Defense Logistics Agency Enterprise Supplier Conference
Written by Tonya Johnson, DLA Strategic Communications
MLF 2010 Volume: 4 Issue: 7 (August)
Defense Logistics Agency to Showcase
MRAPs, Other Demos at Conference.
If you want to see the types of vehicles soldiers and Marines are driving in Afghanistan and Iraq, then plan to attend the Defense Logistics Agency’s Enterprise Supplier Conference later this month.
The conference will be held August 23-25 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. People who attend the event will have an opportunity to see the mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, also known as the MRAPs, on display.
“The MRAP and M-ATV (MRAP all-terrain vehicle) are our direct link to the warfighter,” said John Dreska, DLA MRAP program manager. “They really make a difference in the lives of those military members who are protecting our freedom.”
John Pitcock, the DLA MRAP surge team leader who is currently deployed to Afghanistan, has heard from servicemembers who credit the MRAP for saving their lives. DLA works with the military services to provide spare parts for MRAPs and other vehicles.
“I recently had a great conversation with the crew of a MaxxPro [one of the types of MRAP vehicles] that was bringing their vehicle in for an air conditioning retrofit,” said Pitcock. “Adversaries had just blown up the MaxxPro, and the crew survived. They all testified to the survivability of the MaxxPro and owed their lives to it. It was very gratifying to talk to these guys and shake their hands. This really gives purpose to the work done here.”
Other military vehicles will be on display with civilian and military personnel there to answer questions. DLA plans to have a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, 5-ton Family Medium Tactical Vehicle and Lightly Armored Vehicle at the event.
Conference attendees will also see other displays during the event. Participants will see the various types of field rations known as Meals Ready to Eat, or MREs, and first strike rations that DLA supplies to troops deployed around the world.
DLA will also have combat boots, military uniforms, chemical protective clothing, body armor, chaplain items and Black Hawk spare parts on display.
This is the first DLA enterprise-wide Supplier Conference, and the event replaces the former Land and Maritime Supply Chains Business Conference held each year in Columbus. The conference allows all of the agency’s suppliers and customers to come to a single event to share ideas and learn about some of the latest initiatives the agency is implementing to provide better customer service and enhance relationships with its suppliers.
Representatives from throughout the agency and all of DLA’s supply chains will be at the conference—fuel/energy; land systems; maritime systems; troop support; aviation; subsistence; clothing and textile; and construction and equipment—to discuss topics such as ways to do business with the agency, collaborative forecasting and DLA’s Performance Based Logistics capabilities. In addition, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will give a presentation on how the organization supports DLA’s contracts and suppliers.
Scheduled guest speakers at this year’s conference include: Robert Hale, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller); Frank Kendall, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology; Alan Estevez, Principal Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics & Materiel Readiness); Air Force General Duncan McNabb, commander, U.S. Transportation Command; Shay Assad, director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy; and Patrick Fitzgerald, director of the Defense Contract Audit Agency. DLA Support Team commanders will share their points of view from their area of responsibility.
While attending the new conference, attendees will also notice that DLA’s field activities have new names. The agency’s field activities were renamed in July to reflect a clearer connection as part of DLA. (See We are DLA article on page 34 for more information).
To register for the conference or to purchase exhibit space, go to the National Defense Industrial Association’s Website at www.ndia.org/meetings/0780/Pages/default.aspx. ♦
DLA—A Unified Single-agency Approach
On July 19, Defense Logistics Agency Director Navy Vice Admiral Alan Thompson announced a new initiative designed to create a single-agency environment to allow customers, suppliers and stakeholders to know the full scope of agency capabilities and build a greater sense of community among its 26,000-member global workforce.
We Are DLA, the plan’s name, is a unified single-agency approach, uniting segments of the agency regardless of geographic location or mission. DLA has field sites in 48 states and 28 countries; We Are DLA is expected to bring those activities together both in name and spirit.
The first step in emphasizing DLA’s identity is renaming its field activities to clearly identify each as a part of DLA. Some current DLA organizational names reflect individual missions while others denote geographic location. Many do not have DLA as part of their name. The new names reflect a clear affiliation with DLA, as well as the commodity or service provided to customers.
