NAVSUP FLC Bahrain Implements Off-Ship Bill Pay in NAVCENT AOR

By Lt. Matthew Lorge and Carole Stringfield, NAVSUP FLC Bahrain Navy Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Bahrain

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Contracts have been set, tests completed and, as of Oct. 1, Off-Ship Bill Pay (OSBP) has commenced at Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Bahrain.

Starting at the beginning of the 2016 fiscal year, NAVSUP FLC Bahrain and its fleet customer, U.S. Naval Central Forces Command (NAVCENT) implemented new OSBP procedures to enable a more efficient means of ordering and paying for husbanding services for ships operating in the NAVCENT area of responsibility (AOR).

When ships pull into port, they require several different husbanding services from sewage removal to acquiring fresh water. By transferring the responsibility of reviewing, validating and submitting for electronic payment to the shore command, the process provides a means for Navy leadership oversight for the husbanding process and also allows ship personnel more freedom to focus their efforts on other tasks.

"The new process will make things easier for the ships both before and after the port visit," said Rear. Adm. James McNeal, commander, NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS). "Ships' crews will no longer order directly from husbanding service providers or pay for services prior to departure from port. These responsibilities will shift ashore and allow the crew to focus on conducting operations."

NAVSUP FLC Bahrain contracting office originally authored the new procedures in May 2015 and has been reviewing the process, training contracting officer representatives (CORs), and testing out the procedures to ensure a smooth transition over the past several months.

According to Cmdr. Romeo Bautista, husbanding service provider (HSP) COR team lead at NAVCENT, his team is working in tandem with the NAVSUP FLC Bahrain contracting office and Logistics Support Center to provide the "single belly button" to the fleet for port visit contractor management and to ensure the successful implementation of OSBP.

Prior to the new OSBP initiatives, ships had to submit a DD Form 1155 or 'Order for Supply or Services' to the husbanding service provider to order required services. Then, after the port visit, they would have to finalize this document and make payment to the vendor using a U.S. Treasury check. Under the new process, these steps are no longer the responsibility of the Supply department on the ship.

Now, through OSBP, the ship and vendor are able to submit final invoices into an electronic program referred to as "iRAPT" short for 'Inventory, Receipt, Acceptance and Property Transfer.' In this system, invoices are reviewed and validated by CORs and submitted for electronic payment.

"Off Ship Bill Pay is a tremendous leap forward in how the Navy executes port visits. Ships' force personnel can focus on receipt inspection and documentation--arguably one of the most critical aspects of the entire process," said Sean M. Egge, commanding officer, NAVSUP FLC Bahrain. "And the contracting officer representatives' three-way match ensures rock solid accountability by validating order, receipt and bill against each other."

"The ships operating in the NAVCENT AOR face numerous challenges due to the high operational tempo," Bautista said. "Off-Ship Bill Pay will alleviate some of the burden from ships' crew. The HSP COR and NAVSUP FLC Bahrain will ensure that the ships can take advantage of the new process through aggressive pier side support and targeted training."

OSBP also streamlines cooperative efforts between NAVCENT and NAVSUP FLC Bahrain in providing the support in husbanding services to the ships. The COR from NAVCENT work with the contracting office at NAVSUP FLC Bahrain to ensure the prompt, efficient review and execution of the contracts and services.

"This is a complex program to implement and the collaboration between NAVSUP FLC Bahrain and NAVCENT/5th Fleet has been superb," said Egge.

NAVSUP FLC Bahrain has more than 160 military and civilian personnel providing logistics support in the NAVCENT AOR. The command is one of eight fleet logistics centers worldwide in the NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS) enterprise. NAVSUP GLS provides global logistics for a global Navy. The organization is made up of more than 6,500 military and civilian logistics professionals operating from 105 locations worldwide providing an extensive array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units and allied forces across all warfare enterprises.

NAVSUP FLC Bahrain Tests Off-Ship Bill Pay for Husbanding Services

By Lt. Matthew Lorge, Navy Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Bahrain

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Bahrain conducted the first test of Off-Ship Bill Pay (OSBP) procedures for aircraft carrier and cruiser port visits during the week ending July 25 at Khalifa Bin Salman Port, Bahrain.

The new procedures take the responsibility for the ordering and payment of husbanding services, such as tug boats, trash removal, crane support, and fresh water, off of the ship's Supply Department and places it at shore activities. This frees up shipboard personnel for other tasks and provides Navy leaders with more oversight of the husbanding process.

In order to conduct the OSBP test, Code 200, the contracting department of NAVSUP FLC Bahrain, executed a stand-alone husbanding service provider (HSP) contract and issued task orders valued at $672,000 for the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and $124,000 for the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). While tests have been done on smaller units in the past year, this is the first time an aircraft carrier or cruiser has been tested.

Capt. Sean M. Egge, commanding officer of NAVSUP FLC Bahrain, discussed the importance of the OSBP test and what it means to the fleet.

"The new off-ship bill pay procedures will be a major change from how port visits are conducted fleet wide," said Egge. "Not only will the procedures relieve busy shipboard personnel of the administrative tasks associated with port visit costs, they will provide centralized oversight over the process and ensure the taxpayers are getting the best value for their money."

The new procedures require the ship and vendor to submit their final invoices into inventory, receipt, acceptance and property transfer (iRAPT), a secure web based system for electronic invoicing, receipt, and acceptance. A contracting officer's representative (COR) validates that the two sets of invoices match and submits the accepted invoices for electronic payment by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).

James Cutler, a COR for U.S. Naval Central Command (NAVCENT), explained how the test was being conducted.

"The test is going well so far," said Cutler. "The ships have been doing a great job validating the services they have received via the circle, sign, and date process. Once the port visits are completed, we will review the receipts and ensure they match the final invoices submitted by the vendor."

Upon completion of the tests in the NAVCENT area of responsibility (AOR), along with those in other regions around the world, the next step will be to modify the Navy's existing HSP contracts to allow for payment using this electronic process. This will standardize the way the Navy does business while at the same time making it easier for the vendor to receive payment for services they have provided.

"Executing the test contract for USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Normandy was an important milestone in the off-ship bill payment process" said Salah Hani, a contracting officer at Code 200. "We will review the results of these tests and incorporate any lessons learned into our HSP business processes."

NAVSUP FLC Bahrain has more than 160 military and civilian personnel providing logistics support in the region. The command is one of eight FLCs worldwide in the NAVSUP GLS enterprise.

NAVSUP FLC Bahrain is part of NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS), which provides global logistics for a global Navy. The organization is made up of more than 6,500 military and civilian logistics professionals operating from 105 locations worldwide providing an extensive array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units, and allied forces across all warfare enterprises.