Defense logistics agency issue - KMI Media Group

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Some items, like flu vaccines, have a limited shelf life and must reach every base and ship annually within a strict time window. Others, such as CT scanners, need to go into buildings before all the walls are in place, as these may prevent installation. One cost-saving strategy being pursued involves lining up supplies of generic drugs as replacements to name brands as soon as this becomes possible, Buchwald said. Another is the development of an integrated operating room, which is intended to save both time and money in setting up such facilities. Larry Stepp is vice president of national accounts for the government division of Chesterbrook, Pa.-based AmerisourceBergen, a prime pharmacy vendor for DLA Troop Support. The company offers a 24-hour turnaround on any product that it carries, with the contract measuring performance by delivery against what’s ordered over a specified period. Those service levels are 98 percent or higher, leading to greater supply chain efficiency, Stepp said. One of the changes that he sees on the horizon is the greater use of electronic ordering. Another involves track-and-trace bar code initiatives that will support supply chain data and integrity. Pharmaceuticals and medical supplies also have pedigree requirements, mandating that additional information be in the bar code. “That’s all the way down to lot numbers and things like that. That’s what I think the future is. The manufacturers will begin to provide more of that data in their bar codes on the actual products,” Stepp said. more than construction equipment DLA Troop Support’s Construction and Equipment Directorate handles perhaps the largest and most diverse array of goods of any of the directorates. The list includes lighting, metals, lumber, firefighting equipment, materials handling and special operations equipment. “We do some lighting type items. We do heavy equipment,” summarized Tony D’Ambrosio, deputy director of construction and equipment at DLA Troop Support. “We have a full range of items. They range from light bulbs to bulldozers.” Commodity items are handled via a justin-time delivery system. For others, a category that includes heavy equipment, that’s not really possible. In all cases, procurement is handled via contracts that have been set up, 30 | MLF 6.5 with customers ordering items against those contracts. SAIC of McLean, Va., is one vendor responding to those customer orders. It does so under an integrated prime vendor program, as well as a maintenance, repair and operations tailored logistics support program. John Ptakowski is division manager for SAIC’s prime vendor program, which he said handles over 36,000 unique stock numbers. These are used to fill over 99,000 bins at three fleet readiness centers, where technicians repair and refurbish helicopters and other assets. “The requirement that we have as a contractor is to keep those bins filled so that the mechanics do not stop their job for a lack of supply parts,” he said. The bin fill rate is currently over 99 percent, several points higher than called for in the contract. As for the tailored logistics support program, some 250,000 individual line items go through it a year, said Christian Frye, prime vendor maintenance repair and operations division manager. SAIC can handle this thanks to its procurement professionals, an IT backend that can handle the load, a nimble response to what can be a rapidly changing situation, and enhanced customer facing technology. “We provide a web interface to the individual customer so they can come to use with their individual requirements as they are needed. Some things are planned because they’re going to do some expansion. Many things are not planned; that’s where things can break down without the right level of support,” Frye said. Another equipment supplier is ADS of Virginia Beach, Va. Jack Pellicci, DLA sales manager, said the company leverages its buying power and implements commercial practices to generate savings. These are then passed along to the government, something that Pellicci is happy to see. “We’re very, very proud to provide these services and cost savings to the government to ensure that our warfighters are getting the latest and greatest equipment that they need,” he said. the cLothes on their Back The final DLA Troop Support supply chain involves clothing and textiles. This covers everything from utility uniforms, helmets, body armor and boots to dress uniforms, backpacks, tents and sleeping bags, said Gary Colello, director of customer operations for the Clothing and Textiles Directorate. Unlike the other supply chains, this one cannot use just-in-time delivery system and must stockpile items in depots, in part due to the Berry Amendment. That requires that all of the clothing and textiles products be domestically sourced. At the same time, they have to be made to detailed and restrictive military specifications. As a result, there is a small industrial base to support the warfighter, with only one wool manufacturer in the U.S., for instance. There are only four companies that produce the fabric used in camouflage uniforms. Dealing with this situation mandates that the demand be closely monitored, which is done by tracking the number of incoming recruits. There’s also an online ordering system that picks up the demand signal from those already in the military. This information then is constantly communicated to the vendors, who may have only one customer for the products, Colello said. “They need to plan in advance. You can work your way all the way back through the supply chain to ensure there’s enough coming through but not too much.” Some clothing and textile items change very slowly. Others have been undergoing a rapid evolution, with such being the case for body armor. One supplier of such gear is BAE Systems, which in March was awarded a four-year contract to produce tactical vests equipped with soft body armor. These are produced at the company’s Jessup, Pa., facility. In discussing future directions in this type of technology, Eric Gavelda, program director for warfighter protection at BAE Systems, noted that there is an open solicitation out for an advanced combat helmet. The spec includes a weight reduction, with the aim of shaving as much as 10 percent weight off when compared to past helmets. That sort of advance is now typical of what DLA Troop Support attempts to do in modernizing through sustainment. As Gavelda said, “It almost always focuses on those two items: weight reduction or increased capability.” O For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief Jeff McKaughan at jeffm@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mlf-kmi.com. www.MLF-kmi.com
The advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers. KMI cannot be held responsible for discrepancies due to last-minute changes or alterations. MLF RESOURCE CENTER aDVertisers inDex AAR ................................................................................................ 23 www.aarcorp.com APL ................................................................................................ 21 www.apl.com/usflag Aviall .............................................................................................. C3 www.aviall.com Cubic ............................................................................................... 3 www.cubic.com DoD Maintenance Symposium ..................................................... 25 www.sae.org/dod ILS ................................................................................................. 27 www.ilsmart.com Military Logistics Summit .............................................................. 8 www.militarylogisticssummit.com New Breed ..................................................................................... 18 www.newbreed.com Oshkosh......................................................................................... C2 http://oshkoshdefense.com Pratt & Whitney .............................................................................. 5 http://f135engine.com SAIC ............................................................................................... C4 www.saic.com/logistics Sea Box .......................................................................................... 11 www.seabox.com W.W. Williams .................................................................................. 7 www.wwwilliams.com NEXTISSUE Cover and In-Depth Interview with: Lt. Gen. Dennis L. Via Deputy Commander U.S. Army Materiel Command Special Section global Logistics transformation As world conflicts and response evolve, so too does the mobility response. Features Public-Private Partnership The relationship between private industry and the military will evolve more than ever under these stressful budget times. Materiel integration Managing the inventory of existing systems while bringing innovation is a challenge throughout the supply chain. the complete supply chain The professional logistician can never look at the individual pieces of the supply chain but all of them as part of the whole. Depot Maintenance The Army’s depots are responsible for the high level maintenance requirements and are challenged by work loads and budget. SPeciAL PULL-OUt SUPPLement Accenture ........................................................................................................... 9 www.accenture.com IHS ...................................................................................................................4-5 www.ihs.com IHS .................................................................................................................... C4 www.ihs.com Navistar ............................................................................................................ C2 www.navistardefense.com Supreme ............................................................................................................. 3 www.supreme-group.net calenDar June 25-27, 2012 Military Logistics Summit Washington, D.C. www.militarylogisticssummit.com The Publication of Record for the Military Logistics Community BONUS DISTRIBUTION • Military Vehicles Conference • PBL Conference • AUSA-October Insertion Order Deadline: July 2, 2012 • Ad Materials Deadline: July 9, 2012 July 16-18, 2012 Performance Based Life Cycle Support Washington, D.C. www.wbresearch.com/pblusa/ 50 th Anniversary Commemorative Issue ArMy MATErIEl CoMMAND To Advertise, Contact: Jane Engel, MLF Associate Publisher 301.670.5700 x 120 • jane@kmimediagroup.com July 2012 Vol. 6, Issue 6 SPECIAL PULLOUT SUPPLEMENT A special pullout supplement featuring interviews with senior AMC leadership and a detailed look at the organizational structure and business operations of AMC. other features include a two-page pictorial spread of AMC senior leadership plus a review of top critical contracts. “50 th Anniversary of AMC” Poster A specially-designed poster highlighting AMC’s first 50 years. www.MLF-kmi.com MLF 6.5 | 31
Page 1 and 2: Supply Optimizer Redding Hobby Acti
Page 3 and 4: Military logistics ForuM June 2012
Page 5 and 6: SPOTLIGHT: Global Tracking Soluti o
Page 7 and 8: A next generation fighter takes a n
Page 9 and 10: forecasting, lower administrative c
Page 11 and 12: At first glance, the containers use
Page 13 and 14: MILITARY CONTAINERS Quadcon Tricon
Page 15 and 16: We used a lot of things we develope
Page 17 and 18: hundred to a couple hundred thousan
Page 19 and 20: SUPPLY CHAIN General Dynamics NASSC
Page 21 and 22: Q&A Maintaining a Globally Responsi
Page 23 and 24: In a war fought with stealth fighte
Page 25 and 26: AAR has more of what government and
Page 27 and 28: A: Our mantra is “Warfighter Supp
Page 29 and 30: company primarily works with DLA to
Page 31: With nearly $15 billion in sales pr
Page 36: 13-0242 Logistics Solutions for Aff

Defense logistics agency issue - KMI Media Group

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?