Advance Diversity Services (ADS) is partnering with the University of Wollongong (UOW) to enhance the ability of the settlement and community services sectors to serve the needs of CALD LGBTIQA+ communities.
The joint research project, funded by UOW’s Community Engagement Grants Scheme, aims to understand gaps in the knowledge and skills of diversity service workers when servicing culturally diverse LGBTIQ+ communities in the context of COVID-19.
‘This is a wonderful opportunity to pilot a collaborative approach to understanding the level of LGBTIQA+ acceptance, knowledge and skills of ADS’s service workers,’ said Anthony Scerri, ADS’s Manager for Settlement and Community Services.
‘Once we identify gaps, we can effectively target staff training. Our ultimate aim is to ensure people from CALD LGBTIQ+ communities receive the services they need and feel welcome and included.’
Dr Quah Ee Ling Sharon, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, is leading the research project. Dr Qua is a Singaporean-Chinese queer migrant woman academic whose work draws from decolonial, transnational and intersectional feminist perspectives and centres round community-based research, inequalities and social justice.
She said she was happy to be collaborating with ADS on the project to bring better outcomes for CALD LGBTIQA+ people.
Three innovative projects were chosen for UOW’s 2020 Community Engagement Grants Scheme launched at a virtual celebration on October 22.
Monique Harper-Richardson, Director of Advancement, UOW, and President of the UOW’s USA Foundation, said the quality of this year’s applications for grants was ‘at the highest level’ and all projects funded focused on resilience and recovery for communities affected by COVID-19.
‘These are extraordinary projects and I’m incredibly excited. I also extend my sincere congratulations to the three recipients.’
Special guest at the celebration Dr Belinda Kathlyn Gibbons, Senior Lecturer Faculty of Business, Sydney Business School, UOW, said the grants would help to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals ‘to care for all things and to leave no one behind’.
Mr Scerri said the pandemic had been hard on many in the community and especially marginalised people from diverse backgrounds.
‘This research will help to ensure LGBTIQA+ people from CALD backgrounds receive the best and most appropriate service possible.’
Caption 1: Dr Quah Ee Ling Sharon, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Wollongong (UOW) at the virtual launch of a new UOW-ADS research project.
Defense contractors are a vital part of the US national security infrastructure. As a result, it is essential to understand their finances and creditworthiness.
As a result of the government being their primary customer, most defense contractors have large fixed-price contracts. These contracts are well-suited to periods of low inflation.
The Development of Cutting-Edge Technologies
Defense contractors play a vital role in developing cutting-edge technologies. They create and sustain advanced weapons systems, establish and operate satellites that detect greenhouse gases, assist with climate preparedness and sustainability efforts, and produce the data that informs military operations and commercial applications.
The US government depends on these contractors to perform critical national security functions, and they are vital to the nation’s economy. Despite these essential benefits, the industry faces many challenges. Critics have raised significant concerns about the concentration of contracts among large firms, exorbitant prices for goods and services, fraud, and the “revolving door” between defense contractors and the government.
In addition, many defense companies are forced to set their prices based on cost estimates. These estimates are influenced by suppliers’ quotes, which can increase when contractors face inflationary pressures. Defense companies are also limited in their ability to pass on these rising costs to the government because they typically hold firm-fixed-price contracts.
The Enhancement of Military Preparedness
Defense contractors play a crucial role in maintaining readiness. They provide training, logistics services, and equipment to ensure that military units are equipped to meet their missions’ requirements and serve the nation’s interests.
Traditional defense contracting is a complex and highly regulated process. It is typically conducted under Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) contracts, governed by Federal Acquisition Regulations and the Department of Defense’s regulations. These contracts are often worth billions of dollars and cover the development of multi-billion dollar arsenals of weapons systems, aircraft, ships, and IT business systems.
In a time of soaring inflation and interest rates, firms face significant risk in their ability to pass along higher costs to their customers. Despite this risk, firm-fixed-price contracts, which account for most of the DOD’s contract obligations, are well-suited to periods of low inflation when input costs remain stable, and defense companies can manage their internal and external costs without raising prices.
The Enhancement of National Security
Defense contractors play a critical role in national security. They create jobs, provide research and development services, and produce various products for the military. Their work contributes to the United States’ economic growth and fosters international collaboration.
However, efforts to increase competition within the DIB have positively impacted DOD’s ability to innovate and deliver capabilities. This includes reducing reliance on a few dominant contractors and broadening the domestic defense industrial base.
The Enhancement of Economic Growth
The Department of Defense depends on private contractors to produce various goods, from jet engines and weapons to advanced technology and strategic consulting. But, while allegations of egregious contractor fraud surface frequently, there is little follow-through and a general lack of accountability that benefits major defense companies at the expense of taxpayers.
The unique needs of many defense programs require production processes, facilities, and specifications that diverge from those used in the commercial sector. The resulting pool of potential suppliers must be more significant to sustain competition. As a result, the market for these products tends to consolidate and be dominated by a few firms, imposing long-term sourcing commitments on the government.