FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
Leaders from the Defense Logistics Agency and NATO’s procurement body discussed ways the agencies could work together and avoid competing for future business during a meeting at DLA Headquarters March 31.
Stacy Cummings, general manager of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, met with DLA Logistics Operations leaders including Deputy Director Kristin French; Patrick Kelleher, executive director of operations and sustainment; and Randall Beltran, chief of order fulfillment and planning.
NSPA oversees acquisition and logistics for NATO. Its support and construction operations grew while providing aid in Afghanistan, but acquisition is newer to the agency, Cummings said. She’s working to create an NSPA division solely focused on it.
NSPA is also starting two new programs – Alliance Future Surveillance and Next Generation Rotorcraft –that the United Kingdom will lead, Cummings said. Having standard capabilities across all countries’ parts and equipment will be important, she added.
The agency is creating a new category for construction material requirements, which will allow the NSPA to use industry standards and become a more attractive buyer, Cummings said.
Kelleher suggested tapping into the expertise at DLA Troop Support’s construction and equipment supply chain.
DLA Troop Support also has a maintenance and repair operations division, which is unusual since DLA typically doesn’t do repair work, French said, but the agency has partnerships with construction and equipment companies for minor maintenance and repair.
One of NSPA’s strategic objectives is to take an all-encompassing look at how it buys and sells fuel, Cummings said. She asked whether DLA purchases fuel from small or large companies.
“Energy is a huge small business success story, but we have the big companies – the Exxons and Mobils –so it's a little bit of both,” French said. “But it depends on where we're going to and whoever is supporting that location.”
Large fuel companies often contract out to small companies DLA is already working with, said Stephen Grace, plans and operations director for DLA Energy.
While U.S. Transportation Command is the executive agent for distributing global bulk fuel, DLA Energy manages the Defense Department’s global energy supply chain for more than 4,000 worldwide customers.
“We're competing with each other in Europe,” French said. “We're buying it for Department of Defense, you're buying for NATO, and there's only so many refineries and companies, so we've got to partner so we don't price ourselves out of the market.”
Ukraine is an NSPA customer, but the agency is limited to supplying non-lethal items like boots, uniforms and first-aid kits, Cummings added. NATO also supports Ukraine through its capital trust fund in providing fuel, radios and other items.
NSPA is a customer-funded agency, operating on a no-profit, no-loss basis, according to the agency’s website.