The vital first step in protecting a valued nearby military installation is awareness. Local communities often wait until a facility's fate rests on formal base closure decision-making proceedings before engaging on its behalf. At that point, however, it is most likely too late for any action to be taken that will significantly affect the outcome of any ongoing decision process. Most of the elements weighed in any decision to close or down-size a facility will have been in place for years.

For example, since 1995 HYJEK & FIX, INC. has been active with a small New York community on behalf of its Air Force Reserve base. Working together with the community and its Congressional delegation, the firm has helped to fund five badly needed military construction projects at the base from its unfunded priority list, totaling $30 million.

This new construction will help the base to better perform its mission and enhance its standing in the study and decision process leading to the 2005 base closure round. For example, these efficient new facilities will help to reduce Base Operations and Support (BOS) costs, a key component of the Department of Defense (DOD) base closure decision-making process. As a further part of this effort, HYJEK & FIX, INC. prevailed upon the Air Force to allocate additional funds to demolish a large number of vacant facilities on the base, thereby reducing the base's BOS costs even further.

Specific areas in which HYJEK & FIX, INC. can provide base retention and economic development assistance to states and communities who wish to safeguard the economic benefits provided by a nearby military installation include:

Detailed Analysis: Communities often underestimate the total value of a military facility to their economic health. In working with a community on base retention and economic development activities, the firm prepares an analysis of the facility, the forces and personnel assigned there, its tenants, and its total economic presence. The company works with the base and the community to understand the facility's costs of operation. While military installations do not focus on profits, they do, however, monitor very closely BOS costs. HYJEK & FIX, INC. can help bases and communities identify and capitalize on opportunities to minimize BOS costs.

Military Construction: Most bases have extensive lists of unfunded military construction requirements, and unnecessarily high operational costs. This is also key from a base closure perspective since unfunded military construction requirements would be considered "cost avoidances" during the analysis of a facility during the study process. Conversely, once military construction funds have been spent, they are considered "sunk costs." They would reduce return-on-investment calculations, and would be considered an argument against closure. Further, bases often have a significant stock of unused buildings that have not been razed due to a lack of demolition funds; this drives BOS costs up even further. HYJEK & FIX, INC. has been very successful working with communities and their Congressional representatives to obtain funding to meet unfunded military construction requirements and to reduce BOS costs.

Land Transfers and Exchange: Whether through base closure or other methods, property is often declared excess to military needs and made available to local communities for re-development. Similarly, occasions arise when communities and nearby military installations may find an exchange of property mutually beneficial. HYJEK & FIX, INC. can provide assistance with land transfers and exchanges, as the process of obtaining the necessary approvals and the actual transfer of land to a community or local redevelopment organization can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. With its extensive contacts within the military services, the administration, and Congress, the firm can work with decision-makers and implementing bodies to expedite such transfers and exchanges.

Economic Development: HYJEK & FIX, INC. can help communities take advantage of the current federal effort to place a greater reliance on commercial sources for the provision of support services at military facilities. The firm can also work with local leaders to identify companies who are engaged in prime, subcontract, or privatized/outsourced work for the federal government and could be attracted to the local area. HYJEK & FIX, INC. can also assist in seeking grants for small business procurement technical assistance programs, as well as areas of state and federal interest that could be met through a local effort. By establishing a "center of excellence" in an area of technological interest to the military services or to federal and state government, for example, a community can attract direct and indirect employment. The privatization and project financing experience available within the team could be invaluable to area businesses seeking to expand their ability to do business with DOD and the federal government.

Identification of New Functions: HYJEK & FIX, INC. can also provide assistance in the identification of new functions and/or units that could be assigned to the base. New base activities have a direct benefit by bringing additional DOD wages and spending into the community and providing an increased baseline over which BOS costs can be distributed. The military services make many decisions each year regarding the assignment and relocation of units and functions. The firm's staff can tap into many long-term relationships within the military services, the Bush administration, and the Congress to ensure that DOD and congressional decision-makers review the attributes and capabilities of specific military installations when such a unit transfers and new mission assignments are made. HYJEK & FIX, INC. can assist in customizing and packaging this information for communication to decision-makers in the appropriate department or agency. The firm can also encourage and assist in the examination of alternative, non-DOD sources of workload that could be placed at a client's nearby military installation.

Increasing Facility Visibility: Increasing the visibility of an installation with DOD and congressional officials positively reinforces the view that the base and its units are an irreplaceable asset, which is an important factor in promoting the retention of the base and the possible expansion of its current missions. Many bases host airshows and engage in other activities that promote goodwill with local communities. In a similar fashion, chambers of commerce and economic development entities can also act as unofficial ambassadors and advocates for a local military installation with key decision-makers in Congress and the Pentagon who will ultimately make judgments determining the future of the base. HYJEK & FIX, INC. can coordinate efforts by local leaders and their Congressional Delegation to invite high-ranking service officers and other DOD officials to visit the community and its military facilities in order to foster goodwill among those with decision-making authority over a base's future. Such activities can also yield positive policy and funding results. Similarly, it may be extremely beneficial for a community to maintain contact with an installation's senior leadership after that official has been reassigned. These individuals generally move on to jobs that may have increased authority over such items as the base's operating budget, the forces assigned there, or the structure of the next base closure study that will compare the base to others in its operational category.

HYJEK & FIX, INC. has the experience, knowledge, and contacts to help a state or community retain and enhance its military installations, thereby maximizing the economic impact and minimizing reasons for base closure. The firm looks forward to discussing with you how its services and the experience of its personnel can benefit your state or community in this effort.