Maybe I’m not seeing the big picture here. Parking in Kyiv?

I keep my eye on business activity related to logistics in interesting places around the world.  I stay in touch with friends, cruise some websites, and have some subscription based alerts set up.  Today I came across a logistics opportunity funded by the US government related to logistics in Ukraine.  I pulled up the RFP issued by USAID on January 12.

The project would require the contractor to “work closely with the mayor's staff [in Kyiv] and USAID to analyze the current parking environment, prepare an assessment of the current conditions, and provide options to improve the parking payment infrastructure, administration, and relevant legislation. The assessment and options should also look at the supply and demand for parking as well as the financial position (rates, collections, administration) of the city's parking administration.”

Now, given everything that is going on in that part of the world, I’m not sure that I would prioritize figuring out the "current parking environment" in Kyiv as the transportation problem that matters.  I think trying to deal with the Russian troops running around in the east killing Ukrainians or supplying Ukrainian troops in battle might be a little more important, but what do I know.

Like I said, maybe I’m not seeing the big picture here.  There are 87 parking meters in Kyiv.

It's been awhile, but it's good to have you back, Dave. Now find the darn cars.

Last summer USTRANSCOM was misplacing cars of military personnel returning from overseas posts.  Technically, it was one of TRANSCOM’s contractors, but there is no evading accountability.  TRANSCOM owns the problem.

We wrote about it in, “We haven’t lost your car. We just don’t know where it is.”  Things are getting better, but it is still imperfect.

About a week before Christmas, the Senate confirmed Dave Berteau as assistant secretary of defense for logistics and materiel readiness.  We also wrote about that a couple of months ago, in “What about Dave? A familiar face returning to logistics at the Office of the Secretary of Defense.”

One of the questions teed up for Dave’s confirmation hearing on December 2 was those pesky missing cars. 

“Since International Auto Logistics (IAL) took over the shipment of personal vehicles owned by military service members last May, several reports have arisen regarding delays in the shipping and tracking of vehicles.  What is your understanding of the performance of IAL since assuming its logistical responsibilities last May?”

Dave testified that he will “examine contract requirements and contractor performance, including corrective actions and mechanisms to hold the contractor accountable.”

Contrast Dave’s commitment to hold the contractor accountable with TRANSCOM’s earlier statements about taking “steps to restore confidence of service members and their families in the POV shipping process.”

This isn’t a confidence issue, it’s a performance issue, and Dave is on it.  If this is an example of the sort accountability that the Honorable David Berteau intends to establish in the military logistics community, it will be a fun couple of years.

Glad to have you back, Dave.