Emergency support equipment ‘Must be operational, ready at a moment’s notice’

Defense Contract Management Agency
Story by Jo Adail Stephenson

Date: 10.17.2011
Posted: 10.17.2011 08:53
News ID: 78593
Emergency support equipment ‘Must be operational, ready at a moment’s notice’

DALLAS, Texas -- Military firefighters like all warfighters rely on the equipment they use because their very lives, and the lives of others, can depend on it. Every part of the fire trucks from the engines to the fire suppression systems must be operational and ready to use at a moment’s notice.

It’s especially important when those fire trucks and all the sub-components are rebuilt through a contract where the rebuild process requires complete disassembly of the trucks for inspection, rebuild and reassembly of all the sub-components, including operational testing to ensure the trucks/equipment meet the original manufacturer's design specifications.

“Both the contractor and DCMA understand that this equipment is for emergency support and … must be operational and ready to use at a moment’s notice,” said David Flowers, Defense Contract Management Agency Dallas, who performs quality assurance on the contract.

DCMA’s role is to ensure the extensive details of the rebuild process are appropriately incorporated by the contractor, Crash Rescue Equipment Service, Inc., into the work instructions and the technicians follow the instructions, or obtain necessary authority, to deviate.

Flowers, who validates the workmanship of the technicians, said, “Every aspect of the rebuild process is done in a manner to deliver a reliable piece of equipment that can be supported in the field with standard [original equipment manufacturer] manuals and parts.”

When it comes to identifying and resolving quality assurance issues, the contractor uses internal processes to generate corrective actions, he said. "DCMA records the results of the final inspections for trend analysis of recurring/systemic weaknesses.”

Part of the work is firm-fixed-price, but some work is subject to over-and-above negotiations, Flowers explained. DCMA validates the costs are appropriate.

“My motivation comes from knowing I had a part in delivering a quality product or preventing a non-conforming product from being delivered,” Flowers said.