1. Doing Business With the Military
Main Organizations
Food Systems
Key Players
Strategies
James Fagan, Executive Director
Research and Development Associates
Fall 2010 Meeting

2. Value R&DA Meetings
Cost to visit all key government agencies two times and once to commercial firms:
Travel and labor: $61,710
Cost to attend 2 R&DA meetings annually:
Travel , lodging , fees, labor: $9,380
Net Savings: $ 52,330
Face time with decision makers: priceless

3. Main Military Organizations
The Military Services: Army, Marines, Navy,
Air Force
Natick
DLA Troop Support
VETCOM
USDA

4. Purpose of Session
To provide you with an understanding of how the government does business in food, packaging, and
related areas

5. Military Services Approve all food & services Verify quality
Visit users to assess
Usually first place to start
Provide funding
NO ACTION IF THEY DISAPPROVE

6. Military Services Army: Joint Culinary Center of Excellence
Fort Lee , VA
USMC
HQ USMC
Pentagon
Washington, DC

7. Military Services US Air Force US Air Force Services Agency
San Antonio, TX
US Navy
NAVSUP
Mechanicsburg, VA

8. Natick: Soldier Systems Center
Conducts scientific studies
Verify contents of food
Establish many specifications
Technical experts for services
Program managers
THEIR CONCURRENCE IS ESSENTIAL ON MOST ITEMS

9. NATICK
Natick Research and Development Center
Natick, MA

10. DLA Troop Support Buying agents for DoD (all services)
Rations
Prime Vendor
Direct Buys (reducing)
Almost all contracting goes through DSCP
Executive Agent for Food (supports all military in a war zone)

11. DLA Troop Support
DLA Troop Support
Philadelphia, PA

12. VETCOM Quality is their main purpose in food
Inspect on site
Operate evaluation laboratories
Check items against specifications
On site at ration producers
Keep detailed records of all key food items
Inspect establishments to supply DoD
RECOMMEND ONLY

13. VETCOM
HQs VETCOM
Fort Sam Houston
San Antonio, TX

14. USDA Key player in rations Ensures compliance with legal requirements
Affects specifications
Required on-site at some locations
Accept or reject items offered to government in some situations
Keep historical data
Can shut down manufacturers
Ensures compliance with legal requirements

15. USDA
Defense Contract Inspection Service
Washington, DC

16. FOOD SYSTEMS
RATIONS
PRIME VENDOR
COMMISSARY
EXCHANGE
DIRECT CONTRACTS

17. RATIONS MREs, UGRs, HDR, etc. Services indicate component items
Natick ensures items are compliant
Specifications are developed
Items are tested in lab and with military
DLA-TS contracts assembly
Company delivers as DLA-TS instructs

18. Rations
MRE : 3 yr shelf life/3,600 calories for three meals/limited space/war stopper
UGR: Family of rations/all different shelf life/see specs/feeds 50 military
Special Rations: There is a ration for every situation
THESE ARE DISCUSSED IN WORKGROUP

19. PRIME VENDOR Background
Dining Halls get almost every item from company who wins an exclusive geographical contract with option years
Stocked items of the contract winner is basis of support
Contractor evaluated annually by DLA-TS
About $3-5 Billion annually

20. COMMISSARIES Military retail food stores $12 billion in sales
Brand name items and bulk items
HQ in Ft Lee, VA (DECA)
Very specific in procedures
Too expensive without broker

21. EXCHANGE SERVICES Military “Wal-Mart type” operations
Three Exchange services: AAFES/Navy/ Marines
Over $21 billion in sales
Bureaucratic procedures and extremely competitive

22. Direct Government Contracts
USDA
Installations
Any government agency
Must get on bid list and comply with qualifications
Every agency has ability to buy direct

