DCMA packaging team delivers historic win

DCMA packaging team delivers historic win

By Elizabeth Szoke and DCMA Technical Directorate DCMA Public Affairs

FORT LEE, Va. - The Defense Contract Management Agency Technical Directorate's Packaging Team earned the War Department's Packaging Innovation Award during the National Institute of Packaging, Handling, and Logistics Engineers Summit, marking the first time in the award's 70-year history that a DCMA packaging team received the honor.

The award recognized the team's Fiscal Year 2025 efforts to modernize packaging surveillance, mitigate supply chain risk and improve materiel readiness through data analytics and automation.

"This team's ability to innovate under pressure demonstrates exactly what DCMA brings to the department's enterprise," said Walt Eady, TD's executive director. "They transformed a significant challenge into an opportunity to improve readiness, strengthen oversight and better support the warfighter."

The recognition follows a year in which the team faced significant operational challenges. During FY25, the organization experienced a 33% reduction in personnel while packaging-related Supply Discrepancy Reports increased by 32%.

"Our team's work involves reviewing discrepancies that involve damaged, improperly packaged or delayed material," said Laura Cooper, packaging policy advocate. "We ensure military equipment arrives at its destination ready for use and prevent waste associated with packaging failures."

The team developed a series of data-driven solutions that transformed how packaging surveillance is conducted across the agency as DMCA faced growing workload demands.

The first initiative established a centralized knowledge database containing contractual packaging requirements, waivers and technical specifications. The database eliminated research requirements for approximately 13% of packaging-related discrepancy reports and improved consistency across reviews.

The team also automated narrative analysis by integrating data from Web Supply Discrepancy Reporting, or WebSDR, and Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program reports. The capability extracted critical information from approximately 90% of discrepancy narratives without manual review, allowing personnel to focus on complex investigations and root-cause analysis.

"This Packaging Innovation Award is a direct reflection of the Packaging Department's relentless dedication to modernizing our logistics," said Cooper. "Their forward-thinking solutions ensure that critical assets are protected and delivered seamlessly from the production line directly to the warfighter."

In addition, the team integrated information from multiple systems, including WebSDR, Product Data Reporting and Evaluation Program, Contract Administration Management System and Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment data sources, creating an end-to-end view of packaging performance throughout the supply chain. The effort enabled specialists to identify trends at the subcontractor level and address systemic issues before they affected customers and warfighters.

"The innovations produced measurable results despite reduced staffing levels," Cooper said.

During fiscal year 2025, the team increased monthly discrepancy reviews by 32% while reviewing more than 14,000 packaging-related SDRs associated with contracts valued at approximately $1 billion. Those contracts covered roughly 1.4 million items across the defense supply chain.

The team proactively engaged with the field, averaging 255 contacts per month with quality assurance specialists and buying activities to share actionable information and help prevent future discrepancies.

The award recognized the contributions of Jeanne Sax, Kala Pingle, Mark Moon, Kyle Wagner, Daryel Adams and Ernesto Morena, along with Packaging Director Richard Mast and Packaging Policy Advocate Laurie Cooper.

"The team's approach provides a scalable model that other DCMA functions and DOW organizations can adapt to improve efficiency and mission performance in resource-constrained environments," Eady said. "This recognition adds to DCMA's growing influence on how innovation directly supports readiness by helping ensure equipment, parts and supplies arrive where they are needed, when they are needed and in mission-ready condition."

This recognition comes three years after Cooper was inducted into the NIPHLE Hall of Fame for her technical expertise and contributions to military packaging. During her career, Cooper helped shape packaging policy across the Department of Defense and led initiatives that improved support to both domestic and overseas operations.

"The Packaging Team's success shows that innovation doesn't always require additional resources." Cooper said. "Sometimes it comes from dedicated professionals who refuse to accept limitations and instead find better ways to accomplish the mission."

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