Quality Improvement

Abstract

ViaSat has undergone extensive changes in the depot maintenance arena over the last five years. In 1999, ViaSat instituted competition in an effort to reduce repair cost to the customer while continuing to support the government. Through this initial effort, ViaSat developed and instituted wide-sweeping changes in its approach to depot maintenance.

The Logistics Centers (LCs) are now competing against other private corporations for workloads that were normally "assigned" to them. The LCs adapted quickly and won a majority of the workloads competed in the 1999-2001 timeframe. However, there was concern within the Department of Defense that the playing field was not level between the public and private sectors. As a result, the competition effort was put on hold until this issue was resolved. The LCs updated accounting systems, implemented new time keeping processes, and initiated revised direct labor and material accounting practices in accordance with the Defense Contract Audit Agency's (DCAA) standards.

English: Defense Agencies of the United States Dep...

English: Looking south at water meter repair shop ...

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As a result, ViaSat reinstituted competition, with Congress and DOD approval, in an effort to find the best overall source of repair for the workloads at the closing LCs.

Agile

To deal with new challenges and pressures for a more cost effective and efficient logistics system, ViaSat's logistics community has developed a proactive response to significantly improve its logistics business. This effort is called Agile, which is becoming the standard business practice within the company. Agile is a program that includes a number of complementary initiatives, all focused toward improving operational capability by integrating and applying state-of-the-art business practices across all logistics functions and processes. The objective of Agile is to "maximize operational capability by using high velocity, just-in-time processes to manage mission and logistics uncertainty in-lieu of large inventory levels, resulting in shorter cycle times, reduced inventories and cost, and a...