# DLA Distribution Tobyhanna earns the Andrew L. Leitzel Annual Contract Quality Assurance Program Commendable Service Award (Team)

/ Published Oct. 14, 2020
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa., 
Defense Logistics Agency Distribution awarded the Andrew L. Leitzel Annual Contract Quality Assurance Program Commendable Service Award (Team) to DLA Distribution Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania’s Quality Assurance Team. 

DDTP has proven to be excellent stewards of government resources. Being collocated on the premier electronics maintenance depot within the Defense Department at Tobyhanna Army Depot, it is imperative that electrostatic sensitive discharge returns be handled in such a manner so as not to cause additional damage or failure of critical electronic components. Reaching out to their host, DDTP’s Quality Assurance team partnered with TYAD to validate their procedures met requirements for handling, storage, packaging and distribution of these sensitive items. DDTP invited them to perform testing on their ESD stations and observe their program in action.

Simultaneously, one of DDTP’s quality assurance evaluator’s completed TYAD’s online and hands-on training, sharing newly gained knowledge with the DDTP workforce to improve processes and increase quality when handling sensitive devices and circuit cards. The transparency has increased TYAD’s confidence in the way DDTP handle ESD items ensuring the assets in custody are properly cared for in a consistent manner. 

DDTP continues to receive a greater role with audit readiness – the QA team is the local site distribution point of contact. They have been instrumental in flawlessly performing assigned duties having a set delivery schedule, and regularly engage the Wholesale Division supervisors to ensure proper batching of electronic document management system delivery and return form completion. Acting as the liaison between Defense Automated Printing Service and DDTP they administer feedback, guidance and reporting to attain as close to an error-free product as humanly possible. As a result, backlog has been reduced to zero.

Thorough surveillances, the QA team have identified several storage improvements areas in hazardous material storage coding and segregation in a warehouse. A large initiative was underway to empty bays in various DDTP warehouses to facilitate upgrade projects to the facilities. Many commodities that have restrictions on what can be stored next to, above or below, or near them were being re-warehoused. The QA conducted research and provided training to warehouse supervisors and workers on how to properly segregate material based on type storage code and hazardous characteristic code eliminating potential damage, loss and injury to commodities and personnel.

The surveillance supervisor actively reviewed all surveillances and engaged with the Contract Quality Assurance Program Office as demonstrated by the following tables which show the center’s 2019 surveillance completion and quality audit rates while using two different documentation systems during the year.

Their exceptional performance in validating processes was evidenced by conducting over 600 scheduled surveillances that received a 46% CQAPO audit rate with 100% compliance to quality documentation standards.

The QA Team completed 100% of all assigned surveillances. This feat was successfully conducted despite a one-third manning shortfall. The team accomplished a 30% workload increase as a result of the changeover from the quality management system integration tool to the new quality assurance management tool. They not only managed their individually assigned monthly full-time workload but were also able to incorporate their absent team member’s daily workload in with their own. Agile and adaptive, the team demonstrated they could adjust to an increased operation tempo over an extended time while learning a new management system. In excess of 660 surveillances were accomplished within the allotted time and met or exceeded the quality standard for documentation.

The QA team’s superior performance was unmistakable in accomplishing 100% of the scheduled monthly surveillance workload while simultaneously completing the quarterly floor-to-book counts for Distribution operations compliance and audit readiness over 30 days ahead of their suspense each quarter with an additional 14% inventoried above and beyond the minimal requirement (completed 206 when 180 were due – 114%). Then, as if to test their mettle, all three team members were appointed as financial liability officers to conduct investigations and make determinations of financial liability based on the preponderance of evidence collected. One financial liability investigation of property loss resulted in materiel being located thus correcting the owner balance which resulted in an overall cost avoidance of over $12,000.

As soon as the FLIPLs were completed the team was focused on the fiscal year 2019 independent public accountant agreed upon procedures audit working with the auditors, DOD inspector general and DLA Distribution operations personnel, daily performing escort duties whilst conducting floor-to-book inventories confirming and corroborating quantities by location.

Immediately following the IPA AuP audit the QAEs were teaming up with production workers on the floor implementing DLA Distribution fiscal year 2019 Inventory cut-off procedures guidance to the maximum extent, ensuring all work In progress was offloaded, receipted, stowed, picked, packed, offered and physically shipped by end of day Sept. 30, 2019.  Their efforts directly contributed to DDTP accurately stating our closing balances for inventory held on Sept. 30, 2019, in preparation for the agency’s annual financial report to assert existence and completeness for inventory.