Privatizing Vertical Replenishment Mission

Privatizing Vertical Replenishment Mission

Organization: Military Sealift Command

Team Name: Commercial Helicopter Team

Related Acquisition Topic(s): Commercial Practices, Financial Management, Paperless Contracting, Partnering, Performance Based Logistics, Performance Specs and Standards, Strategic Sourcing

Description:
Combat Stores Ships (T-AFS Class Vessels) in the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force Program provide underway replenishment of all types of supplies, ranging from repair parts to fresh food and clothing. This enables the Navy fleet to operate at the highest operational tempo possible, by allowing its ships to remain at sea for extended periods, instead of constantly returning to port for supplies. The T-AFS vessels are government-owned and crewed by civil service mariners. Historically, each ship has had a small Navy department aboard to provide communications and logistics support and to operate H46 helicopter detachments. The military helicopter detachment consists of two CH-46D Sea Knight helicopters supported by six pilots, 22 enlisted members, and one maintenance officer.

Production for the CH-46Ds started in 1960 and was completed in 1971. The planned replacement for these aging CH-46 helicopters is the CH-60, which was scheduled to deploy on Atlantic Fleet T-AFS Class Vessels commencing in 2003. This scheduled deployment scenario is well past the expected life of the CH-46 airframe. In view of this, and the dramatic reductions in required personnel possible with the use of commercial aircraft (7 contractor employees rather than 29 Navy personnel), the Military Sealift Command (MSC) Commercial Helicopter Team pursued an innovative effort to privatize the T-AFS vertical replenishment mission. The accomplishments are listed below:

The benefits of negotiating commercial terms, developing commercial equivalent specifications, and obtaining customer and industry input, translated into a win-win for both the Navy and industry. The Commercial Helicopter Team has enabled the reduction of the logistics infrastructure, while enhancing mission readiness, safety, and performance. The contract to privatize the deployed logistics mission incorporates both customers’ and industry’s concerns and comments, is extremely flexible and effective, and results in substantial savings for the taxpayer.

Military Sealift Command

Commercial Helicopter Team