New tool helps service components manage bi-lateral logistics agreements

U.S. Joint Forces Command is training its service components on the newly-implemented Acquisition Cross-Service Agreement Global Automated Tracking and Reporting System, which helps track bi-lateral logistics support, supplies and services agreements between the U.S. and allied nations.

By Army Sgt. Jon Cupp
USJFCOM Public Affairs

(NORFOLK, Va. – March 23, 2006) -- U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) has begun training its service components on a new Web-based tool that helps manage Acquisition Cross-Servicing Agreements (ACSA)—bi-lateral agreements between U.S. and allied nations that provide for the exchange of logistics support, supplies and services (LSSS) during exercises, training or operations.

USJFCOM personnel recently provided ACSA Global Automated Tracking and Reporting System (AGATRS) training, which gives the Joint Staff, combatant commands (COCOMS) and service components visibility into the ACSA program.

Authorized users can access AGATRS on any unclassified computer system.

USJFCOM, which controls the permissions for its four service components (Army Forces Command, Fleet Forces Command, Air Combat Command and Marine Corps Forces Command), helped design and implement the system under the Joint Staff’s Joint Logistics Directorate. The system was based on input and feedback received from combatant commanders regarding the capabilities they wanted on the system.

According to USJFCOM officials, AGATRS provides:

• a robust knowledge management capability that includes a huge ACSA data library incorporating advanced document searching.
• transaction execution.
• advanced reporting capabilities which can be customized.
• key fields which allow cross reference to other supply/financial systems.

The need for ACSAs first arose in the 1970s as troop reductions in Europe forced an increase in reliance on NATO allies for logistics support, according to USJFCOM officials.

In 1980, the passing of the NATO Mutual Support Act opened the door for the creation of ACSAs, however, over the years there was no good system in place to manage them, according to Karl Speights, who leads USJFCOM’s efforts with AGATRS.

In efforts to better help combatant commanders in managing ACSAs, developers began working on the AGATRS system in 2004, and the beta version became available for testing in November of 2005. Full operational capability is anticipated March 2006.

“Coming out of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), we learned that logistics visibility was poor and “components going into OIF were not fully trained on the ACSA program,” said Speights. “They didn’t fully understand how to use the ACSA to exchange supplies and services with coalition partners.”

The Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) designates countries as “ACSA eligible”. COCOMs, on behalf of SECDEF negotiate ACSAs with countries inside their area of responsibility, but may be exercised globally.

The agreements open the door for nations to trade LSSS on an equal value exchange, replacement in kind, or payment by cash.

Under the old ways of doing business, such as Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreements, it could take months for the U.S. or NATO, and non-NATO nations to receive support when they may have needed the support immediately.

Speights cited the example of Bosnia where the U.S. often worked alongside other NATO nations as well as coalition partners.

“If another nation came to us and needed five F-16 canopies because the latches on theirs were inoperative—it might take two to three months for them to find a replacement under FMS,” said Speights. “However, if we have a unit in England that could go over to Belgium and say, ‘here are some canopies and we can ship them directly to them,’ then it makes more sense for us to rapidly get those for them.”

Using ACSA agreements in Bosnia, the U.S. provided new coalition member nations with housing, food, and some fuel and transportation among other LSSS-type support.

In return, the nations which the U.S. supported did not necessarily have to pay cash for the services but often opted for replacing services of equal value such as providing fuel to the U.S. or other provisions.

“In many ways, ACSAs promote our working better together as coalition partners,” said Speights. “It helps us reduce our logistical footprint because, if we can count on another nation to provide something, we don’t necessarily have to bring that capability with us.”

Directly following 9-11, USJFCOM implemented an ACSA order requesting NATO Airborne Early Warning Systems airspace coverage over New York, Boston and Washington DC. “In return, we provided maintenance and various types of logistics support through Tinker AFB, Oklahoma as an offset,” said Speights.

Future ACSA successes are expected as “refinement of the AGATRS system continues to develop, we’ll continue to streamline the processes,” added Speights.