NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (May 15, 2026) – uniformed and civilian personnel from NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk Code 500 convened for a targeted Lean Six Sigma Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) event at Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Newport News (SUPSHIPNN) on May 11.
Led by Logistics Management Specialist Dwayne Thompson, the cross-functional team targeted a significant administrative bottleneck: the Government Commercial Purchase Card (GCPC) Package screening process. Historically, the screening process averaged 14 days to complete. The systemic delays increased administrative burdens and stalled timely mission support for warfighters across Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS).
The Code 500 team made it their mission to reduce the processing time in half (50%). The working group—featuring SUPSHIPNN Site Director Lt. Cmdr. Juan Benavidez, Deputy Director of Code 500 Crystal Christenbery, Approving Officials, Logistics Specialists, and GCPC cardholder Petty Officer 2nd Class Clemente from USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)—collaborated to identify root causes and create a streamlined, future-state map.
By focusing on actions for warfighters entering availabilities, the team successfully revised training plans and updated justifications to accelerate procurement approvals without sacrificing oversight.
The impact of this initiative extends far beyond the administrative office. Reducing the purchase request backlog decreases reliance on costly emergency procurements, improves communication and collaboration with Stock Control (S-1) and vendors, and ensures the rapid delivery of critical assets to NIMITZ-, FORD-, and VIRGINIA-class platforms.
To recognize the dedication required to overhaul this critical system, leadership gathered on Wednesday, May 13, to celebrate the team's commitment to continuous improvement. Highlighting the event, Executive Director Cynthia Brown presented Dwayne Thompson with the Senior Civilian of the Year award.
For Thompson and the NAVSUP FLC Norfolk team, the week was more than just drawing process maps; it was about directly supporting the fleet.
"Through this initiative, we’ve built a resilient, sustainable GCPC Screening Process," Thompson stated. "We got real about our challenges. We got better by putting in the work to fix them. This is how we uphold the Navy’s mission."