OTA Today - Partnership Intermediary Agreements (PIA) with SOCOM and SOFWERX

Leslie Babich joined the DEFENSEWERX team to lead SOFWERX in Tampa, FL in October 2020. As the Director of SOFWERX, Leslie provides operational and personnel oversight while developing and implementing business plans that optimize results for its government partner, the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

Leslie brings 20+ years of special operations experience where she served as an MC-130 Pilot in Air Force Special Operations Command and held various leadership positions to include squadron command, Director of the Commander’s Action Group at Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component - Central.  She also served as the Fixed-Wing Assessment Director and Chief of Program Analysis and Evaluation at the United States Special Operations Command in the Force Structure, Requirements, Resources and Strategic Assessment Directorate. During her service, she deployed multiple times in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Enduring Freedom-Philippines, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve. Prior to joining SOFWERX, Leslie was employed as a Business Unit Manager with Jabil Defense and Aerospace in Saint Petersburg, FL. 

Ron entered the contracting field in 1999 under the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) Outstanding Scholar Program. Mr. Reed has extensive experience in Department of Defense (DoD) contracting supporting Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Air Force Sustainment Center, Air Force Space Command (now just Space Command), Eglin Air Force Base P5 Combat Training Systems program office, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Internet Technology Hardware/Software/Services Support office, and USSOCOM Science and Technology (S&T) directorate. Mr. Reed has broad experience with traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) contracting methods, as well as specialized experience in the non-FAR contracting environment. Since 2018, Mr. Reed has been involved with and focused on non-FAR contracting methods, including Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for prototyping, experimental purposes, and follow on production. He is the current SOCOM Agreements Officer for the SOCOM Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) branded as SOFWERX. Mr. Reed holds an unlimited Contracting Officer warrant, a $50M Agreements Officer warrant, is Contracting Level III certified, Program Management Level I certified, is a graduate of Air Command Staff College (2008) and holds a Juris Doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law (2002). 

Michael (Mike) Taylor is a retired United States Navy Supply Corps Officer with a background in the surface and aviation communities. He has experience in all classes of wholesale and retail supply management including a tour at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). He held two contracting warrants during his career and served as a comptroller, resources and requirement officer and in various programming positions. Mike has been with DAU for over 15 years teaching logistics, cost estimating, financial management and contracting courses. In addition to an MBA, he holds an MS from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF).