Welcome to THELINK!

Connecting Suppliers with DLA

THELINK

Issue 1

June 2016

Upcoming Events:

August 29—September 1: 

“DLA Land & Maritime Suppliers 

Conference & Exposition” 

Greater Columbus Convention 

Center, 400 N. High Street, 

Columbus, OH 43215



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dodlogisticsagency

Welcome to the first issue of THELINK newsletter, a quarterly publication that will highlight information important to you – our 

DLA suppliers! Each quarter, all active DLA 

Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) users will 

receive a PDF via email. THELINK will also 

be posted on the Enterprise Business Systems Supplier Information Resource Center 

(EBS SIRC) along with a notice on the DIBBS 

website https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil

with a direct link to the publication. If you 

are unfamiliar with the EBS SIRC you can 

visit it at http://www.dla.mil/HQ/

InformationOperations/Business/

EBSSupplierResources.aspx. 

The featured article in this issue, located on 

page 3, includes the results from the recent 

DIBBS Survey. You will see an overview of 

our findings and a few of the actions we are 

taking to improve your overall DIBBS experience. Also within this issue are articles 

about new DIBBS functionality, useful updates, reminders and various topics from 

our engineering, supply, policy and small 

business groups.

Each issue will include upcoming events 

and other useful tips. We hope you will 

find this and every issue informative. This 

publication is for you so if you have a suggestion for an article, please send it to 

dibbsbsm@dla.mil. As a reminder, you 

can always find out more about DLA by 

visiting our Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or 

DLA Website listed to the left. We encourage you to share this information 

throughout your companies to further 

improve communications between DLA 

and our valued suppliers. 

Thank you for partnering with us to 

support our warfighters!

ZIP + 4 Update in SAM & DUNS

Correcting your ZIP code +4 will ensure transparency of Department of 

Defense contracting data within government procurement repositories 

such as Federal Procurements Data System Next Generation (FPDS-NG). 

All DoD contracts issued within the United States must be properly 

aligned and associated to a ZIP +4. You can find your full ZIP code by 

using the USPS ZIP code look-up at: https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction_input. 

Please help us by correcting your ZIP +4 in SAM.GOV (System for Award Management) and 

Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) by following the instructions in the job aid posted at: http://

www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/InformationOperations/EBS%20Supplier%

20Information/How_to_update_%20ZipCode4_v3.pdf?ver=2016-06-29-151000-703
NEW! Upload Proposal Functionality

Packaging News

Page 2

The intent is to ensure a reduction in products receipted to 

DLA Land and Maritime which may have catastrophic or 

latent defects caused by exposure to static electricity, 

magnetism or physical damage. Therefore, vendors are 

being advised that more detailed requirements are being 

specified within the packaging codes and 

supplemental packaging statements. Specific 

cushioning and container material identified are 

to be adhered to as specified in each contract. 

Further information may be located on the web 

at http://www.dla.mil/LandandMaritime/Offers/

Services/TechnicalSupport/Logistics/Packaging/

PackFAQs.aspx.

DLA Land and Maritime is focusing on ensuring 

components such as microcircuits, semiconductors, 

relays, hybrids and resistors are adequately protected 

from physical and electrostatic discharge effects. Product 

issues are often caused by inadequate physical protection 

due to cushioning, wrapping material, or 

unit package selections or omissions. 

Therefore, DLA Land and Maritime is 

initiating some changes to the vendor 

requirement. These enhancements will 

give more clarity in defining what is 

considered acceptable cushioning and 

package materials.

SRVA—What is This?

Suppliers are now able to upload offers 

and submit additional documents for open 

RFPs, IFBs and other RFQs that do not 

have a quote button. 

Unless prohibited by the solicitation, 

DIBBS electronic upload is the preferred 

method of proposal submission. You may 

use this new feature to upload a completed offer and all associated documents. 

The offer must be signed and completed in its entirety in accordance 

with the solicitation requirements. 

Once logged in, you will be able to submit an offer in response 

to a solicitation found on the RFP search tab by 

selecting the Offer icon. The button will only be 

selectable for vendors who are logged into DIBBS.

Why use this new feature? After you submit 

your proposal, you will get a printable receipt 

stating the offer was successfully submitted. 

NOTE: if the ability to upload proposals is 

unavailable for any reason, this does not 

constitute an acceptable reason for a late bid. 

Always refer to your solicitation for other 

acceptable submission methods.

Did You Know? If you 

are EDI capable the front 

of the DD1155 in block 

19 or other award 

document will state 

"Award sent EDI, do not 

duplicate shipment", you 

will not receive award 

notification emails. You 

can only have one or the 

other.

The Supplier Requirements Visibility Application (SRVA) program provides suppliers with DLA 

forecasting information. The second week of each month, 24 months of forecast information 

is sent to DIBBS. To use this tool, suppliers can go to DIBBS, click on the SRVA link, and input a 

list of NIINs to retrieve the forecast information (you must be logged in to access this feature). 

The Projected Planned Orders (forecast/estimates) are based on statistical forecasts generated from history and may include data from collaborative efforts between DLA and the customer. It is important to note that these estimates are not binding.

This SRVA process should allow DLA and suppliers to reduce lead times, increase customer 

support and improve warfighter readiness by the demand and supply chains via an end-toend process from the customer to DLA and to the supplier. 

