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News | March 12, 2018

Events offer updates on Network Optimization

By Tim Hoyle DLA Disposition Services

Network Optimization was a major topic during two events in February as updates on the initiative were shared with the workforce.

DLA Disposition Services Director Mike Cannon discussed the program during his Feb. 6 town hall with employees. Cannon said a study of staffing at DLA Dispositions Services at Battle Creek, Michigan, to ensure the staff is organized as effectively as it can be to ensure support to the field sites. He expects to receive recommendations from that team doing the study soon, but said “I don’t think you’re going to see huge changes” in how the staff is organized.” 

Cannon also discussed the status of changes among the sites across the continental United States. He said that nearly all of the sites that would gain or lose personnel remained on track to reach their initial operating capacity according to schedule.

“That doesn’t mean they can do everything, but it does mean you are able to begin operating in your new status,” Cannon said. “So if you were a cross-dock going to a small site, now you can start to receive some property and do some of the other task that go with that sized site.”

To make the transition, Cannon said sites have to ensure they have the people, training, equipment and the property facilities to perform the workload. Once a site has met the initial operating requirements they still have work to do to become “fully operations capable.”

At a Feb. 15 sales workshop, Network Optimization Program Manager Nina Bagi, answered questions from the attendees on the status of the initiative, which has shifted personnel and changed operations across the continental United States to match people and resources where they are needed most to serve customers. One question dealt with sites that are limited to receiving “true scrap” and whether they could accept items submitted as usable and then downgrade them to scrap material to handle at that site.

“Usable property must go to a full field site,” Bagi said. “You cannot downgrade on receipt.”

There was also the question about what would happen if the changes in personnel and operations later revealed not all needs were being met. Bagi reminded attendees that there will be a sustainment phase after all changes are complete where data on new operations would be reviewed.

“If the data shows we need to make an adjustment, than a change could be considered based on that,” Bagi said. She added that such data would be given to the director and the executive team to consider.

Since part of Network Optimization is to ensure that work is done efficiently and where it makes the most sense, Bagi also clarified that disposal service representatives have no boundaries on where they send items. If they receive a call from customer out of their local area, she said the representatives could still send the property wherever it needs to go.

For more information, visit the Network Optimization page on the DLA Disposition Services website to view briefings, facts sheets and other informational materials.