DLA Strategic Plan 2021-2026

TRANSFORMING

GLOBAL LOGISTICS
DLA STRATEGIC PLAN 2021– 2026

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
The Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency

Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Strategic Plan 2021-2026
DIRECTOR’S INTENT
Over more than six decades, the Defense Logistics Agency has established
a strong reputation for service to the Warfighter and value to our Nation.
Keeping pace with today’s accelerating global challenges, DLA continues to
maintain and enhance force readiness for our Military Services and Combatant
Commands. DLA also stands ready to leverage our unique logistics capabilities
in supporting a growing Whole of Government mission without compromising
Warfighter support.

VADM Michelle Skubic
Director, Defense Logistics Agency

Our Strategic Plan meets the evolving requirements of the Warfighter
and the Nation with a targeted transformative approach encompassing the
most critical priorities for the next five years. Grounded in the perspectives
of customers, DoD partners, and our workforce, the strategy aligns DLA’s
resources and efforts.
DLA’s collaboration with all our partners is paramount as we rapidly
innovate at speed and scale to solve problems. We will continue to adapt our
strategy as needed to reflect the rapidly changing, competitive environment in
which we operate.
Focusing our efforts on the key elements articulated here – mission, vision,
lines of effort and critical capabilities – enables us to address the complexities
of today’s geo-political environment and the challenges of tomorrow. With a
world-class DLA Team working to translate this plan into real results, we look
forward to seeing our customers thrive with our support in a demanding and
multifaceted world.
Thank you for your support in implementing this Strategic Plan. Most
importantly, thank you for your commitment and service to our Warfighters
and our Nation. I look forward to working with each one of you as together, we
build on our enduring legacy as the Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency.
WARFIGHTER ALWAYS!

VICE ADMIRAL MICHELLE SKUBIC
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

TRANSFORMING GLOBAL LOGISTICS
As the Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency, we must lean forward to address new challenges that
threaten our global environment. We will meet those threats and the evolving needs of the Warfighter and
Nation with this Strategic Plan, which identifies our most critical priorities and will transform our business
processes over the next five years. Though this transformation will not encompass all of DLA’s day-to-day
activities, these core objectives will have the greatest impact on our ability to achieve mission success.

MISSION:

VISION:

Deliver readiness and lethality to the
Warfighter Always and support our Nation
through quality, proactive global logistics.

Lines of Effort (LOE): Core strategic outcomes of DLA’s Targeted Transformation

Critical Capabilities (CC):

Success across all Lines of Effort
CC-A: People & Culture

>

CC-B: Fiscal Stewardship
Investing in outcomes

>

Supporting our people

As the Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency
and valued partner, we are innovative, adaptable, agile,
and accountable – focused on the Warfighter Always.

LOE 1

LOE 2

LOE 3

Warfighter
Always

Support
to the
Nation

Trusted
Mission
Partner

Deliberate
approach,
without tradeoff
to the Warfighter

Transparency and
accountability to
our customers

LOE 4

LOE 5

Modernized
Acquisition and
Supply Chain
Management

Future of
Work

CC-C: Digital-Business Transformation >
Embracing the future

Tailored solutions
to drive readiness

Leading in
logistics to deliver
best value and
manage risk

Adapting to
new ways of
working

Enterprise Key Performance Indicators (KPI) measure the success of this strategy:
• Service Readiness

• Business Health

• Customer Satisfaction

• Supply Availability

• Liquidity

• Employee Engagement

• Acquisition Timeliness

• Price Competitiveness
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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As the Nation’s Combat
Logistics Agency, DLA
manages the end-toend global defense
supply chain – from raw
materials to end user
disposition – for the five
Military Services, eleven
Combatant Commands,
other federal, state and
local agencies and partner
and allied nations

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
for Acquisition and Sustainment

ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
for Sustainment

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Fort Belvoir, VA

DLA DISTRIBUTION

DLA DISPOSITION SERVICES

Provides storage and distribution
solutions/management, transportation
planning/management, logistics planning
and contingency operations; operates
a global network of distribution centers.

