STUDY OF OL'S SERVICE ENVIRONMENT AND WAYS TO ENHANCE OL'S IMAGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00379R000100160001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 22, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 1, 1985
• Content Type: MISC

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June 1985
STUDY OF OL's SERVICE ENVIRONMENT AND WAYS TO ENHANCE OL's IMAGE
The Director of Logistics has asked IMSS to undertake a
directorate-level objective to enhance OL's image as a
service organization. The following questions serve as
a point of departure to help us determine how OL can
improve its services/support....or better acquaint other
components with our role in the Agency. Feel free to
tailor the questions to your component or expand them as
YOU think best contributes to this effort. Please add
continuation sheets as needed.
1. In your component, what activities/products/services act as
"image creators" for you and OL?
a. Response time in meeting "due-in dates" on requisitions.
b.
c.
Telephone manners - helpful attitude - direct responses to questions -
avoid passing buck to other components unless you are sure who indeed
has action.
Help in identifying sources or alternate sources when requirements
offices do not know where to go.
d. PD's role as "enforcers" in many areas,- FOICA policies, security
25X1 policy , competition policy, the ADP&E approval chain, etc.
e. Responsiveness to requests for status reports or follow-up action on
pending requests.
f.
h.
STAT
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SECRET (When fillea in)
QUESTIONS FOR OL DIVISIONS/STAFFS (page 2)
2. What do you think are your customers' perceptions of your component'
services and image in each of the above areas? Key your answer to
the appropriate letter in Question 1.
a. See responses to question 13 on recent survey (attached). We were rated
good or excellent by 81 to 83% of respondees.
b.
We were given excellent marks from 33% of our customers; good marks from
44%, and below average marks from 23%.
c. Good or excellent from 63% of our customers, fair: 24%; poor: 8%.
d.
A few understand and appreciate our enforcers role but I am sure that the
majority blame us for being bureaucratic bottlenecks & purists.
? It appears that about 25% think we should do better in responding to
status requests.
f.
3. In which areas could your component project a better image or providi
a better service? How? (Key your answer to the appropriate letter
in Question 1.)
0. a. Keep pressure on vendors by calling them within 14 days or less of a missed
delivery schedule. Advise requirements offices when we know their need
date is unrealistic and simply cannot be met.
b. Provide formal training in telephone manners and urge all employees to be
?
courteous and helpful no matter how ridiculous the request. Insure that calls
requesting assistance are returned ASAP or no later than COB of the same
day message is received.
c. Think we are doing well in this area, but turnover hurts progress. We need
more stability among our professional and clericals if we are to make
significant progress here.
d. Little or nothing can be done on this one. Few people like "cops" to tell
them they did something wrong or are not in compliance with established
I. policy. The problem here is that PD gets the blame because people up
front in Procurement process are ignorant of policy, and don't like being
called up short on it when it means more work on their part.
f.
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QUESTIONS FOR OL DIVISIONS/STAFFS (page 3)
4. What additional services/support could your component add to improve
customer relations and enhance OL's image? Please indicate priority
Achievable with present resources
a. Although we have been authorized positions to staff a new Contract Admin
and Settlement Branch (CA&SB), we are in the process of recruiting to fill
those slots., Presently we have 3 full time staffers and one part timer.
We are confident that progress is being made to improve vendor delivery.
Our customers will be seeing significant improvements in this area in the
near future.
b. We intend to extend D/OL's office visitation program to our Buyers in GPB
and our contract officers in other branches. Each officer will visit one
of his major requirements offices on a bi-weekly basis.
c. Within the next three months, all officers will have their own Wang work
station and be trained to access the data base which will enhance our
ability to respond to customers inquiring on the status of their requisitions.
f.
Achievable with additional resources (specify resources)
a.
b.
C.
d.
e.
f.
g
S.4.4 Gam 444tv.
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25X1
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QUESTIONS FOR OL DIVISIONS/STAFFS (page 4)
5. What other factors do you think influence OL's image? How can they
be changed to enhance OL's image?
It seems that OL and in many cases specifically PD, is a fall guy and
"goat" that always gets the blame when things do not happen fast enough
in delivering material and services requested by the operating components.
