Company: DRC
Company Description: Founded in 1955, DRC® provides innovative management consulting, science, engineering, and information technology solutions to government customers. We support our customers in the primary mission areas of Cyber Security, Information Assurance, Health, Homeland Security, Intelligence, Financial and Regulatory Reform, and Priority Defense Programs. DRC improves the health and welfare of
Nomination Category: Support Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Support Team of the Year

Nomination Title: DRC Support Team Helps Air Mobility Command Save on Fuel

Tell the story about what this nominated team achieved since January 1 2012 (up to 525 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

Since the fall of 2008, DRC’s team at the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC) Fuel Efficiency Office (FEO) has exemplified the ideal of supporting our customer’s biggest challenges and bringing real solutions to the table. AMC is the lead command for all Mobility Air Forces (MAF), which provides global airlift support to the entire nation. The MAF is the largest single user of aviation fuel in the Air Force, accounting for 63% of Air Force aviation fuel consumption. Charged with achieving significant reductions in aviation fuel consumption and costs for the MAF, the team has grown from a staff of 1 contractor to today’s Total Force Team of 9 contractors and 10 active duty, Reserve, and Air National Guard officers. Through a series of over 75 separate initiatives, DRC and its partners TRI-Cor Industries and Sawdey Solutions Services have directly shaped a program with a combined savings or cost avoidance impact of over $275 million just in the last 2 years. The team has been recognized twice previously by the Department of Energy for outstanding accomplishments in energy management and conservation.

Late in FY 2012, the most notable achievement was implementing the MAF Cost Avoidance Tankering (MAFCAT) effort. By purchasing less expensive fuel from 13 departure locations and carrying or “tankering” that fuel into 9 high-cost arrival and refueling locations, the MAF burned 9.65 million gallons less than it would have otherwise, avoiding $35.5 million in costs to the taxpayer in just the last fiscal quarter alone—all at a zero investment cost. This process change is projected to provide fuel cost avoidance to the MAF of $176 million annually. Since the MAFCAT uses an existing database infrastructure and an established financial methodology to calculate the cost avoidance, there is no investment cost associated with this effort. 

MAFCAT is currently being used by AMC’s 618th Air and Space Operations Center (TACC) to aid in planning over 22,000 sorties annually. Mission planners have incorporated a MAFCAT produced matrix as part of their everyday aircraft mission planning portfolio.  Within 3 months, over 1,000 sorties have taken advantage of the cost options highlighted by this matrix.   As the data on fuel delivery costs becomes more readily available, the MAFCAT provided matrix will also expand.  TACC plans Air Mobility Command, Air Force Reserve Component, and National Guard Bureau sorties.  MAFCAT is applicable to Army, Navy and Marine aviation units as well.  This effort started with 6 departure locations and expanded to 13 departure locations within a month.  With increased Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) participation, the departure locations are expected to grow to over 40 locations. 

In a budget-driven effort to review and reduce contract costs, AMC’s Vice Commander, Lt Gen Robert Allardice, said the FEO contract is one of the few that actually makes money for AMC. As a result, despite Federal budget pressures, the AMC Commander, General Paul Selva, directed the Fuel Efficiency Office contract be fully funded for FY13-14.

DRC’s support of FEO means less money spent, a positive impact on fuel consumption, and fully-funded work for our employees and others on the FEO team.

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Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated team:

DRC’s Mel Murray is the brains behind the MAFCAT project—his idea and proposal won government approval, and the monthly cost avoidance cited in the write-up is the result. Overall, Mel is the Fuel efficiency Office liaison with both U.S. Transportation Command and the 618th Air Operations Center.  He identifies opportunities to reduce aviation fuel consumption.  Examples include developing business case studies/analysis of initiatives that will result in lower consumption rates, and developing data capture strategies to validate reduction, providing advice on implementation strategy (revised tactics/techniques/procedures, AF and/or AMC directives, etc.). He also facilitates fuel efficiency business process re-engineering efforts, assisting TACC and AMC Staff with the development of automated tools that will lead to either reduced consumption or savings in aviation energy expenditures.

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