Provides for disposition of excess
property by reutilization, transfer
and demilitarization; conducts
environmental disposal and reuse.

Battle Creek, MI

New Cumberland, PA

DLA TROOP SUPPORT

DLA ENERGY

Philadelphia, PA

Fort Belvoir, VA

Provides food, textiles, construction
material and medical supplies and
equipment, to include pharmaceuticals.

Provides bulk fuel, alternative fuel
renewable energy, aerospace energy,
fuel quality/technical support,
fuel card programs and installation
energy services.

DLA AVIATION

DLA LAND AND MARITIME

Provides repair parts for aviation
weapons systems, flight safety
equipment, maps, environmental
products and industrial plant equipment.

Provides repair parts for ground-based
and maritime weapons systems, small
arms parts, fluid handling and
electronic components.

Columbus, OH

Richmond, VA

DLA EUCOM & AFRICOM
Stuttgart, Germany

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Partnering closely
with industry, DLA
accomplishes this
through its One-Star /
SES-led six Major
Subordinate Commands,
enabled by its three
Regional Commands,
commanded by Colonels
or Navy Captains

www.dla.mil

DLA CENTCOM & SOCOM
MacDill Air Force Base, FL

DLA INDOPACOM

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY BY THE NUMBERS (FY20)
11K

Global Suppliers

$15B

Small Business

9K

Contract Awards per Day

$7.5B

Whole of Government Support

6M

Line Items Managed

$1.1B

Foreign Military Sales

~100%

Mil. Services Consumables

$150B
27K

ABOUT DLA

Revenue

$40.7B

Active Contracts Managed
Total Workforce, 2K Forward Positioned

SUPPORTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY
Combat Operations

On the Battlefield since 1962

Nuclear Enterprise

9 Platforms

National Defense Stockpile

48 Materials, $1.1B Inventory
WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT

COVID-19 Operations

$3.4B in total support as of March 15, 2021

Humanitarian Assistance

12 Major missions since 2010

Disaster Relief

14 Major missions since 2010
AVERAGE DLA SUPPORT IN A DAY

• 89,032 orders

• 1,002,739 meals

• 2,967 construction & barrier items

• 8,802,739 gallons of fuel

• 9,972 medical items

• 6,572 turn-ins

• 166,782 uniform items

• 14,761 pharmaceutical items

• 6,965 repair parts

SELECT AUTHORITIES
10 U.S.C. § 193 – DLA is a Combat Support Agency with Chairman JCS oversight (Goldwater - Nichols Act)
10 U.S.C. § 191 – Common supplies and services managed by a single DoD agency
DoDD 5105.22 – DLA Charter, roles and missions as a Combat Support Agency (2017)
DoDD 5101.1 – DoD Executive Agency (Bulk Fuel, Medical Materiel, Subsistence, Construction & Barrier Materiel)
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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DLA LINES OF EFFORT
This is an unprecedented time in an increasingly
complex global environment. The balance of power
across the world is changing, creating new threats.
We are faced with many challenges: budget and
procurement, pandemics, escalating climate crises,
cyber and digital threats, international economic
disruptions, protracted humanitarian crises, violent
extremism and terrorism, and the proliferation of
nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.
DLA’s plans, processes and actions must focus on
agile, innovative solutions that increase readiness
and lethality for the Combatant Commands and
the Joint Task Force, particularly in a distributed,
contested logistics environment.
Our five Lines of Effort identify the most critical
focus areas for DLA over the next five years. Each
LOE has one or more underlying objectives with
specific initiatives, milestones, and metrics that will

support the execution of this transformation and
have the greatest impact on our ability to serve the
Warfighter and the Nation.
• LOE 1: Warfighter Always
Tailored solutions to drive readiness
• LOE 2: Support to the Nation
Deliberate approach, without tradeoff to
the Warfighter
• LOE 3: Trusted Mission Partner
Transparency and accountability to our
customers
• LOE 4: Modernized Acquisition and
Supply Chain Management
Leading in logistics to deliver best value
and manage risk
• LOE 5: Future of Work
Adapting to new ways of working

