Defense Energy Support Center News

Web-based Procurement Management Systems Standardize Purchasing Procedures, Increase Transaction Oversight and Streamline Accounting Processes for the U.S. The Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), a field activity of the Defense Logistics Agency and an agency within the U.S. Government Department of Defense, is responsible for the procurement of all energy-related resources in support of the warfighters of the U.S. DESC program management began implementing card programs for the purchase of ground and aviation fuel in the mid-1990s. The success of these programs led to the formal creation of the Government Fuel Card Program Office in 2006. The department’s focus was to implement, manage, and improve fuel procurement services offered by the DESC.

The United States Government Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) provides fueling services to Department of Defense, federal civilian and government agencies. In the wake of the Haiti disaster, both the access to and convenience of obtaining necessary fuels for aviation and maritime support efforts became a matter of clear necessity. Beginning on Tuesday evening, January 12 – the night of the initial earthquake – support representatives from Multi Service, the exclusive contractor for the DESC AIR Card and SEA Card Programs, mobilized in support of Defense Logistics and DESC Haiti disaster relief actions to ensure that U.S. support aircrafts and vessels would have access to the fuel required for completing their missions.

BP Marine has collected its third accolade after the innovation of its SEA Card – Ships’ bunkers’ Easy Acquisition Card – solution was recognized by the US Government. Created as a solution to the US Defense Energy Support Center’s (DESC) search for a more efficient marine fuel procurement process, SEA Card played a significant role in the Government Fuel Card Program winning the 2007 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award. The Government Fuel Card Program team received the honor for making the acquisition system for air, fleet and sea fuels more efficient, responsive and timely.

The Argentine supply ship ARA Patagonia (B 1) participates in exercises alongside dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) to mark the beginning of UNITAS. Navies from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Spain and the United States are participating in UNITAS Atlantic 48-2007 from May 2-13 off the coast of Argentina. UNITAS is a combined South American- and U.S.-sponsored annual exercise that incorporates forces from several participating nations. Argentina is hosting this year’s Atlantic phase. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lenny M. By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Holly Boynton, U.S. Commander, Task Force Four Three (CTF 43) provided supply support to numerous U.S. and partner nation naval ships during a recent exercise off the coast of Argentina.

Navy officials participated in a town hall meeting March 20 to inform Point Loma residents how the Navy plans to cleanup 500,000 to 1.5 million gallons of fuel that seeped into the ground beneath a fuel depot. Since 1999, a significant amount of JP-5 and marine diesel fuel has seeped from three steel tanks at Naval Base Point Loma (NBPL), forming a plume on top of the water table nearly 50 feet underground. The tanks are located aboveground in an area of the base designated as the Defense Fuel Support Point, which provides Defense Energy Support Center fuel to all local and surrounding military bases via pipeline networks, tankers and vessels. The fuel leaked through small holes that developed in the bottom of tanks that are more than 70 years old.