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News | Feb. 10, 2020

On track for a strong 2020

By DLA Energy Public Affairs

The Defense Logistics Agency director met with DLA Energy leadership to review DLA Energy’s fiscal year 2020 Dynamic Operating Plan at the McNamara Headquarters Complex at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Jan. 28.

The biannual DOP review provides the opportunity for Energy leaders to brief the DLA director on their efforts to align operations with DLA’s strategic goals and objectives. The Fiscal Year 2020 DLA Strategy Map for Energy emphasizes key items of service readiness, fueling the fight and posturing capabilities for a rapid response.

“Thank you for your service,” Army Lt. Gen. Darrell Williams said to his audience of Energy senior leaders and regional deputies. “The importance of DLA Energy to this Agency and to the Warfighter could not be higher. I’ve been here almost three years and I always learn something new about DLA Energy every time I come to visit.”

Prior to the review, Williams and DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Albert G. Miller toured Energy workspaces to personally recognize several employees with the director’s personal coin for their outstanding performance. Kenneth Dodd, Yesenia Mejias, Inge Updike, Laceenis Fordham, Mike Holgate, Charles Nelson and Carmen Tallada were among those recognized.

Customer Account Specialist Inge Updike provides customer service to non-Department of Defense agencies. She is a new DLA Energy employee who transferred from DLA Troop Support two months ago.

“The Corp of Engineers is a new customer,” Updike told the general. “I’m in charge of bringing over the customer account requirements for 104 U.S. Army Corp of Engineer locations. The data is used for contractor support under Posts, Camps and Stations contracts.”

Recognizing employees as DLA’s “secret sauce,” Williams virtually presented “Ya Done Good” awards during a video conference to five regional DLA Energy employees. The awardees included John Fitzsimmons from DLA Energy Okinawa, Son Yong Pak from DLA Energy Korea, Khoa Nguyen from DLA Energy South-West Pacific, Russell Ogden from DLA Energy Japan, and Tony Scales from DLA Energy Indo-Pacific.

Included in this year’s DOP attendance were more than 10 DLA Energy regional deputy directors who were invited to attend as part of the DLA Energy Commander’s strategic offsite, Jan. 29-31.

“One of the advantages of attending the DOP is learning about the issues that headquarters is working on and the second and third effects it has on the regions,” said Adam Shirriff, DLA Energy Korea deputy director.

This year’s DOP discussion highlights included DLA Energy’s 2019 Culture Action Plan, significant reductions in the time it takes to award contracts and improved small business performance. 

After an impressive showing in the 2019 Denison Culture Survey, DLA Energy is forging ahead with an ambitious 2019 Culture Action Plan focusing on talent management and development.

“We are on track with our action and milestones plan,” said Culture Climate Champion Drake Utley at the DOP briefing. “With our aggressive employee outreach and career enhancing opportunities, we’ve achieved a 28% increase in professional development applications from the previous year.”

Out of those applications, 21 DLA Energy employees were selected for leadership development courses under the fiscal year 2020 Executive Development Program. 

DLA Energy’s promotion of small business contracts was a considerable topic of discussion during the DOP meeting. Small businesses are an important part of the American economy and contribute to more than half of the private workforce. DLA Energy supports this enterprise by setting aside 35% of contract requirements to small business.

“For seven consecutive years DLA Energy exceeded its small business goals,” said DLA Energy Small Business Associate Director Greg Thevenin. “Last year, we awarded eight contracts worth $520 million to small businesses. Our success is attributed to the DLA Energy acquisition professionals who actively work to engage small businesses and encourage their participation.”

To illustrate another highlight, DLA Energy Supplier Operations Director Gabby Earhardt briefed that DLA Energy made significant reductions to the time it takes to award contracts including long-term contracts and large buys. The agency’s TTA goal for DLA Energy is 205 days. DLA Energy reduced its time to award from 157 days in fiscal year 2018 to 142 days for fiscal year 2019.

“I am thankful for all the hard work our team put in to creating our latest update to the director,” Miller said. “There are several areas that caught the attention of the senior DLA leaders that provide great promise to the resiliency and effect of the energy supply chain to the Warfighter.”