Tag: Military and DOD

Made in America – Meets National Security Needs for Department of Defense

Made in America - Meets National Security Needs for Department of Defense
Made in America – Meets National Security Needs for Department of Defense

Following a push for “Buy American,” the Trump Administration has rolled out another executive order regarding the sourcing of defense equipment from domestic manufacturers. Soon, contractors may be required to source made-in-the-USA materials from a DoD equipment supplier whenever feasible.

A more thorough analysis of what we know so far about the new DoD equipment supplier requirements has been made by Inside Government Contracts. Among the takeaways:

> The manufacturing order is intended to assess the military’s procurement methods as well as to boost the country’s defense manufacturing industry.

> The Secretary of Defense must complete a report by April 17, 2018, detailing the “resiliency and capacity” of the defense industrial base, so exact laws and regulations will be clearer around that time.

> Requirements to buy American products will most likely impact purchases for products that are already made or could be made domestically, and are not prohibitively more expensive than foreign-made alternatives.

DJ Products, a USA-Made DoD Equipment Supplier

Our company’s mission is to provide ergonomic, safe, and affordable solutions for material handling equipment such as warehouse cart movers and trailer tows. As a DoD equipment supplier, we have GSA-approved products such as our CarCaddy Military Truck Pusher, which can haul Humvees and other heavy trucks.

DJ Products is based out of Minnesota, and our material handling solutions are made in the USA. Rest assured that our DoD contractor equipment will satisfy any kind of domestic procurement law that may affect your operations in the near future.

Contact DJ Products to learn more about our cost-effective options for military contractors who need vehicle, trailer, or equipment moving solutions.

Congress Pads Bills with Preferential Treatment for Military Sole Source Contractors

Congress Pads Bills with Preferential Treatment for Military Sole Source Contractors
Congress Pads Bills with Preferential Treatment for Military Sole Source Contractors

Much of the business world is moving toward greater transparency these days. Some clothing retailers even explicitly state their costs per garment while touting their openness. In the defense industry, things don’t work like that. In fact, sole-source contractors for the Department of Defense were just given free rein to sell more to Uncle Sam without providing any cost info for labor or materials.

Funding the military meets with wide agreement, even among members of Congress. As David Dayen of The Intercept recently wrote, the National Defense Authorization Act passes on-time more than any other recurring vote.

Cost data must be provided for competitive contracts as part of the bidding process. For supplies or services with a sole-source contractor, there was previously no need to share cost data for contracts up to $500 million. That just got quintupled up to a $2.5 million limit.

As you can imagine, this means that suppliers who already have a monopoly on their work can now do even more business without transparency.

Smaller contractors have to worry about the cost of DoD contractors’ equipment needs and labor while bidding competitively. One could argue that’s the best thing for taxpayers’ interests and for maintaining a free market.

As Dayen notes in his coverage, this preferential treatment for larger, sole-source contractors takes away focus on minimizing costs for DoD spending. It also lets certain players avoid disclosure to rig the system in their favor.

DJ Products serves DoD contractors’ equipment needs with trailer movers, powered cart movers, and more GSA-approved equipment. Browse our site for solutions that can help your firm stay competitive for DoD contracts.

Probe Started into Camo Colors Selected for Afghanistan Military by the Pentagon

Probe Started into Camo Colors Selected for Afghanistan Military by the Pentagon
Probe Started into Camo Colors Selected for Afghanistan Military by the Pentagon

Military spending by the Department of Defense is sometimes a source of controversy. The subject recently took an unusual turn when a criminal probe was launched regarding the purchase of uniforms for Afghan troops.

“This Is About Reason and Common Sense”

John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, opened the investigation this past July. Sopko made the announcement when he recently appeared before a House Armed Services subcommittee.

According to Sopko, there are two significant problems with the purchase:

• Although Afghanistan is largely covered by desert, the uniforms feature a woodland pattern.

• The expensive and proprietary pattern was purchased from a private contractor when the Defense Department had their own patterns available for use.

In the IG’s 17-page report, it was implied that the pattern was selected based on a whim expressed by the Afghan defense minister rather than a formal assessment to determine an appropriate choice.

The Government Reacts

While the Pentagon and the IG are often at odds, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis criticized the “ineffective and wasteful manner” of spending taxpayer dollars. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), chair of the oversight and investigations panel, stated, “We cannot afford to make avoidable mistakes.”

Electric Tugs and Movers for DoD Contractors’ Equipment Needs

Moving heavy equipment such as aircraft, boats and trailers is labor-intensive and carries a significant risk of injury. DJ Products offers a full line of electric tugs and movers to accommodate any DoD contractors’ equipment needs.

Visit our website and let one of our friendly and knowledgeable sales engineers help you find the right solution for your business.

Congress Tackles DoD Acquisition Overhaul

Putting the Pieces Together for Effective Acquisition
Putting the Pieces Together for Effective DoD Acquisition

Once again, the House Armed Forces Committee is tackling the hot-button issue of DoD acquisition reform. The current Defense authorization bill under consideration includes a blockbuster provision that would signal the biggest change in decades.

DoD Joins the E-Commerce Revolution?

The provision in question requires DoD to purchase commercial off-the-shelf products from at least two private sector online platforms such as Amazon and Staples. Committee chairman Mac Thornberry’s original proposal has been revised to include all federal government spending.

While proponents of the measure believe the government would benefit from the already competitive nature of online buying, opponents question the possibility of conflicts of interest by forcing commercial firms to sell through a portal operated by a competitor. There’s also the question of compliance with the Buy American Act and other legal requirements.

Controlling Service Contract Spending

Other provisions address service contracts, which comprise more than half of the DoD’s contracted spending. DoD budgets would be required to include detailed spending plans for both service contracts and weapons systems, and so-called “bridge contracts” to cover the period between an expiring contract and a new one, which would need approval from officials at increasingly higher levels of command.

DoD Contractor Equipment Supplier Tugs, Movers and Pushers from DJ Products

The DoD uses an incredibly varied range of products and vehicles, which is why a DoD contractor equipment supplier needs an effective solution for safe and efficient movement of these items. Our full line of battery-powered tugs and pushers can move loads weighing up to 50,000 pounds.

Visit our website to learn more from one of our friendly sales engineers.