The U.S. Navy’s Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) received the 2014 Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Business Alliance Customer of the Year Award at a ceremony Oct. 22 at DLA headquarters.
The annual award, presented by DLA commander Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek, is given to the organization that has most enabled DLA to achieve its joint mission, as determined by its field activities. PEO LCS was nominated by DLA’s Land and Maritime System’s office for its efforts to shift from using contractor supply support to having DoD-organic supply support management for the Navy’s growing fleet of Littoral Combat Ships.
To facilitate the transition from contractor to DoD supply support, PEO LCS’s Fleet Introduction and Sustainment office (PMS 505) partnered with DLA to ensure the availability of critical spare parts in the stock system from the first LCS deployment to the ongoing sustainment of the platform.
The PMS 505 team, led by Stephen Benante, Deputy Principal Assistant Program Manager for Sustainment Logistics, identified approximately 3,000 National Stock Numbers (NSNs), including LCS Shore Spares, Contractor Demand, Critical Sea Frame, Planned Maintenance, and Coordinated Onboard Ship Allowance List (COSAL), to be included in the “lean forward” initiative. The rigorous, in-depth review allowed DLA to meet its targets for stock on hand / on contract, and ensured that DLA focused on the correct spares during the transition.
PEO LCS/PMS 505 has fully committed LCS supportability to the DoD Supply System, working with DLA and other stakeholders to construct a realistic delivery timeline and negotiate a complex Memorandum of Agreement between PMS 505, Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) and DLA detailing the exact roles and responsibilities of each entity.
Currently, PEO LCS is actively engaged in additional collaborative efforts with DLA and NAVSUP to include supporting the LCS mission modules and identifying the most efficient concept of operations for support to Preventative/Corrective Maintenance Availabilities.
The Program Executive Office for Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) is responsible for delivering and sustaining credible littoral mission capabilities to the fleet. Delivering high-quality warfighting assets while balancing affordability and capability is key to supporting the nation’s maritime strategy.
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Press release, Image: US Navy