PD is cast in the role of "enforcer" for a variety of internal and external
procedural and policy issues that inhibit fast action in the acquisition
process.
Starting with Federal Law and regulations governing our activities (which
for the most part are complete enigmas to our customers) down to Agency
policies which in many areas re ill-defined and lacking clear cut
procedural guidelines, procurement personnel are the ones that must say
no, maybe, or require additional work on the part of our customer before
we can do our job. Specific areas that are particularly troublesome for
PD are:
a. Competition in contracting - Sole source justification.
?? b. F.031120PK.t"
?ec. Security procedures and requirements for procurement.
.d. convoluted and complex approval and coordinating procedures on
ADP procurement.
# e. Ill-trained and inexperienced personnel preparing and documenting
requirements, i.e., Statement of Work, Sole Source Justification,
etc. They simply do not provide us with the information needed to
start action on procurements.
(Second part of #5 continued below)
1/1411841FFiffifillia's
01 HOW CAN THIS BE CHANGED?
?.
4.
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4.
0.
nre of
Ofv?/-9 ?
Agency managers - (DD's and Office Heads) e made more knowled eable
of the acquisition process. Get them all -? read, un ers an and appreciate
Agency and Federal PoliCy and procedures on procurement. This is hard to do
because our Handbook on Acquisition Process is out of date and we have been
trying in vain for the past two years to get it published. Until we have a
publication that is meaningful and up to date, there is nothing that can be
done! Once we have one, it would take a miracle or Act of God to expect our
senior managers to read and understand it -- let alone abide by it if it
doesn't suit their purposes. Hence, we are in a Catch-22 situation and I
see of improving our "image" in this area.
Sri-Sri; now,
jzz.-
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In spite of the pessimistic tone above, there may be a few
areas where action can be taken; these are:
a. Get on with issuing the long delayed Acquisition
Handbook and make it required reading for our Logs officers, admin
officers, and COTR's in the operating components. We must elicit
their support and understanding in complying with the policy and
procedural aspects of the procurement cycle: Hence, some of the
"heat" would be transferred to these personnel and not all of the
blame placed on OL or OL/PD:
b. Increase staffing of PMS so this unit has resources
to clean up the books, i.e., consolidate and re-do our Procurement
Notes, spend more time in rationalizing and explaining Agency and
Federal policy and procedures to our customers:
c. Obtain a commitment from top management (i.e., DCI,
DDCI, and the DD's) that they are willing to devote resources to a
formalized acquisition planning program.
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QUESTIONS FOR OL DIVISIONS/STAFFS (page 5)
7. What public relations tools could you suggest to enhance OL's image
(e.g., employee bulletins, posters, brochures, video presentations,
briefings)?
a.
/106 0 'Mkt 1111% tINePtsi
b.
C.
d.
e.
f.
8. If we were to conduct a voluntary random survey of the perceptions of
OL within the Agency, who would you recommend be queried and with
what specific questions?
a.
b.
C.
d.
e.
f.
l'Ak5 amp Be-And Deft.) E
tfritcvitu DoSt it rreM1151
Site. Itrfritc Hen,
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QUESTIONS FOR OL DIVISIONS/STAFFS (page 6)
9. Has your
years? nent conducted a customer survey within the past two
results If "yes," please make copies of the survey and
bl S. (Elaborate, if desired, on any changes
made as a result of the survey or any changes suggested but not
implemented.)
10.
CO OP L fl.if Suit ve4
Prrrati4f-el
What other suggestions do you have for enhancing OL's image that an
not specifically addressed in these questions?
a.
b.
C.
d.
e.
f.
?
NO No O? or ?N-fit-?%#
tiss04.,) T1 0409 1,c3OVP
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STAT
STAT
CI-AT
STAT
STAT
f.) 2 NOV 7:34
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Logistics
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Chief, Procurement Division, OL
Final Report on Procurement Division, FY-84
Management Objective on Customer Survey
1. Attached is the final wrap up on responses to our
"Customer Survey". We sent out questionnaires to component
Administrative Officers, Logistics Officers and Contract Officer
Technical Representatives (COTRs) and only responded. We were
a bit disappointed that only of our customers replied.