SRVA support is available by contacting the following mailboxes:

 Aviation: dscr.srvaaviation@dla.mil 

 Land: dscc.srvaland@dla.mil

 Maritime: dscc.srvamaritime@dla.mil 

 Clothing & Textile, Construction & Equipment, Industrial Hardware, Medical or 

Subsistence: dlatroopsupportsrva@dla.mil 

 Energy: dlaenergydemandplanning@dla.mil
DIBBS Survey Results

Coming Soon! DLAD Clause Deletions

Page 3

111 clauses found in Defense Logistics Acquisition 

Directive (DLAD) Parts 9, 11, 23, 27, 45, 46, and 47 are 

slated for elimination this summer. Clauses containing 

technical/quality (TQ) requirements will be converted 

to TQ notes, while clauses containing instructions to 

offerors and evaluation criteria will become Procurement notes. Many other clauses will be deleted 

without replacement. 

DLA TQ notes and Procurement notes will both have 

unique numbers and will be incorporated by reference in 

DLA contract documents. Suppliers will access the full 

text of the notes in one consolidated requirements 

document posted on the DLA Internet Bid Board System 

(DIBBS). Training slides and details will be posted in a 

future DIBBS notice. 

At the end of February, a survey was sent to DIBBS users to gather input regarding the usability of the DIBBS website in 

terms of navigation, layout/design, readability, etc. Over 1,700 responses were received including 659 detailed comments. 

Each and every comment was read and categorized for a future DIBBS redesign effort. 

What do our suppliers think about DIBBS overall? When asked, “Were you satisfied with your overall experience,” responders answered “Yes” 83% of the time. Less experienced users reported lower satisfaction rates indicating a need for more 

"user friendly" updates.

Over 20% of the comments included suggestions for changes to the password or login requirements. Suppliers felt that the 

requirements are overly complicated and expire too quickly. DoD security regulations mandate the password requirements 

which limits the flexibility to make changes; however, future functionality will include a pop-up box to inform suppliers what 

password requirements were not met. This should help with the frustration of creating new passwords. There is also a user 

self-unlock feature being designed.

Nearly 19% of the comments included recommendations to improve the searching capability. Suggestions included better 

sorting, the ability to export search results, adding more search categories and adding an overview or summary of the 

requirements to reduce the need to download documents. A significant effort is now underway to design these search 

enhancements and return the RFQ Text Search functionality that was removed in mid-March.

Other comments received that are being considered include: allowing more quote comments, improving overall screen 

navigation and adding training videos and other useful help screens. There were also many recommendations to improve 

cFolders that were forwarded to the appropriate team to research. Although cFolders is accessed via DIBBS, it is a separate 

system unrelated to DIBBS. Suppliers are reminded to contact the DLA Enterprise Help Desk at 1-855-352-0001 or by email 

at DLAEnterpriseHelpDesk@DLA.mil for additional assistance with cFolders.

The DIBBS team greatly appreciates your input and will continue to work on improving the overall DIBBS experience!
 In 2014, generated more than $38 billion in sales and revenue. If ranked in the Fortune 500, DLA would 

be at #79. 

 Employs 25,000 civilians and military. 

 Supports more than 2,430 weapon systems. 

 Manages nine supply chains and nearly 5.3 million items. 

 In 2014, received nearly $40 billion in excess and surplus 

property that was reutilized, transferred, disposed of or donated. 

 Operates in 48 states and 28 countries. 

 Processes 100,000 requisitions and awards over 10,000 contract lines each day. 

 Manages 24 distribution centers worldwide. 

 Supplied 100 million barrels of fuel in 2014. 

 Humanitarian relief support totaled more than 8 million meals and 11 million gallons of fuel in the past 

four years. Supports 110 nations with $2 billion of support items annually through the Foreign Military 

Sales program. 

DLA Quick Facts:

Land and Maritime Small Business News 

“Maximizing Warfighter Readiness Today and 

Tomorrow... the Strategic Advantage of 

Better Buying Power”

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Land and Maritime is proud 

to announce the return of the “DLA Land & Maritime Supplier Conference & Exposition” to downtown Columbus, Ohio. 

The 2016 conference will be held at the Columbus Convention Center August 29 – September 1, 2016 and will have 

limited exhibition space available for vendors.

This year’s theme “Maximizing Warfighter Readiness Today 

and Tomorrow...the Strategic Advantage of Better Buying 

Power” aligns with Department of Defense’s focus on Better 

Buying Power 3.0. In support of this effort, DLA’s Strategic 

Plan focuses on collaboration, innovation and smart investments among the workforce’s top priorities. 

Through working with industry, DLA can integrate innovation 

into its business practices. DLA’s business model has evolved 

from a very transactional model to one that values longterm relationships. Better Buying Power asks us all to think 

about the next evolution, one that creates greater synergy 

with our service partners and incentivizes industry to improve their products. This educational conference will provide an opportunity for us to build Page 4

new and strengthen existing partnerships, at the strategic 

and tactical levels. 

We have a 2 1⁄2 day event planned. Mornings will be filled 

with dynamic speakers from Industry as well as a small 

business and large business panel discussion with industry 

leaders. We will also have General Officer speakers from the 

Army and Navy providing the voice of our customers. 

Afternoons will feature breakout topics.

Whether you are a small business looking to start a relationship with DLA, or have been part of our team and working 

with us for years, please make plans to join us this summer at 

the Columbus Convention Center as we work together to 

maximize warfighter readiness through Better Buying Power.

Registration is open! We hope to see you there!

www.ndia.org/meetings/6780