USS Lassen Tests Improved Husbanding Agent Payment Process

From Commander, Task Force 70 Public Affairs

DONGHAE, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- USS Lassen (DDG 82) conducted a proof of principle (PoP) for the Secretary of the Navy's initiative to pay husbanding service providers using a new procure to pay (P2P) process during a March 12-14 port visit to Donghae.

U.S. Navy ships use husbanding services during port visits for necessities such as fresh water, electricity, phone lines and transportation. As part of the Navy's Financial Improvement Audit Readiness (FIAR), once the ship verifies appropriate services were provided payments are made electronically through DFAS. The new process helps to remove payment burdens from ships in a manner that is flexible and scalable to fit all ship classes while still allowing for effective delivery of port services.

"The P2P proof of principle will aide in achieving maximum fiscal accountability and audit readiness, and help to develop Navy procedures to ensure bill payment is done efficiently, accurately and on-time," said Capt. Paul Filardi, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70's assistant chief of staff for Maintenance, Materiel, Logistics and Readiness.

The new procure to pay process is part of a larger value stream improvement effort providing end-to-end acquisition support for port visit husbanding services. The process emphasizes financial management and connects back to funding and requirement identification activities integrated with the contracting support processes. Lassen's procure to pay demonstration was the second in a series of tests to be conducted in each of the numbered fleets.

The HSP P2P procedures, "will give the Navy a more transparent process at all levels and support attaining Financial Improvement Audit Readiness", said Cmdr. Michael A. Smith, Lassen's commanding officer.

"Over the last few years the Department of Defense has implemented quite a few changes to government spending and record keeping," said Lt. Michael Valle, Lassen's supply officer. "This new initiative furthers that goal while ultimately reducing the burden placed on deployed personnel. I'm excited to be a part of the proof of principle and look forward to the end result of a more accountable execution of tax payer dollars."

Lassen is currently on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations promoting maritime security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Lassen is one of seven Arleigh-burke class guided-missile destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15 and is permanently forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.