2. There were no big surprises! The overall impression of
Procurement Division support (see Question 14) was favorable with
marks of good to excellent of at least 65% in every category and
as high as 94% in the "courtesy" category.
3. The only areas identified for further action are:
a. 19 individuals requested copies of the Acquisition
Handbook. (These will be sent when new revision is
published.)
b. 24 individuals asked to be considered for our
Acquisition Management Course. (We will identify
these individuals to Procurement Management Staff to
see when they can be worked into the course.)
c. 7 respondees asked that imprest funds be established
in their units. (We will follow up with unit Budget
and Finance offices- to see if this can be done.)
Attachment:
As stated
OL 12158-84
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SUMMARY RESULTS OF PROCUREMENT DIVISION CUSTCMER QUESTIONNAIRE
GENERAL:
Questionnaire sent to individuals, primarily admin officers
and logistics officers in al components in the Agency.
a. We received
out - for a response rate
responses
of
b. Of those responding:
from the 83 questionnaires maile I?TAT
STAT
spend less than 10% of their time on procurement matters
spend between 10 and 25% of their time on procurement
.ers
spend more than 25% of their time on procurement matters
failed to respond to this question.
QUESTION 1. A key factor in PD's ability to take prompt and effective
action on your requests is the receipt of clear and detailed
nomenclature, complete stock numbers, descriptions, specifications,
statements of work, cognizant office approval (or special coordination
with medics or security), and where applicable, carefully prepared and
properly justified sole source documentation.
How often are you advised by PD or SD personnel that your
requests need additional information before procurement action can be
started?
Never - 3 or 6%
Seldom - 28 or 56%
Sometimes - 12 or 24%
-Frequently- 0 or 0%
Always - 0 or 0%
No response 7 or 14%
QUESTION 2. In those instances when you have been advised that
additional data is required before procurement action can be
initiated, what data was lacking on your original request?
Responses to this question were somewhat inconclusive. Not all
respondees responded to all sub-parts of the question.
a. 12 respondees said they frequently were advised that
additional data was required: 4 for solp justification, 4
because vendor not cleared
and 3 because of
insufficient nomenclature num er.
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b. Of those respondees who acknowledged they were "rarely"
advised that additional data was required: 27 due to insuffirent
nomenclature, 27 due to sole source, 20 due to
18
to technical specifications, and 16 due to lack of approval by due
cognizant office.
QUESTION 3. Do you prepare or assist in the preparation of Request
for Procurement Services (Form 2420)?
33 responded yes and 11 no.
QUESTION 4. "Acquisition Handbook" is intended for use as a
process.
guide for al gency personnel involved in the acquisition/procurement
Are you familiar with the substance of the handbook as it
applies to requirements offices? 34-yes and 14-no
Do you have a copy of this handbook readily available? 28-yes
and 14-no.
Would you like a copy sent to you? 22-yes and 19-no.
QUESTION 5. Office of Training and Education (OTE) in conjunction
with Or, Procurement Management Staff (OL/PMS) regularly conducts a 5
day course on the Agency's procurement process entitled "Acquisition
Management for CIA Technical Personnel."
Have you attended this course? 4-yes and 43-no.
Would you be interested in attending this course? 24-yes
and 20-no.
QUESTION 6. Areas that create significant delays in prompt initiation
of procurement action are often up front in the acquisition cycle in
that the requesting office does not provide clear and complete
documentation when they forward their requests to PD. Listed below
are selected key elements that must accompany your request. Please
indicate which elements you find troublesome:
a. Only four respondees found any of the key elements in the
"Very Difficult" category: two cited technical specifications and two
cited contract data classification guide
b. Respondees who found the key elements "Somewhat Difficult"
were as follows: 6 cited statement of work, 17 cited technical
specifications, 23 cited sole source justifications and 6 cited
contract data classification guide.
