DLA, USACE partnership ensured 24-hour response to road collapse

The Defense Logistics Agency provided more than 400 tons of construction material within 24 hours of awarding a contract to shore a collapsed road alongside a dam that occurred June 19 in Tionesta, Pennsylvania.

The request came from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District immediately after they were notified of the road collapse near the dam.

“I knew we were going to need material to support the road and embankment to avoid a potential collapse, so I called the [DLA Troop Support] Construction and Equipment team on my way to the incident site,” said Neil Anderson, Facilities Manager for the USACE Pittsburgh District.

The call came in to C&E tailored vendor logistics specialist Adam Tutolo.

“Neil gave me a call explaining what happened and requested DLA’s assistance in procuring 300-400 tons of aggregate as fast as possible,” Tutolo said. 

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Heavy construction machinery fills temporary barriers with stone along the access road to a dam in Tionesta, Pennsylvania June 25, 2020. DLA Troop Support’s Construction and Equipment supply chain worked in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and industry partners to expedite delivery of the barriers and construction material used to shore up the area adjacent to the Tionesta Dam. Strong partnerships between DLA, whole of government partners at USACE and industry enabled expedited delivery following the June 19 incident. (Photo courtesy of USACE Pittsburgh District)

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Photo By: Courtesy USACE Pittsburgh District

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Knowing the need was great and timeline short, Tutolo said, he notified his team and the appropriate C&E vendor for the Tionesta area of the incoming request, which was formally received on June 22.

“The direct call gave our team the heads up we needed to expedite the order as soon as it was received,” Tutolo said. “We were able to get quotes, coordinate with USACE and award the contract to an industry partner, Noble Supply, within 24-hours.”

Deliveries commenced on June 24, and continue in a phased approach to meet USACE’s needs in repairing the embankment.

“The DLA/USACE partnership has been developing since Hurricane Sandy in 2012,” Tutolo said. “After our support of USACE during Hurricane Maria we have continued to foster the partnership, specifically in C&E where the majority of USACE support is centered. In the past year we have visited 20 plus USACE locations to brief our programs and build relationships with USACE customers. This relationship building effort paid dividends.”

Director of Logistics at USACE Headquarters, Jeffrey Burbach agreed.

“This is another superb integration of our collective capabilities to get things done,” Burbach said. “[The DLA/USACE] partnership has flourished over the past seven-plus years because of the big events we have accomplished however, it’s the lesser known -but very important- events that carry the day!”