PHILADELPHIA –
While balancing customer requirements with industry capabilities, Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s Clothing and Textiles supply chain used creative contracting strategies to provide chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective equipment to soldiers before funding expired.
C&T’s Customer Operations team identified the Army’s Individual Chemical Equipment Management Program’s fiscal year 2021 funding for the Joint Protective Aircrew Ensemble was expiring by September. So, they redirected approximately $7.8 million to manually create 20 new requisitions for the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology, providing 23,820 coats and trousers.
“We have very transparent communication with this customer, not just emailing weekly, we have monthly calls with them,” said Kevin Mackenzie, supervisor to the customer relationship management cell for CBRN equipment. “We were able to be predictive on this, will all the communication we had, and we knew this was coming up.”
Knowing the original requirement for JPACE items was something C&T’s acquisition team wouldn’t be able to fulfill before the funding expired, Mackenzie and team predicated the need to change the requirement to JSLIST items, they knew could be fulfilled.
“We have a contract in place for this item, and the vendor is producing this material,” Mackenzie said.
The suits are similar in fit, form and function, except for JSLIST suits are two-piece ensembles used by ground troops, and the JPACE is a one-piece coverall used by aircrews, said Elena Khovanskaya, lead customer account specialist for CBRN items.
“We had a chance to provide them with materials we had available and to substitute the orders that otherwise would expire,” Khovanskaya said.
As JSLIST is a high demand item, C&T keeps safety stock available and coordinated with other military service customers to push orders to fill the new requisitions.
“This is a great example of collaboration, not just between us and ICEMP, but between the services as well,” said Richard Miller, Readiness and Global Logistics Support division chief.
The CAS team also coordinated internally throughout C&T and while Khovanskaya was on leave, customer account specialists Marissa McGlinn and Maryann Santos, stepped in to assist Mackenzie and provide seamless customer experience, Khovanskaya said.
Redirecting funding for CBRN items is a strategy previously utilized, as funding for Lightweight Joint Protective Aircrew Ensemble requisitions were transitioned to JPACE nearly two years ago for about $3 million, Khovanskaya said.
“This is rare to happen for most programs, it’s not that unusual though for (chemical items) based on material availability,” Mackenzie said. “With the way our industrial base is, it’s harder to find vendors that are able to produce this material, so this is why this occurs more on the regular with this program.”
Saving funding for the customer is a key highlight of this undertaking, Mackenzie said.
“We are, as the CAS team, doing everything we can to satisfy our customers’ needs,” Khovanskaya said.
While balancing customer requirements with industry capabilities, Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s Clothing and Textiles supply chain used creative contracting strategies to provide chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective equipment to soldiers before funding expired.
C&T’s Customer Operations team identified the Army’s Individual Chemical Equipment Management Program’s fiscal year 2021 funding for the Joint Protective Aircrew Ensemble was expiring by September. So, they redirected approximately $7.8 million to manually create 20 new requisitions for the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology, providing 23,820 coats and trousers.
“We have very transparent communication with this customer, not just emailing weekly, we have monthly calls with them,” said Kevin Mackenzie, supervisor to the customer relationship management cell for CBRN equipment. “We were able to be predictive on this, will all the communication we had, and we knew this was coming up.”
Knowing the original requirement for JPACE items was something C&T’s acquisition team wouldn’t be able to fulfill before the funding expired, Mackenzie and team predicated the need to change the requirement to JSLIST items, they knew could be fulfilled.
“We have a contract in place for this item, and the vendor is producing this material,” Mackenzie said.
The suits are similar in fit, form and function, except for JSLIST suits are two-piece ensembles used by ground troops, and the JPACE is a one-piece coverall used by aircrews, said Elena Khovanskaya, lead customer account specialist for CBRN items.
“We had a chance to provide them with materials we had available and to substitute the orders that otherwise would expire,” Khovanskaya said.
As JSLIST is a high demand item, C&T keeps safety stock available and coordinated with other military service customers to push orders to fill the new requisitions.
“This is a great example of collaboration, not just between us and ICEMP, but between the services as well,” said Richard Miller, Readiness and Global Logistics Support division chief.
The CAS team also coordinated internally throughout C&T and while Khovanskaya was on leave, customer account specialists Marissa McGlinn and Maryann Santos, stepped in to assist Mackenzie and provide seamless customer experience, Khovanskaya said.
Redirecting funding for CBRN items is a strategy previously utilized, as funding for Lightweight Joint Protective Aircrew Ensemble requisitions were transitioned to JPACE nearly two years ago for about $3 million, Khovanskaya said.
“This is rare to happen for most programs, it’s not that unusual though for (chemical items) based on material availability,” Mackenzie said. “With the way our industrial base is, it’s harder to find vendors that are able to produce this material, so this is why this occurs more on the regular with this program.”
Saving funding for the customer is a key highlight of this undertaking, Mackenzie said.
“We are, as the CAS team, doing everything we can to satisfy our customers’ needs,” Khovanskaya said.