Strategic sourcing solution demonstrates AF-wide benefits

  • Published
  • By Beth Quinter
  • 771st Enterprise Sourcing Squadron
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio --  The Enterprise Sourcing Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has transformed the airfields across the Air Force by replacing the incandescent taxiway fixtures to light emitting diode (LED) taxiway fixtures, through a strategic sourcing initiative.

This multiple award contract was awarded 4 Aug 2011 and has garnered significant savings in energy reduction, contracting process time, maintenance hours, and extending the life of the fixtures.

In 2012, Air Combat Command purchased nearly 2,400 LED taxiway lighting fixtures to replace incandescent lighting across their command.

"Energy consumption is reduced by about two thirds and the overall savings of the LED taxiway lighting fixtures are expected to save more than 25 % of the total installation costs," according to Steven White, Civil Engineer at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

The savings are resulting on multiple fronts.

"This strategic sourcing contract proved to be a very streamlined procurement process, which resulted in low bid proposals in about 10 calendar days verses the more traditional 120 calendar day lead time requirement for contracting and results in costs per fixtures that were less than half of what shops would typically pay for an LED taxiway lighting fixture" according to Mr. White.

From an energy consumption perspective, the current incandescent lamps used in most Air Force taxiway lighting systems are typically rated at 30-45 Watts. Replacing the old fixtures with 5 Watt LEDs will substantially reduce energy consumption for the Air Force, said Ms. Joanie Campbell, Air Force subject matter expert for airfield lighting, Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency.

"The LED lights have an average life expectancy of more than 100,000 hours, compared to the 1,000 hours provided by the current incandescent fixtures," said Ms. Campbell.

With more than 10,000 lights being replaced over the last year, tangible long-term energy savings are being realized.

From a cost savings perspective, since being awarded, the contracts have been utilized to provide replacement lights at 18 Air Force installations, in 10 states. Cost savings of 50-60 percent were anticipated, based on historical spend data for incandescent lamps. While actual cost savings are still being calculated for the last quarter, $300,000 in cost savings have been confirmed. In addition to purchase savings, the Air Force realizes significant maintenance labor savings with the longer life-span of the LED lights.

Additional process savings are achieved by installation contracting squadrons. In the past, each installation had to develop individual contracts to replace taxiway lights. Now, contracting squadrons can access the centrally managed contract, and allow the pre-approved contractors to provide a bid for the lights; this process is proving to provide better than anticipated savings in the LED lights as well as the expected savings in contract process time, said Mr J. D. "Tad" Clark, Chief, Civil Engineer Commodity Council.

"The initiative will not only help save the Air Force money, but will provide standardization across all airfields, making future orders easier to process," said Mr. Clark.

The ESG's Commodity Councils are pursuing additional strategic sourcing initiatives with products and services related to civil engineering, force protection, information technology, medical service, office and dormitory furniture, office supplies, and advisory and assistance services. Additional information on the ESG can be found at: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/units/enterprisesourcinggroup.asp