Memorandum of Agreement

Washington Military Alliance

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

Washington Military Alliance

This agreement is made between the undersigned parties and hereto is agreed as follows:

I. Establishment: 

This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) establishes the structure, roles, and responsibilities of the Washington State Military Alliance (WMA).

II. Purpose:

The WMA is convened by the Governor and includes representation from Washington state legislators, state agencies, local elected officials, regional community groups supporting local military installations, and organizations promoting military and defense economic development in Washington State.

The WMA will provide a framework for collaboration in the state between local governments, military installations, state agencies, and federal agencies to better coordinate a unified message as military and defense decisions are being considered, and it will recommend actions to be taken at local, state, and federal levels to enhance military infrastructure, industry, and partnership retention and expansion in Washington State.

III. Objectives:

  1. To protect military and defense infrastructure;
  2. To promote military and defense industry vitality; and
  3. To facilitate military and defense partnerships state-wide.

IV. Responsibilities:

  1. Focus on the advocacy of military infrastructure, including installations, missions and workforce needs, as well as the military and defense industry and regional partnerships as an economic driver in the state;
  2. Assist in the coordination of local, state and federal partnerships, where appropriate, in order to maximize economic, civil, commercial, cultural, educational, and social opportunities presented by the military and defense sector and ensure that impacts are shared equitably across the state;
  3. Act as the state representative of the member organizations to coordinate, where appropriate, with each military and defense installation in the state to accomplish its current and future missions;
  4. Sustain momentum in support of the Washington State military and defense sector;
  5. Assist in the development, maintenance, and execution of the WMA strategy;
  6. Position the State to retain current military infrastructure and attract new assets; and
  7. Support the supply chain through retention, expansion and recruitment opportunities.

V. Membership:

To ensure efforts of the WMA are planned, coordinated, and implemented with a focus on outcomes, the structure of the WMA is as follows:

1. General Membership.

Role:  The General Membership shall serve as a forum for general input and comment on issues related to the military and defense sector in the state.  There is no voting role for this group of participants.

Participants:  The WMA is open to any person, association, group, or organization having an interest in the WMA’s purpose and objectives.  The WMA is intended to be inclusive.

2. Executive Leadership Team.

Role:  The Executive Leadership Team is operational in nature, helping to oversee the day-to-day work of the WMA (staff, activities, and budget) as well as serving as an advisory board to the Director, military and defense sector on emerging issues, problems, and initiatives that may occur between meetings of the full steering committee.  Ex-officio members shall serve in a non-voting, advisory capacity.  The Governor’s Military & Defense Sector Lead, a position housed within the Washington State Department of Commerce, will act as the Executive Director of the WMA.

Participants:  The Executive Leadership Team shall consist of one representative from the following subgroups.  Members of the Executive Leadership Team are nominated and selected from among the organizations within the Steering Committee.

  • one alternative development organization representative;
  • one infrastructure representative;
  • one industry association representative;
  • one military community advocacy organization representative; and
  • one Governor’s Office representative – ex-officio

3. Steering Committee.

Role:The steering committee serves as the WMA’s foundation.  Steering committee members should be committed to actively advancing the WMA’s mission.  The steering committee should oversee the implementation of the strategic plan, and provide recommendations and help to set action items, as identified and developed by the Governor’s Military & Defense Sector Lead in collaboration with the WMA’s general membership.  

This steering committee should develop operating bylaws and implement an annual “work plan,” authorize an annual budget, and commit to ensuring that the WMA remains sustainable.  The steering committee shall meet as necessary, but not less than quarterly, to coordinate WMA activities.

Steering Committee Participants:  Each organization listed below in each of the three subgroups shall identify one individual to represent that organization on the WMA as a steering committee participant and voting member.

  • Infrastructure Representatives: one member from each of the following installation communities:
    • South Sound Military Communities Partnerships – Joint Base Lewis McChord;
    • Forward Fairchild – Fairchild Air Force Base;
    • Military Affairs Committee of Economic Alliance Snohomish County – Naval Station Everett;
    • Puget Sound Naval Bases Association – Navy Region Northwest and Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor, Keyport, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, and Naval Magazine Indian Island;
    • Naval Air Station Whidbey Task Force – Naval Air Station Whidbey Island;
    • Puget Sound Regional Council – United States Coast Guard;
    • Veteran’s and Military Affairs Committee Yakima Chamber – Yakima Training Range;
    • Tri-City Development Council – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and  Volpentest Hammer Training Facility; and
    • Economic Development Council of Seattle-King County – Applied Physics Lab – University of Washington.
  • Industry Representatives: one member from each of the following organizations:
    • Association of Washington Business;
    • Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition;
    • National Defense Industrial Association; and
    • Procurement and Technical Assistance Center.
  • Partnership Representatives: one member from each of the following organizations:
    • Economic Alliance Snohomish County (Naval Station Everett);
    • Island County Economic Development Council (Naval Air Station Whidbey Island);
    • Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (Naval Station Bremerton, Bangor, PSNS, Keyport, Manchester, Navy Region Northwest);
    • Greater Spokane Inc. (Fairchild Air Force Base);
    • Economic Development Board of Tacoma-Pierce County (Joint Base Lewis McChord);
    • Thurston County Economic Development Council (Joint Base Lewis McChord);
    • Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce (Joint Base Lewis McChord);
    • Yakima County Development Association (Yakima Training Range);
    • Tri-City Development Council (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory); and
    • Economic Development Council of Seattle King County (United States Coast Guard and Applied Physics Lab-University of Washington).
  1. Commanders Council

Role:  The Commanders Council shall serve as a primary advisory group to the WMA on the state of the military in Washington and any potential impacts military-related decisions may have on the state.  This council holds no WMA decision-making authority as a non-voting body.