23. SYSTEM EXAMPLES MRE (meal, ready to eat) UGR (unitized group ration)
PRIME VENDOR CONTRACTS
COMMISSARIES & EXCHANGES

24. Meal, Ready to Eat(MRE) Items
Start with services and Natick (program manager)
Understand shelf life, nutrition, and packaging requirements
Submit for consideration: Give reasons in writing and do so repeatedly
Submit exactly what you are to provide for evaluation

25. MRE: Continued
Items will be field tested and evaluated Three-year shelf 80 F
If high enough scores (hedonic scale), tested by Natick in field
Time from beginning to end is 18 months
THERE IS NO GUARANTY THAT YOUR ITEM WILL BE PRODUCED BY YOU

26. Unitized Group Ration (UGR): Complete Meal for 50!
Army (JCCoE) & Natick are first steps
New menu/new item/alternate supplier
Calories/protein/cost/weight & cube
Shelf life
Samples essential for evaluation
Should partner with an assembler

27. UGR: Continued Evaluations by Natick required
May need new national stock number
Can use an existing generic description (DSCP)
Must negotiate with assemblers
Price competition
Delivery on time
Large quantities in short time frame

28. Prime Vendor Operations
Annual contract with up to five one-year options
Successful bidder gets exclusive contract for a geographical region
PV must discuss support with customers

29. Prime Vendor (Continued)
PV determines most items supplied but must meet needs of customers
Cost plus contract
Some set aside contracts
MASTER PRICE AGREEMENTS: OCONUS CONTRACTS!!!!

30. Commissaries & Exchanges
Types of items
Organizational structure:
Headquarters
Regions
Individual stores
Usual manufacturer requirements
Deliver daily
Stock shelves daily
handle discrepancies

31. Commissary/Exchanges Continued
Brokers are best method
Already know structure and all key folks
Have ability to:
handle orders
stock shelves
process payment to DFAS
do it all

32. KEY PLAYERS
GOVERNMENT
INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATIONS

33. Key Government Players
Military Services
Navy: CDR Dailey
USMC: LTC Rogers
Army: LTC Johnson
CW4 Georgene Davis
Dave Sherriff
Rick Byrd
Air Force: George Miller

34. Key Players: VETCOM
There will be a regional veterinary command in your area
CW 3 William Warren

35. Key Players: DSCP HQ: CAPT. Hansen 215-737-2900
HQ: Ray Miller &
Rich Faso
Rations:
Harry Streibich
Jim Lecollier

36. Prime Vendor Prime Vendor: John Steenberge 215-737-7445
Joe Hauser

37. Key Players: Natick HQ: Gerry Darsch 508-233-4402 Rations Program
Jeannette Kennedy
Judy Aylward
Sue Harrington
Poly Tray: Bob Trottier
Packaging: Peter Sherman
Science: Dr. Pat Dunne
Specifications: Mary Caniff

38. Natick Continued
Others:
Betty Davis

39. INDUSTRY KEY PLAYERS MRE ASSEMBLERS: UNITIZED GROUP RATIONS
AMERIQUAL
SOPAKCO
WORNICK
UNITIZED GROUP RATIONS
LABATT FOOD SERVICE
AMERIQUAL / WORNICK

40. INDUSTRY CONTINUED PRIME VENDORS LABATT FOOD SERVICE US FOOD SERVICE
LANKFORD SYSCO
SYSCO
PYA MONARCH
** SEE DLA-TS WEBSITE (

41. ASSOCIATIONS
R&DA
WEBSITE: MILITARYFOOD.ORG

42. QUESTIONS ??????
THIS IS
A GOOD TIME TO ASK
QUESTIONS!!!

43. THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO ASK A QUESTION!!!
QUESTIONS
THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO ASK A QUESTION!!!

44. CONCLUSIONS The government marketplace is different but understandable
Get to know where your products fit
Get to the right people
Ask questions
Network
When in doubt: Ask

45. Email Addresses judith.marie.aylward@us.army.mil

46. Emails 2 ddubose@sopakco.com c.patrick.dunne@us.army.mil

47. Emails 3 james.lecollier@dla.mil john.mcnulty@us.army.mil