ATTACHMENT G: MEMORANDA OF MARCH 3, 1975 AND FEBRUARY 6, 1975 TO MED/NPS SUPPLY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, SUBJECT: NONPERISHABLE SUBSISTENCE, DOD/VA PLAN OF ACTION DATED JANUARY 21, 1975 MEMORANDUM FOR MEMBERS OF THE INTERAGENCY MEDICAL AND SUBJECT: Nonperishable Subsistence, DOD/VA Reference is made to my memorandum of February 6, 1975, subject same as above, is corrected to read as follows: a. b.. C. Military hospitals Civil agency hospitals All other civil agency users for intra government programs (example of programs to programs related to P.L. 480 and troop feeding, The DOD/VA Task Force developed and presented subject plan which describes the NPS project in a broad sense. The report is, therefore, very useful, especially for providing an understanding of the general information. The next step is to develop a specific work plan. The following is proposed as the first phase of the work plan. (*)1. Limit the scope to: a. b. Military hospitals Civil agency hospitals c. All other civil agency users for intra government programs (i.e.,school lunch programs and programs related to P.L. 480, etc.) 2. Within this scope, determine the answers to the following questions: a. What items are being purchased? b. From what sources are items being acquired? C. Who is purchasing the items? d. For which users are items being purchased? Please review the above and submit your comments to me by 21 January 1975 NON-PERISHABLE SUBSISTENCE, DOD/VA d. An evaluation of the existing options for obtaining nonperishable subsistence support, which are available and authorized to government agencies such as Bureau of Prisons, Public Health Service Hospitals, Department of Interior and other food consuming activities of the federal government, included the following: (1) The Veteran's Administration Supply Catalog, FSC Group 89. Subsistence. (2) The Defense Supply Agency Federal Supply Catalog for Civil Agencies, FSC Class 8905 through 8970. (3) The General Services Administration, Federal Supply Service, Subsistence Catalog, Region 8, Denver Colorado. e. The net result of unlimited access to the above sources of supply has generated a pattern of "shopping" for best price and availability on the part of some civil agencies. This practice has been recognized and controlled by VA and DoD support elements but requires organization which will preclude wide spread confusion in orderly development of demand patterns. f. Considering the foregoing conditions and limitations (subparagraphs b through e above) the following proposals are offered as an orderly and progressive "Plan of Action." (1) Coordinate the necessary arrangements for an orientation meeting between qualified representatives of the VA Marketing Program for non-perishable subsistence and representatives and/or the Chief, Procurement Division, Directorate of Subsistence, Defense Personnel Support Center (DPSC). This meeting would be held at DPSC, in Philadelphia, Pa., on a mutually acceptable date during February 1975. (Tentative) (2) Coordinate similar arrangements between qualified, procurement oriented personnel of the VA Marketing Center Program for non-perishable subsistence and counterpart persoanel from the Procureme it Division, Directorate of Subsistence, DPSC, This meeting would be held at the VA Marketing Center, Hines, illinois. Tentative date, during April 1975. 1 January 1915 NON-PERISHABLE SUBSISTENCE, DOD/VA (3) These meetings will be designed to establish a meaningful level of communication and orientation between the procurement elements of the two agencies charged with the procurement of non-perishable subsistence for the military establishment and for those civil agencies having a requirement for the consumption of food, i.e., hospitals, schools, Job Corps, prisons, etc. b. ESTABLISH THE PARAMETERS AND SCOPE OF THE MISSION (1) Visit the General Services Administration, Federal Supply Service Center, Region 8, Denver, Colorado to determine the volume of non-perishable subsistence being purchased and to obtain a listing of the customers involved. Tentative time frame, May-June 1975. (2) Visit the GSA National Buying Division, in Washington, D. C. to determine the nature and volume of non-perishable subsistence being purchased by that organization. Obtain a list of the storage points and customers involved. Tentative time frame, May-June 1975. (3) Determine whether the U.S. Department of Agriculture purchases non-perishable subsistence for the "School Lunch Program" or for any other purpose. (4) Determine whether the U.S. Forestry Service, Depart:nent of State, or any other major Civil Agency conducts large scale purchases of non-perishable subsistence such as emergency type rations, etc. (5) Review the DoD and VA issue records to determine the number of Civil Agency customers who are obviously "shopping" the available sources for scarce or high priced non-perishable subsistence items, i. e., sugar, canned fruits and vegetable, etc., and establish a specific support assignment. c. To accomplish the accumulation of data outlined in sub-paragraphs b (1) through b (4) above, the assistance of the primary Committee is requested; to arrange contact and clearance with appropriate operating personnel of the GSA, Public Health Service, Bureau of Prisons, Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture and other major Federal Government agencies which may be involved in the procurement and/or regularly scheduled consumption of non-perishable subsistence 21 January 1975 NON-PERISHABLE SUBSISTENCE, DOD/VA III. PROPOSAL No. 2 (Future) ORIENT THE DOD/VA MISSION.. (1) Develop an open end list of high volume, general use, non-perishable subsistence items which DPSC procures in extremely large quantities in support of the military establishment, (coffee, sugar, flour, shortening, evaporated milk, etc.) and consider inclusion of the following, during scheduled DPSC procurements: (a) Quantities of such common usage items; when determined to be acceptable for hospital feeding and/or other VA supported Civil Agency feeding programs; as may be required for consumption during the same approximate consumption period, and (b) For delivery to destinations (VA Support Depots) as designated by the VA Marketing Center. (2) Review the dietetic items procured by the VA Marketing Center to determine the acceptability and requirement for similar items used in diet control programs by DoD Hospitals. Determine the feasibility and economic advantages of single agency (VA Marketing Center) procurement of common dietetic usage items, with deliveries to destinations designated by DPSC. b. COORDINATE AND COOPERATE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT. (1) Review and coordinate to the extent feasible, all requirements related to this study, in connection with critical shortages such as pallets, tin plate for cans, fibreboard containers and such other material as may present purchasing problems, and maintain a functional level of mutual assistance and cooperation which will at all times consider the best overall interest of the government. (2) Review, establish and incorporate in VA and DoD procurement schedules, provisions for support of those major Civil Agencies which maintain distribution points for common usage (menu spread) non-perishable subsistence items, in support of small or isolated activities entitled to government furnished subsistence. (This type of review presumes the ultimate implementation of the basic directive to the effect that VA and DoD will be the single managers for all non-perishable subsistenced used within the Federal Government). Where economically feasible, direct vendor delivery procedures should be utilized. |