WARFIGHTER ALWAYS
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www.dla.mil

LOE 2: SUPPORT TO THE NATION
Objective 2.1: Implement a deliberate, enterprisewide approach to Whole of Government support

NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE

Objective 1.1: Improve end-to-end readiness and costeffectiveness in support of Combatant Commander
Campaign Plans and Integrated Contingency Plans in
competitive and contested logistics environments

DoD is redoubling its commitment to a cooperative,
whole-of-nation approach to national security that
builds consensus, drives creative solutions to crises,
to guarantee that we lead from a position of strength.
As part of this effort, this LOE clarifies a deliberate
approach to our Whole of Government mission with no
cost trade-off to the Warfighter.

Objective 1.2: Partner with customers at the
wholesale and retail levels to address Servicespecific challenges and develop solutions
Objective 1.3: Proactively support the DoD Nuclear
Enterprise and Space Enterprise
DLA’s support to the Warfighter is job one. It’s our
core strategic priority. We must provide the right
support in the right places at the right times.
The Military Services and Combatant Commands
have unique needs and capabilities requiring
customized solutions.
It’s imperative for DLA to make smart, disciplined
investments in innovative tailored logistics solutions to
increase and sustain weapons system and warfighting
readiness – including our Nation’s strategic deterrent
– to meet today’s requirements and prepare for the
future fight.
WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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LINES
OF OF
EFFORT
LINES
EFFORT

LOE 1: WARFIGHTER ALWAYS

Capitalizing on our scope, scale and skills
in acquisition, storage, distribution, and surge
capabilities, the Nation has increasingly called upon
DLA to provide Whole of Government support.

LOE 3: TRUSTED MISSION PARTNER
Objective 3.1: Implement customer-centric
performance metrics and predictive problemsolving culture
Objective 3.2: Provide greater financial transparency
to customers
Objective 3.3: Provide next generation customer
service, including a customer feedback mechanism
Building trust begins with understanding our
customers’ priorities. Through a collaborative, datadriven problem-solving culture, we will pursue viable
solutions to these critical challenges.

PERFORMANCE METRICS AND PROBLEM SOLVING

CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FEEDBACK
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www.dla.mil

DLA will improve trust and transparency by enhancing
customer-facing tools and software, formalizing
customer feedback and increasing collaboration at all
levels. We will align performance metrics and targets to
ensure we are accountable to our customers.

LOE 4: MODERNIZE ACQUISITION AND
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Objective 4.1: Expand industry engagement to foster
innovation and maximize value for our customers
Objective 4.2: Improve the end-to-end post-award
segment to enable collaborative customer support,
increase responsiveness, and manage costs
Objective 4.3: Develop a market intelligence
capability to manage supply chain risk and drive
best value
Objective 4.4: Enhance our acquisition capabilities to
improve readiness for contingencies
The global logistics environment is rapidly evolving
and increasingly interconnected. DLA must work
closely with industry partners to modernize and
streamline our acquisition and end-to-end supply
chains to deliver increased readiness and maintain
our competitive advantage.
Through strong partnerships with our suppliers, and
an enhanced focus on market intelligence capabilities,
DLA will continue building a diverse, resilient, and
agile industrial base to reduce supply chain risk and
drive the best value for our customers.
Given the increasing number of global contingencies,
this will better position us and our partners to meet the
accelerating challenges in an ever-changing world.
At the heart of this LOE is the ability to increasingly
harness and analyze business performance data to
make informed, risk-based decisions and develop
actionable solutions to improve customer outcomes
for routine and contingency operations.
MODERNIZATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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LOE 5: FUTURE OF WORK
Objective 5.1: Redefine virtual work models to enable
our next generation workforce
Objective 5.2: Assess DLA CONUS facilities footprint
to maximize space utilization
Objective 5.3: Build skillsets of the future
The workplace is increasingly virtual, reducing
the need for a large physical footprint. Ongoing
modernization efforts such as the use of mobile
tablets, voice technology, autonomous guided
vehicles and other advances to optimize warehouse
operations all impact the future of work. DLA will
continue adapting to these changes as it attracts and
sustains a competitive workforce to drive increased
productivity and employee satisfaction.

