Single Source Rebuttal by Joel Summer
The Move.Mil OneSource homepage greets service members with a picture of a freight truck.
We have a DPS system that is not working. The conundrum we face is whether we abandon this system for a draconian step into Single Sourcing or advocate for fixing the DPS. I believe that going into Single Sourcing at the very least would be like skating on thin ice.
Why do I put thumbs down on Single Sourcing?
This system would have to be created from scratch since we have never gone this route before.
The company selected to run this program could be a firm who has no experience in the moving industry.
No matter who wins the bid it will still take years to reach the quality standards that Transcom is seeking.
There is no trial period to break in a new system.
With all of this in mind, I foresee years to get the results the USTC is seeking. The other route to quality service is something I have championed for 10 years and can be utilized by the DPS. I advocate for the restoration of Letters of Intent. My belief in the restoration of Letters of Intent is something that other members of the industry, as well as military leaders at JPPSO level, believe as well.
At the recent PPF, it was made known to the industry that General Lyons recognizes that the agents and drivers play a crucial role in the availability of resources to do the real work of military moves. In line with that thinking, the general has attached the term “boots on the ground” to agents and drivers. As any general knows, the outcome of a battle rests with the troops on the front line. The boots on the ground. Now here we are with General Lyons about to enter a battle called Peak Season but the boots on the ground are not included in the plan for furnishing and utilizing resources to maximum capacity. I believe this is grossly negligent. **There is no industry representation on the advisory panel at this time**
In the recent PPF, Mr. Jeffrey Yanovich of JPPSO COS presented slide 22 out of 51 (March 20 deck) which I would like to highlight. Mr. Yanovich talks about working a shipment backward. He says: "Find an agent willing to pack ". This goes back to the boots on the ground theory of the LOI. In TOPPS we had direct communication between the PPSO and the agent. Agents were dedicated to their carriers and actually knew what they could and could not service and what days they were available. They also knew what size loads they could handle. If an agent could not take the job on a particular day he could suggest an alternative. If the shipment was a short fuse and the agent knew there was little hope for getting a direct pickup he could ask for SIT Origin and if this was deemed necessary by the PPSO it was granted.
So why not go back to a tried and true system for quality service which we had in TOPPS and let the agents book the shipments? Mr. Yanovich said work the shipment backward when in truth I say that is not backward since the agents with the resources are the ones who can make a commitment and live up to it. An MMC or TSP just gets shipments and then tries to find an agent to service a shipment. Yes anybody is used in peak season by many TSPS. In the old days of Topps, the Carrier had to certify in the Letter of Intent that they had done a personal inspection of the agent's facilities to ensure the agent met all requirements established by the military to service armed forces personnel. At this time there are no requirements for inspection of an agent and his facility prior to the TSP. So I fault the military for allowing unqualified agents to service military moves.
Once again I’d like to point out that DPS completely disregarded the agent with the elimination of the LOI. Return to the LOI and they will be back on the road to quality service. The military must realize the importance of the agent and rely on the quality service they will provide if the USTC works with them to bring back the LOI.
DPS, as it exists now, is a failure which only rewards the MMC and the TSP at the expense of the agents and drivers. There is still time to save DPS but only if USTC goes back to the LOI system and recognizes the importance of agents and drivers; the boots on the ground. It is my hope that someone at USTC shows this note to General Lyons.
Joel Summer attended the recent personal property forum held March 19-20. The Q&A session for that meeting will be linked in the newsletter. You can access all of the information provided by USTRANSCOM at fob.gov here.