Participants (ex-officio):

  • Washington State Adjutant General (TAG);
  • Commanders of Major Military Installations; and
  • Commanders of Major Military commands.

VI. Funding:

To ensure the WMA is able to accomplish its tasks, the following funding structure is outlined:

  1. Administrative Costs:

The WMA will seek state appropriations to fund the administrative costs of the Military & Defense Sector Lead position.

  1. Project Costs:

WMA stakeholders will advocate to their boards and members to seek project funding.

  1. How Would It Work:

The WMA will serve as a mechanism for collecting funding for a defined and agreed-upon project; steering committee subgroups may develop project proposals, and the steering committee and Executive Leadership Team will administer funding for those project proposals.

VII. Formation of Subcommittees:

The WMA may be supported by technical experts, advisors, and community staff and leadership in various agency, non-profit, and institutional capacities.  The steering committee will form subcommittees as necessary to carry out the specific recommendations and strategies of the organization.

Standing Subcommittees:

  1. Installation and Mission Support;
  2. Industry and Supply Chain Support;
  3. Military Community Quality of Life; and
  4. Workforce Development Support.

VII. Review/Changes:

The signatories (or their successors) will review this MOA periodically, at least once annually.  Proposed changes to this MOA will be in writing and subject to majority (50% + 1) approval in any event by the signatories or their successors. 

IX. Effective Date and Termination:

This agreement is effective when signed and shall remain in effect until terminated by a majority of the steering committee in good standing.  Any member partner may terminate its membership in the WMA by providing no less than 30 days written notice to the WMA of the desired termination date.

Members in good standing shall be defined as those who have fulfilled requirements for the organization and who have not voluntarily withdrawn from membership, been expelled, or suspended.

X.  WMA Membership Status

The Executive Leadership Team maintains the discretion to manage WMA membership.  The Executive Leadership Team, by majority vote (50% + 1), may suspend or expel a WMA member.  

XI. Indemnification:

Each organization represented as a signatory to this document (hereafter referred to as “Party”) shall defend, indemnify, and hold each other harmless from any and all claims, demands, suits, actions, judgments, recoveries, liabilities, penalties, costs and expenses, including, but not limited to reasonable attorney’s fees, resulting from damage or bodily injury, including death, to the extent caused by a party’s breach of this MOA or the negligent actions or omissions of that party or its employees, agents, or officers, elected or appointed. The foregoing indemnity specially covers actions brought by the party’s own employees and each party agrees that the foregoing indemnity is specifically and expressly intended to constitute a waiver of immunity under Washington’s Industrial Insurance Act, Title 51 RCW, but only as to the party entitled to indemnity and only to the extent necessary to provide a full and complete indemnity as required under this section. The indemnification obligation provided in this section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this MOA for the duration of any applicable statute of limitations.

XII. Effects of Agreement:

This MOA is an internal agreement and does not confer any rights upon any individual or other entity. This MOA sets forth mutual goals and approaches. This MOA is not intended to create any rights, benefits, or other responsibilities, either substantive or procedural, nor is it enforceable as law or equity by a party against the United States, its agencies, its officers, or any other person.

Nothing in the MOA shall be interpreted as limiting, suspending, or otherwise affecting the parties’ normal operations or decisions in carrying out their statutory or regulatory duties.  This MOA does not limit or restrict members from participating in similar activities or arrangements with other agencies.

Signed, dated and acknowledged 03 September, 2014: 

Convened by:

Jay Inslee, Governor

Voting Members:
C. William Savitz, Chair

Forward Fairchild

Troy McClelland, President & CEO

Economic Alliance Snohomish County

Richard G. Hadley, President Emeritus

Greater Spokane Incorporated

Mayor Patty Lent, City of Bremerton

Puget Sound Naval Bases Association

Patrick J. McClain, Chair

Military Affairs Committee, Economic Alliance Snohomish County

Josh Brown, Executive Director

Puget Sound Regional Council

Tom Pierson, President/CEO

Tacoma Pierce County Chamber

Carl Adrian, President & CEO

Tri-City Development Council

Kristopher Johnson, President

Association of Washington Business

Suzanne Dale Estey, President & CEO

Economic Development Council of Seattle-King County

Tiffany Scroggs, Program Director

WA Procurement and Technical Assistance Center

Dave Hunt, Executive Director

Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition

Bruce Kendall, President & CEO

Economic Development Board of Tacoma Pierce County

Michael Cade, Executive Director

Thurston County Economic Development Council

Jon Ison, Chair

Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, Yakima Chamber

Commissioner Charlotte Garrido, Board Chair

Kitsap Economic Development Council