VIRTUAL COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITY

WAREHOUSE UTILIZATION

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www.dla.mil

Creating an optimal work environment for
employees that is modern, safe, secure, and well
maintained will help increase retention and expand
our access to diverse talent pools.

Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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DLA CRITICAL CAPABILITIES
The three Critical Capabilities are fundamental
to our successful transformation. They intersect
and support the five LOEs with specific underlying objectives, initiatives and metrics.
• CC-A: People and Culture
Supporting our people
• CC-B: Fiscal Stewardship
Investing in outcomes
• CC-C: Digital-Business Transformation
Embracing the future
In these areas, DLA must be ready to act,
adapt, reform, and embrace change to improve
our organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

CRITICAL CAPABILITY A:
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Objective A1: People
PEOPLE AND CULTURE

Objective A2: Culture
Our most important asset as an agency is
our people. This capability aligns DLA’s proven
human capital strategies with our mission, LOEs,
and objectives.
Our ability to attract, develop, and retain a
diverse, skilled, and agile workforce is vital to
our continued success.
To achieve a shared vision with the agency’s
Strategic Plan, all DLA organizations, employees
and leaders must work together to fortify
the culture, reward high performance, build
connections, and prioritize safety of the workforce.

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www.dla.mil

CRITICAL CAPABILITY B:
FISCAL STEWARDSHIP
Objective B1: Auditability
Objective B2: Cost visibility and cash management
Objective B3: Investment to drive efficiency
and effectiveness
TRANSFORMATIONAL IT CAPABILITIES

In an increasingly resource-constrained environment we will drive cost effectiveness while
maintaining Service readiness. We must effectively
manage our resources while making smart,
transformative investments that increase value for
our customers and taxpayers.

CRITICAL CAPABILITY C:
DIGITAL-BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

Through enhanced tools and capabilities, we will
improve our cost and cash management for the DLA
Working Capital Fund.

Objective C2: Advanced analytics and automation
Objective C3: Cybersecurity
Objective C4: Technology governance
CRITICAL CAPABILITIES

We will assess our work processes and the
effectiveness of current internal controls to provide
greater transparency, improve auditability and prevent
fraud, waste, and abuse.

Objective C1: Transformational information
technology capabilities

Technology is changing at an exponential
rate, generating new possibilities in logistics
and customer support. It is also increasing the
capabilities of our competitors, the risks to our
supply chains and operations.
We are focusing our IT and digital capability
investments on key areas that will enable us to
enhance performance, reduce costs, and make
more predictive and data-driven decisions.
We will transform our systems and processes to
improve transparency, reliability, and security for
our employees, customers, and suppliers.

TECHNOLOGY GOVERNANCE AND CYBERSECURITY

We will work internally and with our partners to
ensure the agency’s network, systems, and data are
protected from emerging and complex cyber threats.
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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STRATEGIC PLAN EXECUTION
Dedicated commitment at all levels is key to the
successful implementation of DLA’s strategy. Fully
engaged leaders and results-driven teams will be
instrumental to progress and continuous momentum.
Senior leader oversight throughout the agency will
ensure the plan remains on track, properly resourced,
and risks and obstacles are quickly mitigated.
This transformation strategy embodies five
key elements:
• Engaged Leadership
Enabling individuals and small teams
to perform
• Empowered Working Teams
Making timely decisions to drive execution
• Cross-functional Collaboration
Synchronizing planning and execution
• Flexible and Iterative Execution Processes
Using agile “test and learn” approach
• Outcome-based Targets
Measuring progress based on results
DLA’s transformation will be governed through
structured reviews to monitor progress against
the plan.
The overarching strategy will be re-evaluated
periodically through senior-level governance
forums to validate and reprioritize initiatives,
tasks, and metrics to ensure our strategy
remains aligned with the ever-changing
operating environment.