For example, the Defense Supply Center Columbus is now DLA Land and Maritime; Defense Supply Center Philadelphia is DLA Troop Support; Defense Supply Center Richmond is DLA Aviation; and Defense Energy Support Center is DLA Energy. “We Are DLA will build a greater sense of community and ownership for our employees, while creating a clearer and more definitive identity for customers, suppliers and stakeholders,” Thompson said. “By providing an integrated picture for warfighters and DLA’s other customers, we give them the opportunity to take advantage of DLA’s full potential. We present ourselves as a cohesive, collaborative and forwardthinking organization.”
As the Department of Defense’s combat logistics support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America’s military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 80 percent of the military’s spare parts.
The table below lists the former and new DLA organizational names. The We Are DLA Webpage is at www.dla.mil/wearedla.aspx.♦
Recognizing Industry Partners
The Defense Logistics Agency will honor 22 industry partners, customers and individuals August 24 during its Business Alliance Award ceremony.
DLA Director, Navy Vice Admiral Alan S. Thompson, will present the annual awards during the agency’s Enterprise Supplier Conference and Exhibition held this year at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio (August 23-25).
The awards recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to partner with DLA and improve the agency’s mission—providing supplies and services to America’s warfighters.
Industry representatives and DLA customers will be recognized in seven categories:
Vendor Excellence
Awarded to large, small, small disadvantaged, womenowned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and historically underutilized business zone small businesses that have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.
• Aerospace & Commercial Technologies Inc., Aledo, Texas (small business)
• Linde LLC, Murray Hill, N.J. (large business)
• Rev-Cap Company Inc., Maple Shade, N.J. (small disadvantaged business)
• Dare Electronics Inc., Troy, Ohio (women-owned small business)
• All Rite Distributing Co. Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind. (service disabled, veteran-owned small business)
• Central Ohio Metal Shipping, Columbus, Ohio (historically underutilized business zone, small business)
Innovative Business Performer of the Year
Awarded to large, small, small disadvantaged, women-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that have undertaken risks associated with innovative business practices such as shared production, electronic commerce, prime vendor contracts and quick response time, and have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.
• Regent Systems Inc., Dayton, Ohio (small business)
• Hess Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J. (large business)
• E-3 Enterprises Inc., Potomac, Md. (small disadvantaged business)
• MinnTech Electronics Inc., Hibbing, Minn. women-owned small business)
• PAL Services, O’Fallonm Mo. (service-disabled veteran-owned small business)
New DLA Contractor of the Year
Awarded to large or small business that contracted for the first time with DLA, and has demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.
• Trinity Armour Inc., Clinton Township, Mich. (small disadvantaged business)/(women-owned small business)
Outstanding Readiness Support
Awarded to a large, small, small disadvantaged, womenowned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that have provided extraordinary customer support, service or product during a crisis situation and have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.
• Airtronic USA Inc., Elk Grove Village, Ill. (small business)
• Science Applications International Corp., Fairfield, N.J. (large business)
• UPI Manufacturing, Eagle, Wis. (small disadvantaged business)
• Surplus Electrical Innovations Inc., Norfolk, Va. (women-owned small business)
• Pikes Peak Cargo Secure Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo. (service-disabled, veteran-owned small business)
Outstanding Ability One Program Vendor
Awarded to nonprofit agencies—NIB (National Industries for the Blind, employing the blind) or NISH, (employing persons with severe disabilities)—that exemplify overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.
• Arizona Industries for the Blind, Phoenix, Ariz. (NIB)
• Eastern Carolina Vocational Center, Greenville, N.C. (NISH)
Customer of the Year
Awarded to the Department of Defense customer organization and the non- Department of Defense customer organization that exemplifies the highest degree of professionalism, and meets or exceeds criteria in one or more of the following categories: vendor excellence, innovative business performer or outstanding readiness support to DLA.
DoD Customer
• U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency, Defense Medical Logistics Center, Fort Detrick, Md.
Non-DoD Customer
• National Oceanographic Atmospheric Agency, Alaska Region, Anchorage, Alaska
Commander’s Choice Award
Awarded to the non-DLA individual whose dedication and commitment to the DLA mission affects the quality of life for U.S. men and women in uniform.
• Ryan Moore, principal investigator, American Metalcasting Consortium, North Charleston, S.C.
As the Department of Defense’s combat logistics support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America’s military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies about 84 percent of the military’s spare parts. ♦
