In Memoriam: Clark G. Adams, Sr. (1925-2023)

Clark Golden Adams Sr., the first national president of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and an enthusiastic supporter of contract management standards and controls, died May 7, 2023, at his home in Washington, D.C. He was 97.

Clark G. Adams, Sr.

Clark was born in Layton, Davis County, Utah, on June 21, 1925. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and trained as a B-17 pilot. After the war he enrolled at the University of Utah, from which he received bachelor’s and law degrees.

After law school, he landed a job in the contract administration department of North American Aviation in Los Angeles. Clark rose through the ranks at North American to become vice president of contracts and pricing. Two of his many projects there were the XB-70 and B-1 bombers.

During his time at North American, he became a sought-after speaker on government contracting matters. In 1964 he became national president of the National Association of Professional Contract Administrators. It soon merged with another organization and he became the first national president of the new National Contract Management Association. He is an honorary life member of the NCMA.

It was also during this time that he also began teaching courses on government contracting for Government Procurement Associates, later called American Graduate University.

In 1971, Clark received an offer to move to Washington to join the Cost Accounting Standards Board (CASB), which Congress had just created to devise new standards to control and monitor federal contracting procedures, and write standards for contractors doing business with the federal government. Clark jumped at the chance, moved to Washington, and became a project director at the CASB.

He was especially proud of standards that he wrote focusing on home-office expenses, allocation of business unit general and administration expenses, and independent research and development and bid proposal costs, all of which were designed to help federal auditors and company officials account for the use of taxpayer funds.

Congress disbanded the CASB in 1981. Clark transferred to the General Accounting Office (now Government Accountability Office), where he spent the remainder of his federal career as an assistant director for contract management. At the GAO, Clark was particularly proud of his studies on the effects of progress payments and other cost reimbursements, particularly on defense contractors.

Clark retired from the government in 1992, but the concept of retirement always rankled him and he was determined to keep his body and mind active. He continued to teach for American Graduate University until 2021. The week-long seminars he taught (and where his extensive collection of jokes came in handy) became online courses in contract negotiations and pricing, contract law, and contract management. With AGU Press, he published the eighth edition of “Federal Acquisition and Contract Management” in 2015.

Clark is survived by his wife of 73 years, textile artist Barbara Jean (BJ) Adams of Washington and daughter Victoria Adams Fogg (Alan) of Fairfax Station, Va. Son Clark Golden Adams Jr., (Jill) died in 2014. Survivors also include seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A gathering will be held this summer in Washington to celebrate Clark’s life. Donations may be sent to Engedi Refuge (www.engedirefuge.com), which serves women who have experienced sexual exploitation.