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www.dla.mil

Progress against the plan will be monitored using a
set of enterprise Key Performance Indicators.
These KPIs collectively measure critical customer,
supplier, business health, and employee metrics.
• Service Readiness
Reduce the number of weapons systems
that are non-mission capable due to
DLA parts
• Supply Availability
Use customer-centric supply availability
to measures our ability to meet day-to-day
customer needs
• Acquisition Timeliness
Meet on-time delivery and decrease
production lead time
• Business Health
Maintain a strong and sustainable
financial position
• Liquidity
Optimize cash levels to meet day-to-day
operational requirements
• Price Competitiveness
Provide the best value at the right price
• Customer Satisfaction
Honor our commitments to the customer
and capture their feedback
• Employee Engagement
Inspire employees to enthusiastically fulfill
every aspect of the mission

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
MISSION:

DLA’s fundamental purpose

VISION:

Aspirational statement for DLA’s desired future

LINE OF EFFORT:

Key strategic priority used to link multiple objectives that when
combined achieve an operational or strategic outcome

CRITICAL CAPABILITIES:

Agency enablers which are essential to accomplishing DLA’s strategic
objectives and LOEs

OBJECTIVES:

Specific goals to be achieved and are the most important actions
essential to LOEs and Critical Capabilities – the “how” of the strategy

INITIATIVES:

Key programs and business practices developed to cause a desired
result. Possess specific milestones, timelines and KPIs. They’re
assigned OPRs and are the fundamental level of execution and
performance monitoring

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI):

What we want to achieve and when – quantifiable and outcome
based targets

CAMPAIGN PLAN:

A joint operation plan for a series of related major operations aimed at
achieving strategic or operational objectives within a given time and space
(JP 5-0)

COMBATANT COMMAND (CCMD):

CONTINGENCY PLAN:

A branch of a campaign plan that is planned based on hypothetical
situations for designated threats, catastrophic events, and contingent
missions (JP 5-0)

DOD NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE:

Federation of separate nuclear activities across the U.S. Armed Services
and Defense Department agencies for the execution of a wide range of nuclear
and non-nuclear activities (2014 independent Nuclear Enterprise Review Report)

Strategy designed to achieve a secure, stable, and accessible space
domain by the U.S. and its partners at an accelerated pace over the next 10
years (2020 Defense Space Strategy)

END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN:

Full scale of “the linked activities associated with providing materiel from a
raw material stage to an end user as a finished product” (JP 1-02)

FISCAL STEWARDSHIP:

Resource management of time, money, people, and property; wisely
evaluating financial consequences before existing activities are changed or
eliminated and new activities begin

INDUSTRIAL BASE (ALSO DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE (DIB)):

The Department of Defense, government, and private sector worldwide
industrial complex with capabilities to perform research and development,
design, produce, and maintain military weapon systems, subsystems,
components, or parts to meet military requirements (JP 3-27)

INTERAGENCY:

Of or pertaining to U.S. Government agencies and departments, including
the Department of Defense (JP 3-08)

JOINT TASK FORCE (JTF):

Constituted and designated by the Secretary of Defense, a Combatant
Commander, a sub-unified commander, or an existing joint task force
commander (JP 1)

LETHALITY:

Ability of U.S. Armed Services to apply decisive force

MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS (MSC):

DLA’s title for commands under the administrative and operational control
of DLA’s Director

TEST AND LEARN APPROACH:

Agile set of customer-focused actions taken in small areas to predict
impact on key performance indicators

WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT:

U.S. Government departments and agencies approach involving the
integration of efforts through interagency planning that set forth detailed
concepts of operations

WORKING CAPITAL FUND:

A revolving fund established to finance supply inventory and warehousing,
or to provide working capital for industrial-type activities (JP 3-80)
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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STRATEGIC PLAN EXECUTION

A unified or specified command with a broad continuing mission under a
single commander established and so designated by the President, through
the Secretary of Defense and with the advice and assistance of the Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Combatant commands typically have geographic
or functional responsibilities (JP 1)

DOD SPACE ENTERPRISE (ALSO SPACE STRATEGY):

WARFIGHTER ALWAYS
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