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COMMANDER’S UPDATE

Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Ashley Bailey
cuts green bell peppers in the galley aboard
the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD
4). (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist
2nd Class Jose Jaen, USN)

with our partners to make advancements
when/where we can. Currently, NAVSUP
and CNIC are working the acquisition of
a new mobile-restaurant vehicle for NAS
Lemoore, Calif. This mobile galley will in-
crease the availability of healthy food op-
tions in close proximity to a sailor’s workplace.
Eliminating the time spent by sailors transiting
approval: Human Performance Self-Service Kiosk and Ap- to/from the workplace to eat is an easy cost savings to
plication; Food Service Integrated Barcode and Inventory the Navy. The mobile galley will also provide a platform
Management System; Culinary Food Service Support Plat- for culinarians to practice and hone their skills on Navy
form; and any others. standard equipment. The Streamline of Training Initia-
tive is being pursued via the ongoing Culinary Support
Wilson: At the time of print in last year’s issue (March Platform project mentioned above.
2017), we had received funding approval from the Office of
Naval Research and were awaiting contract selection and Government Food Service: In responses to last year’s
approval via the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Commander’s Update, it looks like Navy Food Service Analysis
program. The SBIR process is broken down into three phases. Tool software was updated. Would you tell us about how
In July of 2017, we awarded contracts to six companies, two the Navy uses its new capability and benefits from the
per each project, which initiated phase I. Phase I establishes data collected?
the technical merit, feasibility and commercial potential of
the proposed R&D efforts, and determines the quality per- Wilson: The NFSAT software is ready for beta test-
formance of the small business awardee organization prior ing with operating forces and Military Sealift Command
to providing further federal support in Phase II. Over the (MSC) assets. Testing is scheduled for the second half of
six-month period of performance, we monitored progress, fiscal year 2018.
which included site visits, proof of concept demonstrations, The NFSAT will evaluate size requirements on food or-
stakeholder outreach and regular team meetings. Phase I ders before purchase to ensure there is space available for
contracts terminated in December 2017. In January 2018, the items within ship storerooms. The Naval Sea Systems
we will select one company per project and transition to Command will also use Navy Standard Core Menu (NSCM)
phase II. The objective of phase II is to continue the R&D size requirements to plan space and weight considerations
efforts initiated in phase I. Periods of performance for these for new construction ships.
contracts are typically 18 months in duration. Phase III,
where appropriate, is for the small business to pursue com- Government Food Service: Explain the difference between
mercialization objectives resulting from the phase I/II R&D the Navy Food Service Analysis Tool and the Navy Food
activities. The SBIR program does not fund phase III. Phase Service Management program. What does each contribute
III may involve follow-on non-SBIR funded R&D or produc- and how does the Navy utilize the two together?
tion contracts for products, processes or services intended
for use by the U.S. government. Wilson: The NFSAT identifies subsistence provisions
space requirements to store dry, chill and freeze onboard
Government Food Service: Another outcome of the TANG ships. Ship spaces are constrained and optimizing available
meeting was to standardize galley equipment to streamline storage increases efficiency and improves ship readiness.
training and maximize savings. Would you update us on The Food Service Management (FSM) automation system
how this is progressing? provides food-order quantities, pack sizes and dimensional
data required for the NFSAT to calculate the space required
Wilson: The implementation of TANG initiatives will for orders and the NSCM as required for pre-deployment
take time (years); however, we continue to work closely load outs.
–Continued

8 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • MARCH 2018