Industry Interview: Agility Defense & Government Services

A: Agility’s Defense & Government Services (DGS) is Agility’s public sector division, providing solutions to meet defense and government customers’ growing need to quickly move supplies worldwide to remote locations. With access to over 450 offices in 100 countries, Agility DGS combines a vast network of warehousing facilities with proven risk-tolerant global land, sea and air transportation capabilities.

Our team of supply chain and logistics professionals offers deep knowledge of local processes and procedures and a sound understanding of scalable solutions. Some of our top customers include the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and the Department of State.

Agility’s recent contract awards include the U.S. Army’s Logistics Civil Augmentation Program [LOGCAP] IV contract for which we are a strategic partner on the DynCorp International team. Agility DGS’ role on the LOGCAP IV team is to provide the Army with supply chain and logistics capabilities to rapidly support and augment the logistical requirements of its deployed forces. These global services may include transportation, freight management, warehousing, catering and food service solutions, and bulk fuels and liquid distribution.

Q: What expertise does Agility DGS bring to its customers?

A: Agility DGS has been very successful in meeting our defense and government customers’ needs, based on our expertise in transportation and logistics services and by utilizing Agility’s global network and turnkey infrastructure. We provide our government customers with a proven worldwide Performance-Based Logistics [PBL] solution.

Agility is also known for its innovative approaches implemented to support government customers’ logistics needs around the world. For example, Agility developed MicroTransport, a highly accurate proprietary In Transit Visibility [ITV] vehicle and cargo management solution that uses multiple technologies including satellite tracking, Automatic Vehicle Locators [AVL], Global Positioning Systems mapping and RFID tags.

MicroTransport interfaces with our warehouse management system which enables Agility and our defense customers to track the location and the contents of each vehicle. We can also use this system to monitor the integrity and the cargo, including the temperature of the trailer and door seal status. By providing accurate, secure and in-depth information on a roundthe- clock basis, MicroTransport gives our defense customers control and real-time visibility of their shipments. It also provides for operational flexibility/planning of their shipments in a war time environment.

Q: Which Agility program deserves particular recognition for its size and scope?

A: For the Subsistence Prime Vendor contract, Agility runs a massive and continuous supply line to provide the food needed to feed military personnel in Iraq and Kuwait up to four meals each day.

To put the Prime Vendor Program in perspective:

• Agility buys enough food to make it the largest single purchaser and exporter of American processed foods.
• At its peak, Agility warehouses processed and dispatched 1.8 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables in one week.
• Agility’s freezer warehouses in Kuwait measure 408,083 square feet or a little over eight football fields in length.

This is no small feat, considering the many miles and obstacles that stand between getting food from mainly U.S. companies into the dining facilities that serve U.S. personnel in Iraq. Despite the challenges, the Agility team has a fill rate of close to 100 percent.

Q: Does Agility have customers outside of the Department of Defense?

A: While Agility DGS’ most significant contracts are related to providing food and supplies in support of government customers, Agility realizes the importance of its global outreach capabilities and is proud to work hand-in-hand with emergency relief organizations to supply food, clothing and materials to regions in need around the world. Agility has a track record of providing emergency expeditionary logistics services to some of the world’s most challenging environments— from war zones to areas ravaged by natural disasters.

Agility’s humanitarian support missions include the transportation of four tons of surgical kits from the Netherlands to awaiting surgeons in response to the devastating earthquake that rocked Yogyakarta, Indonesia in May 2006. Agility mobilized its response within 48 hours and delivered critically needed supplies to the disaster zone on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Agility also runs a specialized Humanitarian and Emergency Logistics Program to bring the company’s expertise in expeditionary logistics to disaster preparedness and response efforts, on a pro bono basis. Past projects include moving 200 metric tons of food and dairy products into Beirut, Lebanon during the height of the July and August 2006 conflict. The food was delivered to a Lebanese Red Cross warehouse for distribution throughout the country.

Agility has also joined with other private sector companies to create Logistics Emergency Teams [LETs] that can be deployed within 48 hours to help manage crisis situations. LETs will assist in depot, air lift, transport, warehouse and supply chain management on behalf of the humanitarian community. The first LETs became operational in South Asia earlier this year.