FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
The Defense Logistics Agency’s Procure-to-Pay Outbound Military Interdepartmental Purchase Program reached a milestone 10 years in the making by increasing its timeliness rate in processing financial transactions with other partners and agencies within 10 days or less. The agency increased workflow timeliness from 72% in 2015 to 93%. The DLA goal is 95%.
Taru (TK) Taylor, manager of DLA Acquisition’s P2P MIPR Program, and his two-member team that includes Christina Lynn and Jeff Harden improved timeliness by incorporating robotic process automation, reengineering business processes, and strengthening existing internal audit controls through automation and oversight. Their work is part of DLA’s modernization effort to centralize procurement function oversight and improve audit readiness.
DLA Financial Systems Analyst Jessica Hower was one of the original builders of the P2P Outbound MIPR team’s workflow process when the program was previously managed by DLA Finance. She helped separate roles and responsibilities and set internal controls for the MIPR purchase order payment and obligation processes in DLA’s Enterprise Business System.
“The simplified process automatically links the purchase orders and vendor invoices in EBS to ensure vendors are paid on time,” Hower said.
The P2P Outbound MIPR Program enables DLA to purchase goods and services from intragovernmental trading partners or other federal agencies, including commercial vendors directly supporting warfighters. Purchases include goods for construction, modernization, restoration projects and base operations, as well as support for DLA resources postured around the globe, engineering support and organically manufactured weapons system items.
Using auditor feedback in EBS, team members implemented controls to increase transactional accountability, transparency, reporting and efficiencies across the DLA Enterprise.
“Over the last few years, we have seen a significant decrease in error rates amongst our MIPR generators, accountable receipt officials, and approving officials since the strengthening of existing and development of new internal process controls in EBS,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s team’s efforts also contributed to the agency receiving an unmodified “clean” audit opinion in fiscal year 2024 for the National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund.
“When it comes to financial audit and risk management, some people believe that processing receipts on time is not a big deal,” said Miguel Zayas, DLA Acquisition supervisory procurement analyst. “When users are not timely with receipts and/or creating purchase orders within the appropriate timeframe, our financial records are not accurate, and we are not showing a true financial picture – something the auditors will identify as deficiency and will prevent the agency from passing an audit.”
Taylor said his team will now focus on improving systems and policies to increase the auditability of the General Fund and the Working Capital Fund. As DLA prepares to implement its G-Invoicing Transformation initiative Oct. 1, the P2P Outbound MIPR team is leading the effort by providing 435-plus requirements for the new business process to improve outbound order accuracy and completeness.
“We have been involved with this since 2016, ensuring that our processes are aligned with the G-Invoicing Transformational effort and its implementation,” he said, adding that DLA must also provide accurate reporting to the Treasury Department.
Additionally, the team ensures DLA employees conduct business according to agency policy, the Defense Department Financial Management Regulation and Federal Acquisition Regulation by providing policy, training, oversight, and help desk support to over 1,500 users, compliance activities and leadership across the DLA Enterprise.