Leveraging DCMA Capabilities: Government Property, Plant Clearance & Novations

Ms. Rachel Berry is the Property and Plant Clearance Policy Advocate for the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Contracts Pricing Policy and Processes Division, and is located in Denver, CO.  In this position, Ms. Berry provides education and guidance to both Government customers and defense contractors with the goal of ensuring effective, efficient, and compliant contract property management.  Ms. Berry served as a Property Administrator with DCMA from 2006-2016, and as a member of the DCMA Government Contract Property Group’s Compliance Team from 2016-2023.  Prior to a five year break in Federal civil service, during which Mrs. Berry was a Senior Investment Adviser with a major mutual fund company, she was a college student hire with DCMA working Government contracts.  She returned to DCMA in 2004 as a Transportation Management Specialist before ultimately finding her niche in property administration.

Karen Yamnitz is the Performance Improvement Officer for the DCMA Plant Clearance Group. Prior to this assignment, Karen served as a Plant Clearance Officer with DCMA beginning in 2011. During her career, she has dispositioned thousands of line items of excess government property totaling over $770 Million dollars. Karen has worked with Defense contractors both large and small, all over the United States. Karen has spoken at a number of NPMA and other professional events and she currently leads the Government User training on the GFP Module Plant Clearance Capability hosted by Defense Procuring and Contracting. Her current role is heavily involved with policy development, metrics and data mining, process improvement/internal controls, disposition software applications, and DCMA’s role in FIAR. Karen is graduate of Drake University.

Mr. Norm Thompson is Deputy Counsel (Contracts), DCMA Eastern Law Center and DCMA East Regional Command.  He is Chair, DCMA Contract Law Group, Subcommittee on Bankruptcy, Business Combinations, and Novations.  He is chief supervisory contracts attorney for the Law Center and Region staffs, including the Commander, all contracting officers, and approximately 30 attorneys.  He has served with DCMA for 22 years, including in Headquarters and field positions. Prior to assuming his current duties, Mr. Thompson was Chief Counsel for DCMA Baltimore for 15 years, advising seven different commanders and directors, and administrative contracting officers (ACOs) at every level, including Corporate ACOs for three TOP 10 DoD contractors.  He is expert in all areas of contract administration law, including FAR cost principles, cost accounting standards, contractor business systems, Contracts Disputes Act claims, statute of limitations, and contract closeout.  He is a retired US Air Force judge advocate, who served as a Staff Judge Advocate, Air Force JAG School Division Chief, Air Force Academy Associate Professor, and Circuit Defense Counsel, among other assignments.