ALCOAST 049/09 COMDTNOTE 4000 SUBJ: LOGISTICS TRANSFORMATION - BI-LEVEL MAINTENANCE A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 051723Z SEP 08/ ALCOAST 425/08 B. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 071755Z OCT 08/ ALCOAST 500/08 C. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 071847Z NOV 08/ ALCOAST 554/08 1. PURPOSE. REF A PROVIDES THE COMMANDANTS DIRECTION REGARDING THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR ENTIRE LOGISTICS SUPPORT SYSTEM TO A COMMON LOGISTICS MODEL. REF B AND REF C ARE THE FIRST AND SECOND OF THE LOGISTICS TRANSFORMATION CORNERSTONES AND HIGHLIGHT CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT AND TOTAL ASSET VISIBILITY RESPECTIVELY. THIS MESSAGE IS THE THIRD OF THE FOUR CORNERSTONES AND DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF A BI-LEVEL MAINTENANCE SYSTEM IN MEETING OUR LOGISTICS TRANSFORMATION OBJECTIVES. 2. DISCUSSION. A CONFIGURATION BASED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM ENSURES OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY AND RESOURCE THRESHOLDS ARE ASCERTAINED AND SUSTAINED WHILE REDUCING PROBABILITY OF INDUCED FAILURES, MINIMIZING UNAUTHORIZED CONFIGURATION CHANGES, OPTIMIZING BOTH MANPOWER AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES AND CENTRALLY MANAGING THE SUPPLY CHAIN. WITHIN MUCH OF THE COAST GUARD TODAY IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION (O-LEVEL), INTERMEDIATE (I-LEVEL) AND DEPOT (D-LEVEL) SUPPORT ACTIVITIES BASED PRIMARILY ON FUNDING THRESHOLDS. IN CONTRAST THE COAST GUARDS BI-LEVEL MODEL IS CAPABILITY BASED (SKILLS, FACILITIES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT) AND EMPLOYS ONLY TWO LEVELS OF SUPPORT, UNIT LEVEL (O-LEVEL) AND DEPOT LEVEL (D-LEVEL). 3. DEFINITION. UNDER A BI-LEVEL SUPPORT SYSTEM, UNIT LEVEL (O- LEVEL) SUPPORT INCLUDES TASKS AND ACTIVITIES THAT A PARTICULAR UNITS CREW HAS THE CAPABILITY/COMPETENCY, CAPACITY, TOOLS, AND AUTHORITY TO PERFORM. AN EXAMPLE OF UNIT LEVEL MAINTENANCE SUPPORT WOULD NORMALLY CONSIST OF INSPECTING, SERVICING, LUBRICATING, ADJUSTING, AND REPLACING COMPONENTS, MINOR ASSEMBLIES, AND SUBASSEMBLIES ON EQUIPMENT. DEPOT LEVEL (D-LEVEL) SUPPORT CONSISTS OF SERVICES THAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOGISTICS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL BE PERFORMED BY DESIGNATED SUPPORT ACTIVITIES (ORGANIC OR CONTRACTED). DEPOT LEVEL MAINTENANCE USES MORE EXTENSIVE OR SPECIALIZED FACILITIES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT WITH THE ASSOCIATED SPECIALIZED LABOR THAN THAT REQUIRED AT EACH FIELD UNIT TO CONDUCT MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. 4. DETERMINATION OF UNIT AND DEPOT LEVEL CAPABILITIES. PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF OUR BI-LEVEL SUPPORT SYSTEM WILL BE IDENTIFYING HOW IT IS MANAGED AND CONTROLLED. THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT A MAINTENANCE ACTION IS UNIT OR DEPOT LEVEL IS INITIALLY MADE DURING THE ACQUISITION PHASE OF THE ASSET AND IS BASED ON A MAINTENANCE REVIEW USING PROCESSES SUCH AS RELIABILITY CENTERED MAINTENANCE (RCM) ANALYSIS, FAILURE MODE EFFECTS CRITICALITY ANALYSIS (FMECA), AND LEVEL OF REPAIR ANALYSIS (LORA). IN SOME CASES UNIT LEVEL MAINTENANCE CAPABILITIES MAY BE INCREASED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT A NEW ASSET AND THOSE INCREASED CAPABILITIES WILL BE PLANNED FOR AND PROVIDED BY THE ASSET PROJECT OFFICE (APO) AND PRODUCT LINE PRIOR TO ASSET DEPLOYMENT TO THE RESPECTIVE LOGISTIC OR SERVICE CENTER. THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO HOW ASSET SUPPORT LEVELS ARE OFTEN DETERMINED TODAY WITH UNITS UNDERTAKING DEPOT LEVEL SUPPORT RESPONSIBILITIES OUT OF INITIATIVE, FRUSTRATION WITH HIGHER-LEVEL SUPPORT PROGRAMS, OR TO SAVE THE COAST GUARD MONEY OVER THE PERCEIVED HIGH COST OF REPAIR CONTRACTS. WITHIN OUR NEW BI-LEVEL SYSTEM, STRICT ADHERENCE TO MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY AND CAPABILITY IS ESSENTIAL TO ITS SUCCESS. 5. SUMMARY. WE ARE MOVING TO A CENTRALLY MANAGED, BI-LEVEL SUPPORT SYSTEM WHICH PLACES SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSET SUPPORT ON THE PRODUCT LINE MANAGER. STRICT ADHERENCE TO A BI-LEVEL SUPPORT SYSTEM, ASSET CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT, AND TOTAL ASSET VISIBILITY ARE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS LOGISTICS BUSINESS MODEL. 6. VADM PEARSON, CHIEF OF STAFF, SENDS. 7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.