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QUESTION 7a. Were you aware that imprest funds could be used for
small cost procurements in lieu of submitting requisitions? 45-yes
and 1-no.
b. Does your component or a sub-element thereof, have an
imprest fund? 37-yes, 6-no and 3-don't know.
c. If b above is yes, how often do you use the imprest fund
for procurement actions under $300? 1-never, 6-rarely, 24-frequently,
and 8 - 50% or more of the time.
d. Do you think the dollar limitation of $300 per
transaction should be higher? 30-yes and 9-no.
e. If b above is no, would you like to have an imprest fund
established in your component for your use? 7-yes, 2-no, and
1-undecided.
QUESTION 8. Do you have regular and/or continuing contact with
contract officers in Procurement Division? 27-yes and 16-no.
QUESTION 9. Are you aware that your inquiries for status on items
requested on Form 88 should be directed to Supply Division, SMB?
46-yes and 0-no.
QUESTION 10. Are you aware that inquiries on status on items
0 requested on Form 2420 should be directed to PD? 27-yes and 1-no.
QUESTION 11. Do you have any problems in checking status of your
requests with Procurement or Supply Division/SMB? 12-yes and 31-no.
Comments of the 12 respondees claiming problems in checking
status of their requests are attached.
QUESTION 12. Do you feel that you are given prompt and courteous
service when telephoning inquiries and/or problems to Procurement
Division? 43 responses:
Always
14
or
33%
Frequently
19
or
44%
Sometimes
8
or
19%
Seldom
1
or
02%
Never
1
or
02%
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QUESTION 13. How would you rate the Procurement Division's
responsiveness in terms of:
a. Processing priority requests to support your urgent
requirements. Poor-1, Fair-6, Good-29 and Excellent-7
b. Routine requirements.
Poor-3, Fair-5, Good-32 and Excellent-3
C. Follow-up requests.
Poor-3, Fair-14, Good-22 and Excellent-3
QUESTION 14. What is your impression of PD support in terms of:
a. Responsiveness (timeliness)
Poor-4, Fair-13, Good-27 and Excellent-3
b. Professional Assistance
Poor-1, Fair-9, Good-28 and Excellent-9
c. Initiative/Voluntary helpfulness
Poor-4, Fair-14, Good-24 and Excellent-6
d. Courtesy
Poor-1, Fair-2, Good-32 and Excellent-12
e. Concern for Customer's needs
Poor-3, Fair-14, Good-24 and Excellent-6
QUESTION 15. Does your office or division have a focal point officer
or special staff responsible for developing an annual overall
procurement plan to identify and prioritize major (i.e., above $50,000
per action) acquisitions for the upcoming year or years?
21-yes, 17-No, and 6-Don't know
?
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RESPONSE TO PROCUREMENT DIVISION QUESTIONNAIRE #11
11. Do you have any problems in checking status of your requests with
Procurement or Supply Division/SMB?
It is very hard at times to get a call returned from PD.
SMB advises difficult time in getting answers from PD.
Sometimes it takes awhile to receive an answer on a request for
status.
I presently have several requests which I cannot seem to get resolved
in PD. Seems to be little or no concern as to our requirements.
At times it is difficult to understand who in PD has the action,
especially with 2420's. Would recommend a number be assigned to the
2420 and a copy returned by PD to log office. This would serve as a
means of tracing the request.
Do not always get status as soon as needed in order to answer field
requests.
Very difficult to get a response to a question in what I consider a
reasonable time-frame.
Difficulty in locating a procurement action due to uncertainty, as
of three teams may have action. To verify which actions have been
inputed into the OL/B&F computer requires a personal visit to
Bldg. and a manual paper by paper comparison. Requests for copies
signed contracts sometimes go unanswered.
Procurement officer names, each one's responsibility and telephone
nos. should be published on a regular basis for logistics officers.
Also the focal point for 2420 follow-up should be published
in order for the log officer to determine who was given action on a
1 particular 2420.
one
of
They pay no attention to due dates. On at least two recent occasions
delivery was not expected until 6 months after due date - very poor
response time.
When following up on requests not on contract, expeditors are told the
contract officer is waiting for a quotation/call back from the
vendor. However, the CO does not get back to the expeditor with
contract/delivery information, although a response has been requested
by the expeditor.
Procurement officers frequently do not return phone calls.
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