A new Logistics Fuel Card will allow military and federal agencies to buy small quantities of specialty fuel this spring.
Defense Logistics Agency Energy added the card to its commercial fuel card solutions to improve customer service and provide more flexibility. Customers will now be able to fill storage tanks from commercial sources worldwide when short-notice requirements arise. Customers were previously required to contract for such fuel and had to purchase over 10,000 gallons within the United States or 20,000 gallons outside of the U.S.
"Customers had to forecast their needs way ahead of time and go through the contracting process," said Mike Park, DLA Energy Fuel Cards Program Office chief. "Requirements had to be gathered no less than 120 days out and often they wouldn't know if support was available until probably 30 days out."
The Logistics Fuel Card, also known as the LOGFUEL card, was launched in January and will be valuable in emergencies like last winter's unprecedented ice storm in Texas, where customers used a years' worth of fuel in three months without a way to quickly get more, Park said.
"In events such as contingencies, humanitarian missions, and natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, speed of support and the ability to respond on a moment's notice is vital to mission success," Rose added.
The card is currently being used by over 25 commissaries to buy 100 to 2,000 gallons of fuel to fill generators used for emergency power. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District is also using it for the Wilson Lake Project to purchase small amounts of propane for furnaces and generators.
"Our project uses propane for radio communication repeater towers used by the FBI, Corps, and County Police in [the] event of a power outage," said Sarah Nielson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District Transportation Tech.
The card will join four other DLA Energy customer card purchasing tools, which include the Aviation Intoplane Reimbursement Card®, Ships' Bunkers Easy Acquisition Card Order Management System®, Swipe SEA Card® and the DoD Fleet Card.
"We are excited to offer this new fuel card to our customers and offer them more flexibility to get fuel when and where they need it," Park said. "So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to the full roll out this spring."
The DLA Energy Card Program Office works directly with the DoD Purchase Card program officials, General Services Administration SmartPay® Program Office, GSA Contracting Office, Office of Management and Budget and the Inspector General officials to coordinate all government-wide charge card guidance and support to more than 70,000 card holding customers and their component program managers.