Contracts professionals at Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Yokosuka held biennial simplified acquisition procedures (SAP) training, April 11.

With close to 100 people in attendance, the primary audience for the event included commands and activities that NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka delegates procurement authority, such as government-wide commercial purchase card holders; those with ordering authority; and customers with SAP responsibility.

"Some of the presentations we had were based on Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), the DOD supplement, as well as NAVSUP instructions. But other information was applicable to all personnel utilizing simplified acquisition procedures," said Bret Wood, Procurement Performance Management Assessment Program and sites division director.

"We had a great turnout from across Commander Fleet Activities and the overall response from attendees was positive," said Wood.

Presentations during the two-day training event covered such topics as blanket purchase agreements, contract modifications, unauthorized commitments, government purchase card training and ethics. Presenters from the General Service Administration and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) also spoke on their areas of expertise.

NCIS took part to educate the DON community about the dangers that fraud presents.

"Whether it's product substitution, corruption or taking bribes, fraud endangers our service men and women and negatively affects the DON's capital investments," said Special Agent Marco Tirado, economic crimes representative for the NCIS Far East Field Office.

"We work a lot of product substitution cases in which inferior parts are sold in place of the quality components ordered. For example, if one of the cheap parts ends up being used for helicopter maintenance and it fails, the consequences could be deadly. That's why we always encourage our audiences to be on the lookout for fraud and to report it to us," said Tirado.

Formerly referred to as "small purchase," SAP is a method of procurement described in the FAR for the acquisition of supplies and services including construction, research and development, and commercial items.

The aggregate amount should not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, which is generally $150,000; however, the FAR does permit SAP acquisitions up to $6.5 million for commercial supplies and services.

In order to help prevent some of the unauthorized and potentially fraudulent activities that can be associated with SAP, the contracts team at NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka developed the two-day event.

Wood said they will continue offering the training to the acquisition community and fleet.

"We will continue the biennial training and will certainly incorporate any new guidance that we receive for the future sessions," he said. "Knowledge is power and this kind of training is a vital component in relaying important information about changes to instructions and guidance."

"My hope is that it might also mitigate any improper, negligent or unauthorized procurements," said Wood.

NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka, one of eight fleet logistics centers under NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS), is the western Pacific region's largest U.S. Navy logistics command. Headquartered just 26 miles south of Tokyo, the enterprise networks more than 15 sites from Misawa, Japan, to Sydney, Australia; Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to Guam with a mission to deliver supply and logistics solutions which enable deployed maritime warfighter readiness in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

NAVSUP GLS provides global logistics for a global Navy. The organization is made up of approximately 6,300 military and civilian logistics professionals operating from 105 locations worldwide, providing an extensive array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units, and allied forces across all warfare enterprises.

NAVSUP provides U.S. Naval forces with quality supplies and services. With headquarters in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP oversees logistics programs in the areas of supply operations, conventional ordnance, contracting, resale, fuel, transportation, and security assistance. In addition, NAVSUP is responsible for quality-of-life issues for naval forces including food service, postal services, Navy Exchanges, and movement of household goods.

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