DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY  2800 DEFENSE PENTAGON  WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2800	7/23/2007

MEMORANDUM FOR :

SEE DISTRIBUTION

SUBJECT :

Standard Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) Milestones and Metrics (DSCA Policy 07-26)

REFERENCE :

1. DSCA Policy 01-06, 15 February 2001, Subject: New Metric to Measure LOA Processing Time Line Performance

The above reference mandates the current time line standard for LOA processing, calling for 80 percent of LOAs and Amendments to be offered to the FMS purchaser within 120 days of Letter of Request (LOR) receipt. Performance in achieving this metric has been reported at each quarterly Security Cooperation Deputies' Forum (SCDF). While FMS blanket order and training LOA documents have consistently met this goal, defined order LOA documents have not. To pinpoint the problem areas that are precluding this goal from being met, DSCA has developed a new means of tracking the LOA process through the Defense Security Assistance Management System (DSAMS) using Standard Milestones. This process will provide more detail into how long it takes to respond to an FMS purchaser's LOR and also supports metrics for the functions of the recently established Case Writing Division.

The new tracking method isolates the three distinct phases of the LOA process: 1) LOR processing, 2) LOA Data (LOAD) Development and 3) Case Writing, Countersignature, and Offer. DSCA will retain the current metric that 80 percent of LOAs and Amendments should be offered to the FMS purchaser within 120 days of LOR receipt. However, the actual time taken within each phase will be tracked for future determination if any changes are needed to the metric itself or to the supporting processes. In the interim, the security cooperation community should continue to strive for timely and efficient processing of LOA documents. For information purposes, DSCA will be gathering data for a fourth phase entitled "Post Offer", which covers the period from the time a document is sent to the FMS purchaser for acceptance to when the document is financially implemented.

In order to accommodate the Implementing Agencies' individual points in which phase two (LOAD) starts, performance tracking will use either Case Assign (CASEASGN) and Case Returned (CASERETD) or Standard LOAD Start (SLOADSTART) and Standard LOAD Complete (SLOADCOMP), depending on Implementing Agencies' business processes. A key point in this change is the mandated use of "Case Remarks" during the following two phases of the measurement process. If more than 20 days pass between the LOR Receipt and LOR Complete milestones, explanatory remarks will be input to the Customer Request Remarks DSAMS Screen. If more than 60 days pass between the SLOADSTART/CASEASGN and SLOADCOMP/CASERETD milestones, explanatory remarks will be input to the Case Remarks DSAMS Screen. It is vital that the Implementing Agencies enter relevant remarks in DSAMS that provide insight into activities that took place in these milestones that may explain the cause for delays. This will help determine an appropriate amount of time that should be applied to each phase, as well as identify solutions for the delays. DSCA will develop management flags in DSAMS that will alert the Implementing Agencies when these remarks are needed.

The Performance Management Senior Working Group, consisting of DSCA and Military Department representatives, will review the results of this new process on a quarterly basis. Once the group has accumulated sufficient data to determine the processes and timelines occurring within each phase, it will make a recommendation to the SCDF regarding future LOA processing metrics.

The attachment contains the standard operating definitions/descriptions for each milestone/status to ensure standardized use among the Implementing Agencies. It also identifies the responsible entity(ies) for each milestone/status and the overall process broken out by the distinct phases.

The DSCA point of contact for LOA policy is Kathy Robinson, DSCA/STR-POL, (703) 601-4368; e-mail: kathy.robinson@dsca.mil.

Richard J. Millies
Deputy Director

ATTACHMENT : 
As stated

DISTRIBUTION :

DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
DEFENSE EXPORTS AND COOPERATION (DASA-DEC)
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (NAVIPO)
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (SAF/IA)
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

DIRECTOR, DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

DIRECTOR, NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

DIRECTOR, DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY

DIRECTOR, DEFENSE REUTILIZATION AND MARKETING SERVICE

DIRECTOR, DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AGENCY

DIRECTOR, DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY

DIRECTOR, DEFENSE LOGISTICS INFORMATION SERVICE

DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR INFORMATION ASSURANCE,
NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY

DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR SECURITY ASSISTANCE,
DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE - DENVER CENTER

CC :

DISAM
USASAC
SATFA TRADOC
NAVICP
NETSAFA
AFSAC
AFSAT
CWD