Intransit Visibility and Performance Evaluation Systems Need Improvement

The Army's Logistic Intelligence File (LIF) does not receive complete, accurate, and timely information on the movement of material through the supply and transportation pipeline. This delays information processing on the status of material requisitions and reports on logistical performance. Problems include delays in notification of actions, erroneous dates furnished, and omission of some required information. The existence of both the LIF and Military Supply and Transportation Evaluation Procedures (MILSTEP) performance reporting system has resulted in the duplication and overlapping of work, and confusion and conflicts when statistics from the two systems are reviewed for comparable periods. LIF is an information computer data file which accumulates and assembles standard supply and transportation data and provides visibility of the supply and transportation pipeline. LIF tracks Army requisitions, evaluates procurement performance, and produces monthly individual Direct Support System activity performance reports. It is also used to analyze the Army's supply and distribution system. MILSTEP is a separate and distinct database for evaluating logistics performance. The existence of the two systems has caused the development and maintenance of separate Army organizations, databases, and logistical performance reports, resulting in duplication and overlapping of work and confusion and conflicts. Multiple reporting systems cannot be cost effective and provide a built-in basis for conflict.