Defence Logistics Organisation
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The Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO), a key element of the UK Ministry of Defence, is responsible for supporting the armed forces throughout the various stages of an operation or exercise; from training, deployment, in-theatre training and conduct of operations, through to recovery and recuperation ready for redeployment.
Led by the Chief of Defence Logistics, currently a Four Star Army General, the DLO maintains and upgrades military equipment and coordinates its storage and distribution. It has an annual spend of almost £9 billion, representing over 20 per cent of the Defence budget. The DLO employs around 20,000 staff at 80 locations throughout the UK and overseas, and has its headquarters in Bath, England.
Mission and Vision
The Mission states what people in the DLO are here to do: to Deliver Logistics for Operations
by: Supporting the front line throughout the preparation, deployment, sustainment and recovery of an operation to deliver mission success. Being agile and responsive to changing needs in peace and conflict. Developing logistic capabilities to meet future demands.
CDL's Vision is to deliver our Mission so that we build: Confidence in Logistics
Contents |
[edit] Organisation
The DLO is organised along three levels, focusing on output, support and direction.
[edit] The Delivery Layer
The Delivery Layer is the customer facing element of the DLO; Integrated Project Teams (IPTs), Naval Bases, Depots, and other front line support units. To provide a single point of accountability for all DLO outputs the DLO have assigned Domain two Stars whose role is to externally face our principle customers. They are - with rank of appointment:
Director General Logistics (Fleet) - Rear Admiral
Land Director General Logistics (Land) - Major General
Strike Director General Logistics (Strike) - Air Vice-Marshall
Director General Logistics (Supply Chain) - Major General
IPTs are brigaded into One Star Cluster Groups around customer outputs and products to improve coherence and effectiveness:
[edit] Enabling Layer
The Enabling Layer provides a range of specialist support to IPTs and others within the DLO and the DPA. The nature, structure, process and size of the enabling layer has been defined from the restructuring work which was running throughout 2004. The enabling services are more streamlined than before and have been set up to improve ways of working.
[edit] Defence Logistics Board
The DLO Board is chaired by the Chief of Defence Logistics. It provides strategic leadership, direction and governance to the DLO and acts as the ultimate decision making body in the DLO. It is supported by the Output Board, Enabling Services Board and Procurement Board.
The DLO Board provides the strategic direction that the DLO needs to take to meet the current challenges and future logistics requirements of our front line customers and stakeholders effectively. The strategy provides a framework that helps people make decisions that align with the overall direction of the DLO.
[edit] Board Membership
- Chief of Defence Logistics (CDL) - General
- Deputy Chief of Defence Logistics (DCDL) - Senior Civil Servant.
- Director General Logistics(Fleet) - DGLog(Fleet) - Rear Admiral
- Director General Logistics(Land) - DGLog(Land) - Major General
- Director General Logistics(Strike) - DGLog(Strike) - Air Vice-Marshall
- Director General Logistics(Supply Chain) - DGLog(SuppChn) - Major General
- Director General Nuclear - DGNuc - Rear Admiral
- Director General Logistics(Procurement) - Senior Civil Servant
- Director General Defence Logistic Transformation (DLTP) - Air Vice-Marshall
- Director General Logistics(Resources) - DGLog(Res) - Senior Civil Servant
- Technical Director - Rear Admiral
- Assistant Chief of Defence Staff(Logistics Operations) - ACDS(LogOps) - Air Vice-Marshall
- Director General Acquisition People - DGAP - Senior Civil Servant
- Chief Executive Defence Communications Services Agency - CE DCSA - Rear Admiral
In addition there are two Non-Executive directors who also sit on the board.
[edit] Current Hot Topics in the DLO
[edit] Restructuring
The DLO is part way through a major restructuring programme, which is aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation. The first phase of restructuring concentrated mainly on making the enabling layer more effective. The second phase, which began in April 2005, will embed the changes to date and improve effectiveness across the whole organisation in order to deliver equipment better to the armed forces. Restructuring will contribute to the DLO achieving its share of the Departmental efficiency savings.
[edit] Collocation
Work is in hand to assess the feasibility and potential benefits of collocating additional parts of the DLO with the DPA in the Bristol/Bath area to create an acquisition hub. This would enable the achievement of significant business benefits in terms of improved decision-making and better through life management of defence equipment. The collocation project is seeking initial gate approval in spring 2006. The team has been developing site specific solutions, supported by studies into flexible ways of working and sustainability in order to assess the economic, social and environmental impact of moves. It is anticipated that a decision in principle will be made in spring 2006 and then a period of formal Trades Unions consultation will be undertaken before any firm decisions are made.
[edit] Procurement Reform
Procurement Reform is a separate but integral part of the Defence Logistics Transformation Programme, focusing specifically on industry where the DLO spends about 80 per cent of its money. Over 30 market-facing Category Management Teams have been set up to support IPTs in addressing areas of spend and identifying savings and improvements. For some categories the scope extends into the rest of the department to establish a more corporate approach to procurement across MOD. Over £92 million cash savings have so far been achieved.
[edit] DLO/DPA Joint Working
Joint Working is intended to improve the way the DLO and DPA (Defence Procurement Agency) work together. The aim is to harmonise processes and minimise burden on the delivering and enabling groups, ensuring that we work efficiently and minimise duplications of effort. It is about reducing burden, increasing efficiency and improving coherence for IPTs and enabling services, and aligning strategic direction.
[edit] Defence Industrial Strategy
The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) follows and enforces the Defence Industrial Policy and the need to provide the armed forces with the equipment which they require, on time, and at best value for money or the taxpayer. It is having a significant bearing on how the DLO conducts its business. It requires: Focus on through life capability management, developing how support is to be applied through life and how incremental acquisition is used to maintain capability at the cutting edge of technology. Identification of appropriate sovereign capability to be maintained. A clear understanding of the impact of procurement strategies on industry's capability, at both supplier and sector levels, current and future. Transparency with industry to shape medium and long term strategic decisions and to create partnering agreements. These arrangements will be used to underpin and demonstrate value for money for defence, with competition still being used where it is appropriate. Identification and development of the right skills and shared values to enable the acquisition community to deliver the most effective solutions.
[edit] Defence Logistic Programme
Our armed forces must be capable of responding to a complex variety of threats worldwide. Logistics support also has to change to keep pace with demands around the operational planning cycle. CDL was appointed as departmental process owner for logistics by the Defence Management Board in 2004 to ensure coherence in responding to this requirement. Supported by the Defence Logistics Board (DLB), whose members include front line commanders and representatives of MOD Centre, CDL's vision for defence logistics is for it to be a highly effective, agile and network-capable component that enhances the commander's ability to execute his mission successfully. CDL intends that:
All levels of operational command have confidence that the right logistics support will be delivered to each phase of operational activity.
The logistics changes required to meet this intent, which cross organisational boundaries, are contained in the Defence Logistics Programme launched in April 2006. This sets out the strategic direction for logistics, allows the DLB to manage the performance of logistics now, provides an assessment of areas in which defence logistics must move forward over the next 15 years, and develops a programme for the next five years. Specific changes required of the DLO will feed into future developments of the DLO's Critical Success Factors.
