The event was kicked-off by panelist Rear Adm. Peter Stamatopoulos, commander, Naval Supply Systems Command, and 49th Chief of Supply Corps, who gave an overview of NSS-Supply. It was then followed by a question and answer session with Rear Adm. Joseph Hornbuckle, commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, Naval Air Systems Command, and Lynn Kohl, vice-commander, Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support.
Stamatopoulos began by explaining the background, and construct of NSS-Supply. He covered the pillars of the program (areas of emphasis): demand management, optimize working capital fund portfolio, shape industrial base, optimize organic repair and increase end-to-end velocity.
He emphasized that the overarching purpose of NSS-Supply is to increase Navy readiness by ensuring more ships, submarines and aircraft can fly, dive and sail. Additionally, Stamatopoulos shared the program has unlocked more than $650 million in cost-savings.
A lively question and answer session followed with participants asking several insightful questions to the panelists covering a broad range of topics.
During the question and answer portion, Hornbuckle highlighted some of the successes of the program within his area of expertise, aviation.
“I could pull out countless examples over the past couple of years where we have seen NSS-Supply provide very tangible benefits for our naval air forces and our warfighters,” he said. Hornbuckle then discussed several of these examples including the work resulting in increased readiness of the P-8A Poseidon and MQ-4C Triton platforms.
Also, during the question and answer portion, Kohl was asked to explain more about the cash war room, a program designed to facilitate the pillar of optimize working capital fund portfolio.
“The cash war room was put into place to make sure we were buying the correct material based on a changing demand signal,” she said. Kohl explained contracts can go on for years and forecasts can change. With the cash war room, contracts were examined to see if the requirements had changed enough to warrant a modification to the contract to save cash for the Navy while ensuring readiness was maintained.
NSS-Supply dovetails with the Navy's “Get Real, Get Better” (GRGB) initiative, first announced by the Chief of Naval Operations, Rear Adm. Michael Gilday in January 2022.
“The performance to plan is kind of our get real engine. Let’s get real through close monitoring of our performance, measuring it and embracing the red. And then our NSS-Supply is our get better engine by going in and working tough problems in demand management, optimize organic repair, shape the industrial base, our working capital fund and increasing the velocity of our repairs across the system. And there’s more to come,” said Stamatopoulos.
You may watch the webcast in its entirety here: https://www.dau.edu/event/NAVSUP-Secrets-Supply-Chain-Transformation
This webcast was part of NAVSUP WSS Secrets to Success series in partnership with Defense Acquisition University. The series is intended to inform federal acquisition, technology and logistics professionals with a variety of relevant topics on which NAVSUP WSS personnel can provide expert knowledge. The series is held quarterly on the second Tuesday of the month at 11 a.m. Eastern time.
NAVSUP WSS is one of 11 commands under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor and family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsupwss, twitter.com/navsupsyscom and www.linkedin.com/company/navsup-wss