Defense Logistics Agency recognizes 21 industry partners for business excellence

FORT BELVOIR, Va., Oct. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Defense Logistics Agency honored 21 industry partners, customers and individuals during its Business Alliance Award ceremony.

DLA Director, Navy Vice Adm. Mark D. Harnitchek, presented the annual awards at DLA headquarters October 23.

The awards recognized those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to partner with DLA and improve the agency's mission – providing supplies and services to America's warfighters.

Industry representatives and DLA customers were recognized in eight categories:

Vendor Excellence: Awarded to large, small, small disadvantaged, women-owned small businesses, service disabled, veteran-owned small businesses, and historically underutilized business zone small businesses that have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Government Liquidation, Scottsdale, Ariz. (large business)
• Peerless Chain Company, Portsmouth, R.I. (small business)
• Stern Produce, Phoenix, Ariz. (small disadvantaged business)
• Mathews Associates, Inc., Sanford Fla. (women-owned small business)
• Jamaica Bearings Company, Inc., New Hyde Park, N.Y. (service disabled, veteran-owned small business)
• Pima Valve, Inc., Chandler, Ariz. (historically underutilized business zone, small business)

Innovative Business Performer of the Year: Awarded to large, small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, service disabled, veteran-owned, and historically underutilized business zone small businesses that have undertaken risks associated with innovative business practices such as shared production, electronic commerce, prime vendor contracts and quick response time, and have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Zimmer US, Incorporated, Warsaw, Ind. (large business)
• Jameson LLC, Clover, S.C. (small business)
• International Logistics Group, LLC, Warner Robins, Ga. (small disadvantaged business)
• International Logistics Group, LLC, Warner Robins, Ga. (women-owned small business)
• AGH Industries, Inc., Fort Worth Texas (service disabled, veteran-owned small business)

New DLA Contractor of the Year: Awarded to a large or small business that contracted for the first time with DLA, and has demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy..

• Soltec Electronics LLC, Rockledge, Fla.

Outstanding Readiness Support: Awarded to large, small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, service disabled, veteran-owned,  and historically underutilized business zone small businesses that have provided extraordinary customer support, service or product during a crisis situation and have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Tachikawa Sanso Company, Ltd., Akishima, Japan (large business)
• Foster Fuels, Inc., Brookneal, Va. (small business)
• International Logistics Group, LLC, Warner Robins, Ga. (small disadvantaged business)
• Western Sales and Testing of Amarillo, Inc., Amarillo, Texas (women-owned small business)
• International Logistics Group, LLC, Warner Robins, Ga. (service disabled, veteran-owned small business)

Outstanding Ability One Program Vendor: Awarded to non-profit agencies – NIB (National Industries for the Blind, employing the blind) or NISH, (employing persons with severe disabilities) – that exemplify overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas (NIB)
• SEKRI, Inc., Corbin, Ky. (NISH)

Recognized Cost Saver: Awarded to a business for its extraordinary efforts that resulted in cost savings to the government through a reduction in material costs throughout the performance period of a contract. These savings are measured by the reductions in the cost of items to the government, reduced profit margins, reduced overhead, and/or other tangible areas of savings that ultimately leads to DLA reducing its material costs to its customers.

• Lockheed Martin MS2, Baltimore, Md. (large business)
• Enviremedial Services, Inc., Oceanside, Calif. (small business)

Customer of the Year: Awarded to the Department of Defense customer organization and the non-Department of Defense customer organization that exemplifies the highest degree of professionalism, and meets or exceeds criteria in one or more of the following categories: vendor excellence, innovative business performer or outstanding readiness support to DLA.

DoD Customer

• US Army Persistent Threat Detection System, Aerostat Program Office, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

Non-DoD Customer

• US Coast Guard Fuel Card Office, Chesapeake, Va.

Commander's Choice Award: Awarded to the non-DLA individual whose dedication and commitment to the DLA mission affects the quality of life for U.S. men and women in uniform.

• Mr. Kevin D. Johnson, Chief, Persistent Surveillance Futures Directorate, HQ, Department of Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, Washington, DC

As a Department of Defense combat support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America's military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 80 percent of the military's spare parts.

Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., DLA has about 27,000 employees worldwide and supports more than 2,210 weapon systems. For more information about DLA, go to www.dla.mil, www.facebook.com/dla.mil or http://twitter.com/dlamil.

SOURCE Defense Logistics Agency