SUSTAINING FMS ACQUISITIONS


can be obtained faster, easier and less expensively than acquisition through the Services and Products Division.


Using the Simplified Acquisition Proce- dures outlined under the Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 13, the Simplified Nonstandard Acquisition Program is able to acquire items quickly and efficiently through direct and frequent communication with vendors.


“We can buy parts as small as a nut or bolt, to [larger components like] transmissions, engines or tread for a tank; it just has to be under the $250,000 threshold,” said Selina Fansler, a process manager with the program.


And as in the Services and Products Divi- sion, the speed at which the items are obtained depends on the item, specifically whether the items have to be manufac- tured or if the vendor has surplus sitting on the shelf. It can take anywhere from 30 days to a year, said Fansler. Currently, the turnaround time averages 180 days. “Not bad, considering these are nonstandard items,” Fansler said, “but we’re still look- ing to improve.”


By late March, USASAC plans to field an enhanced Simplified Nonstandard Acqui- sition Program database and procurement system to help reduce turnaround time, Fansler explained. Te new dashboard will allow buyers to see the most urgent needs immediately and introduce an improved vendor portal and tool to manage workload.


“Nonstandard equipment is critical to the military livelihood of our FMS partners,” Fansler explained. “Tere are customers who are modernizing their armed forces, and this gives them the ability to protect their borders and contribute to regional stability. But just as importantly, they


86 Army AL&T Magazine Winter 2020


are able to answer the call when coali- tion operations take place and they are required to not only have the right equip- ment, but also the interoperable skill sets to conduct missions alongside our forces. And they have those skills because they have trained with us, on the same equip- ment, as part of the FMS total package.”


RULES AND REGS While conducting its unique mission, USASAC team members pay close atten- tion to the U.S. Army’s supply chain.


“Army Regulation 725-50, Requisition, Receipt and Issue System,” defines how Army demand planners and item managers should manage procurement and release of recurring and one-time FMS demands. Following the regulation ensures that FMS demands have no impact on stock availability and Army readiness. Further insurance against supply impacts includes:


• The creation of readiness driver and supply availability national stock numbers (NSNs) that identify items with the highest potential to impact the readiness of the system they support, and that are already in limited stock and require intensive stock management.


• FMS-required delivery date tags, added to NSNs to provide better tracking mechanisms.


• The Readiness Crosswalk Dashboard, a system that maps scheduled FMS deliv- eries to the NSNs.


“We have several checks and balances in place to ensure we are not competing with the Army supply chain,” said Fansler. “Any item that is centrally managed, stocked and issued by the DOD will be rejected” and would not be available to be obtained for a potential FMS supply. “Tat’s one of many insurance policies we have in place to prevent this process from negatively impacting our armed forces.”


STUCK IN THE SAND


Providing sustainment support for FMS weapon systems is critical. Without it, the system becomes a very expensive paperweight. (Image by Tim Hanson, USASAC)


CONCLUSION FMS plays an important part in building coalitions and protecting U.S. national security interests. With the growing emphasis on multidomain battles and near-peer adversaries, the FMS system will continue to be a vital force multiplier.


“And that’s what it’s really about,” Fansler added, “helping our partners and bolster- ing U.S. military readiness.”


For more information about FMS or USASAC, go to https://www.army.mil/ info/organization/usasac.


ADRIANE ELLIOT is a public affairs specialist with USASAC at Redstone Arsenal. She served as an Army photojournalist from 1996 to 2005 and has worked in military public affairs for 23 years. Before joining the military workforce, she worked for a daily newspaper in eastern North Carolina, the New Bern Sun Journal, where she wrote news and feature articles and eventually authored a weekly column. Her formal training in journalism, photography and military public affairs took place at the Department of Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Maryland.


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