MECHANICSBURG, Penn. - Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Sigonella, Italy, awarded a worldwide husbanding services contract Oct. 1 with a total ceiling value of $2.1 billion to support Maritime forces of the Department of Defense (DOD), other United States Government agencies, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and other foreign vessels participating in U.S. Military or NATO exercises and missions.
Husbanding services encompass the critical elements of support required when U.S. Navy vessels are visiting commercial and military ports across the globe. Commercial Husbanding Service Providers (HSPs) deliver logistics requirements such as force protection, water, tugs, waste removal, as well as provide electricity, phone lines and transportation to a visiting ship and its crew.
“The NAVSUP FLC Sigonella contracting team did an exceptional job working with the HSP program managers and FLCs, incorporating lessons learned, and revamping language and processes to award a global contract aligned with Navy Audit requirements that provides the flexibility to meet the needs of the Fleets,” said NAVSUP FLC Sigonella Procuring Contracting Officer Gary Trimble.
NAVSUP will execute and monitor the HSP Global Multiple Award Contract (MAC) through a network of eight Fleet Logistics Centers in Norfolk, Virginia; Jacksonville, Florida; San Diego, California; Puget Sound, Washington; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka, Japan; Manama, Bahrain; and Sigonella, Italy.
The contract is known as the HSP Global MAC because 32 companies received contracts under the MAC. The companies awarded are identified in the DOD notice of contract release at https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2369073/.
“The operational logistics required to support a globally dispersed naval force presents complex challenges. Sustainment for warships, aircraft and expeditionary detachments of differing mission and size must be planned, orchestrated, synchronized and integrated all over the world. Commercial HSP contractors provide an adaptable mix of unique skill sets, flexibility and local knowledge in support of joint and naval operations that a strictly naval force cannot cultivate for all scenarios,” said Rear Adm. Peter Stamatopoulos, Commander, NAVSUP.
“This first-ever global award for husbanding represents the culmination of a decade of changes in husbanding contracting to promote competition, responsiveness to the warfighter, and audit compliant processes with more than 30 companies supporting every Fleet across the globe,” said Capt. Jerry King, Chief of Contracting, NAVSUP FLC Sigonella.
NAVSUP serves as the Department of the Navy’s lead for all husbanding services contracts, bringing expertise to perform day-to-day management oversight responsibility. In fiscal year 2019, HSP contracts represented approximately 1,878 task orders valued at $169 million. NAVSUP also conducts husbanding services training on behalf of the Navy.
“In the past four years, NAVSUP and our mission partners have worked together to improve husbanding services by focusing on streamlining source selection, eliminating unpriced line items, and maximizing competition. A ‘cradle to grave’ strategy was incorporated to ensure necessary oversight into the entire process from requirements development, to receipt and acceptance and final payment. Standardized efforts resulted in an improved structured approach to husbanding to support the demand management model,” said Michelle Leary Mationg of the Department of the Navy Category Management Program Office.
In addition to creating contract administration efficiencies, the contract will ensure Maritime forces receive a high level of support no matter the port; reduce contract duplication; better leverage the federal government’s buying power; and drive greater transparency leading to better data-driven business decisions, which help Fleet commanders achieve desired outcomes.
The contract will be supplemented with an online portal to record requirements and measure/monitor husbanding services, which will improve husbanding standardization. “NAVSUP Business Systems Center built the HSP portal to meet the unique demands of each HSP stakeholder and it has proven to be a vital oversight and data analysis tool,” Mationg said.
“Our HSP web-based application supports the demand management model. It is all-inclusive and simple. This HSP portal enables the end user to track metrics and make good data decisions,” said Tom Kunish of the NAVSUP Contracting Directorate.
“Awarding the HSP Global MAC represents over a year of work by OPNAV, the NAVSUP enterprise, and naval component commanders. A fundamental shift from regional contracts to a global contract sets the foundation for the next generation of Navy auditability, data analysis, competition, and process improvement efforts for the husbanding services provider program,” said Cmdr. Chris Kading, OPNAV N4.
“It also standardizes the contract and training for 'At Sea' supply officers across the globe in order to better prepare them, and to help everyone be better stewards of the U.S. taxpayers’ dollar,” said Scott Porter, NAVCENT/COMFIFTHFLEET Husbanding Service Provider Program Manager.
Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP's mission is to provide supplies, services, and quality-of-life support to the Navy and joint warfighter. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.