities will also support a small contingent of US soldiers and airmen, approximately 100-300 headquarters and support personnel, who will be assigned for one- to two-year tour of duties at MK Air Base.

What is Joint Task Force - East?
• Joint Task Force – East (JTF-East) is a United States European Command (USEUCOM) initiative to strengthen relationships between the United States and our Eastern European allies. All U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force training operations in Romania will fall under the command of JTF–East, which in turn is under the command of USEUCOM. Physically located in Romania and Bulgaria, JTF East will include a small permanent headquarters consisting of approximately 100-300 personnel who will oversee rotations of U.S. Army brigade-sized units and U.S. Air Force Weapons Training Deployments (WTD). Access to Romanian and Bulgarian air and ground training facilities will provide JTF-East forces the opportunity to train and interact with military forces throughout the entire 92-country USEUCOM area of responsibility. U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) and U.S Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) are actively involved in establishing JTF-East.

How will JTF-East be utilized by the U.S. Army in Romania?
• The U.S. Army will periodically rotate Brigade Combat Teams into Romania for training. • U.S. Army rotational units to Romania will consist of approximately 1,700 soldiers and deploy for approximately four to six months. • Unit deployments may immediately follow one another or may be separated in time.

How will JTF-East be utilized by the U.S. Air Force in Romania?
• U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) is planning to send at least two Weapons Training Deployments (WTD) to MK Air Base each year to train in Romanian airspace. • Size of WTDs generally run from 6-16 aircraft and 100-300 personnel. • WTDs are typically 2-3 weeks in duration. • USAFE is also looking at non-flying events such as medical or construction-related training deployments.

What is the legal authority for the U.S. military presence in Romania?
• U.S. force presence in Romania begins in 2007 under the authority of the Presence Agreement signed by Romania and the U.S. in December 2005 and ratified by the Romanian Parliament in June 2006.

Why did the U.S. sign the agreement?
• The agreement provides JTF-East with access to training facilities that support challenging, expeditionary training experiences with the Romanian armed forces. Other NATO, NATO-aspirant, and regional armed forces may also train at the facilities at the invitation and prior consent of Romania. JTF East provides an excellent opportunity to increase interoperability between U.S. and Romanian forces, build and sustain multinational partnerships, and prepare for future coalition operations.

What facilities will be used in Romania?
• Facilities in Romania include Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base and the former 34th Mechanized Brigade Base, Babadag and Cincu training areas, and the firing ranges in Smardan and Malina.

What will be the permanent personnel and facilities structure in Romania?
• Permanent U.S. Army forces in Romania will number approximately 100 - 300 personnel. • Permanent U.S. Air Force forces in Romania will number approximately 10. • Forces will be assigned to Mihail Kogalniceanu (MK) Air Base and the former 34th Mechanized Brigade Base. • Permanent forces will include headquarters staff, administrative personnel, installation operations support, and security forces.

What will be the procedures for rotating U.S. Army and Air Force units through Romania?
• The U.S. Army will use its Global Force Management Process to select units for training deployments to Romania. These units may come from the United States, Europe, or anywhere else in the world. • U.S. Air Forces in Europe will select units from throughout Europe for Weapons Training Deployments to Romania. Future deployments may also include forces from U.S. locations and Air National Guard/Reserve forces.

What facilities are planned for U.S. Army use?
• The U.S. Army plans to construct billeting, unit operations, maintenance support, and recreation facilities on the former 34th Mechanized Brigade Base to support and house approximately 1,700 soldiers. • At the Babadag Training Area (BTA), the U.S. Army plans to construct accommodations to support approximately 150 soldiers; for U.S. and Romanian joint use.

What facilities are planned for U.S. Air Force use?
• The U.S. Air Force is planning to establish an Air Base Squadron at MK Air Base by April 2008, initially manned by 5-10 personnel. • USAFE is incrementally upgrading MK Air Base facilities and infrastructure to support weapons training deployments. • Minor runway and taxiway repairs were completed in early 2006. • Recently completed construction of an Aerospace Ground Equipment maintenance building and a new fire station. • Various other facility and infrastructure improvements are under review.

What business opportunities do the facilities create for Romanians?
• U.S. forces will enter into support contracts to maintain the facilities and provide services to both the rotational units and permanent party personnel on which local bidders may compete. The U.S. Embassy will work with USEUCOM and its component commands to develop service and support contracts. • U.S. contracting officers will use the Federal Acquisition Regulations to determine procedures to be followed in each acquisition.

How will contractors and vendors be notified and selected?
• Typically, vendors will be able to get notification of a proposed contract through a public posting of the requirement on the web page: www.fedbizops.gov. • Vendors will be selected through a competitive and open process. • Construction contractors are selected based on a formal process that evaluates a variety of factors, such as their design proposal, cost experience with large projects, and their experience in Romania. • Other contractors, such as those who provide support to the rotational U.S. forces will undergo a similar process, depending on the type of support they will provide. • Example: It is planned that military construction at the former 34th Mechanized Brigade Base will amount to approximately $35 million in Fiscal Year 2007.

Where can interested persons get more information about business opportunities related to the military facilities?
• Those interested can find more information on the web page of the U.S. Commercial Service in Romania, see: http://bucharest.usembassy.gov/Embassy/Commercial_Service/index.html. • The U.S. government also conducted a training program for potential bidders in April 2006 in Bucharest and a site visit for potential bidders in January 2007. • Note that private firms that claim to sell “insider information” on the contracting process not approved by the U.S. government.

What upcoming activities are planned?
Spring through Fall 2007:
• USAFE’s next weapons training deployment to MK Air Base is planned for late April 2007 and will include approximately 14 F 15 fighters and 2 KC 135 air refueling aircraft; approximately 200 personnel.
• USAFE has scheduled a C-130 training deployment to MK in July 2007 of 4 - 6 aircraft and approximately 100 personnel. Possible joint and combined training events are currently under review by exercise planners.
• USAFE is planning to establish a 5-person planning detachment in Bucharest in July 2007 consisting of a detachment leader and liaisons for contracting, airspace/range/airfield management, civil engineering, and force protection.
• USAREUR’s JTF-E Proof-of-Principle (PoP) operation is planned for July through October 2007 to test the facility before regular rotations start. A force of just over 1000 soldiers and civilians from USAREUR and the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment is planned. During this operation, a battalion task force will conduct four months of training operations with Romanian and Bulgarian forces in both countries. The JTF-East headquarters, with U.S., Romanian and Bulgarian soldiers, will exercise command and control of the training events from Romania.
During the period of March - July 2007, USAREUR plans to set up temporary billeting, unit operations, and logistical facilities within the JTF-E headquarters area of MK Air Base to support the PoP.

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