Federal Drive Interviews -- Nov. 21, 2012

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) discusses what progress Congress can realistically make on the budget. Anthony Amendolia of the DLA talks turkey -- as in, the thousands of turkeys he ordered for service members overseas. Alex Bolton, senior writer for The Hill, discusses Congress' strategies to avoid the fiscal cliff. GAO's Steve Lord reviews TSA's complaint process.

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Air Force, DLA lead way in suspensions, debarments

In this week's edition of On DoD, we hear from two of the agencies that are using suspension and debarment aggressively. The Air Force and the Defense Logistics Agency together processed more than 800 suspensions, debarments, and proposed debarments last year. We hear from Steven Shaw, the Air Force's deputy general counsel for contractor responsibility, and Normand Lussier, DLA's associate general counsel for contracting integrity.

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Suspension and debarments rise amid pressure from Congress

Agencies are making greater use of their ability to declare contractors and individuals ineligible for work by the federal government. Some outside experts suggest the increase may be the result of hasty decisions.

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DoD bolsters acquisition workforce in face of budget pressures

Tighter budgets and the threat of sequestration have not discouraged the Defense Department from increasing the size of its acquisition workforce, officials said. DoD is adding 20,000 employees to buy more efficiently.

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DLA unhappy with dispersement of surplus gear

The Defense Logistics Agency doesn't like what it sees happening to military gear in Arizona. The agency regularly hands out about $500 million of surplus gear, like Humvees, helicopters, boots and binoculars, to law-enforcement agencies across the country.

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Panel examining flaws in DLA's food-for-troops contract

The Pentagon and the company that supplies U.S. troops in Afghanistan with food and water are locked in a billion-dollar billing dispute that illustrates the flawed management of contracts for battlefield support, according to documents released Thursday by a House oversight subcommittee investigating the arrangement.

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DLA combines plants and microchips to fight counterfeits

The Defense Logistics Agency recently sponsored a program to tag microchips with plant DNA. It was so successful that the DLA is adding a second phase.

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Online tool lets VA employees conceive career paths

John Sepulveda, the Veterans Affairs Department assistant secretary for human resources and administration, said the portal lets employees assess their skill gaps and create a plan to move up the career ladder. HUD and DLA also have initiatives to create high performing employees and organizations.

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DLA brings fresh food to troops, jobs to Afghans

The Defense Logistics Agency's food distribution centers in Afghanistan have provided fresher food to troops and created thousands of jobs for local Afghans.

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DoD testing plant DNA to fight counterfeit parts

The Defense Logistics Agency has completed a pilot program with industry on using botanical molecules in the supply authentication process.

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Military sorts through material from Iraq drawdown

Twila Gonzales, director of disposition services at Defense Logistics Agency, explains how the military decides what it should keep and what it should destroy from the material brought out of Iraq.

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DLA helps Navy power ships on algae, cooking oil

Bruce Blank, the energy director of the DLA's bulk petroleum business unit, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss the procurement process of a new biofuel contract with the Navy.

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DLA implements new task-manager tracker

Fred Baillie, the DLA's chief of staff, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss how the agency's new Task Management Tracker.

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'Forecasting' key to successful suppy-chain management strategy

Glenn San Giacomo, a senior vice president and business unit general manager at SAIC, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss the ins and outs of successful supply chain management. SAIC was recently awarded a supply chain contract by the DLA to provide land and aircraft tires.

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Language Survival Kits get disaster testing in Japan

Language, protocol and cultural barriers can still get in the way of disaster relief even if the countries are allies. Col. Dino Pick, Commandant for the Defense Language Institute, tells us about his unit's efforts to overcome that.

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DLA guidance focuses on efficiencies

Defense Logistics Agency Director has a new 2011 Director's Guidance, which refocuses the agency's goals with an emphasis on increasing efficiencies and savings in accordance with Defense Department requirements. Details from DLA's Fred Baillie.

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DLA readies change to how it buys

The Pentagon's primary purchasing agency is steeling itself for the possible impact of large-scale changes to its budget in the weeks and months ahead as DoD prepares the 2012 budget. The Defense Logistics Agency used a recent conference to inform the vendor community about its plans to save money.

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DLA: working with small businesses

Learn more about DLA's latest conference

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DLA and FEMA prepare for hurricane season

Federal emergency responders can expect prompt and well-rehearsed reaction from the Defense Logistics Agency when providing disaster relief during this year's hurricane season, which runs June 1 through Nov. 30. DLA's Aaron Geduldig explains.

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DLA buying, and helping, in bulk

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