Original Date: 09/15/1997
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Tooele Army Depot’s (TEAD’s) Safety Office was instrumental in establishing a service contract to provide employees a single on-installation source for obtaining personal protective equipment and clothing. Prior to this, individual purchase requests were processed through the Contracting Office whenever new safety lenses, boots, or other safety equipment were required by an employee. This was a time consuming process which did not always meet the user’s requirements in a timely manner. In 1991, the Safety Office conducted a study to determine how it could more effectively satisfy the safety equipment needs of TEAD organizations, tenants, Deseret Chemical Depot (DCD), and the Chemical Agent Munitions Disposal System (CAMDS). This study projected a first year savings of $379 thousand per year through hiring a contractor to establish an on-site store dealing with safety clothing and equipment.

In 1993, a one-year contract with four option years was established with Safety West, Inc. to establish a store which would fulfill the requirements of TEAD, tenants, Umatilla Depot Activity, CAMDS, and DCD. This store issues and fits protective footwear, provides prescription safety glasses, dispenses and fits respirators, and provides various other safety related items either off the shelf or with short delivery times. Significant improvements were obtained in individual fit, quality, delivery times, and cost over the previous process and vendors. In 1996, the contract was negotiated to eliminate store operation costs of $66 thousand per year previously paid to the contractor. As a result, primary costs were solely for the products bought or ordered. Market analysis further showed that the price for the products remained significantly less than obtaining small or individual quantities through purchase orders.

In January 1997, an analysis was conducted to compare the safety store contract cost with the costs associated with buying the same equipment individually through the recently expanded credit card program. Results showed that the annual cost of equipment bought, buyer travel, and administration expense would be $65 thousand less than by using the Government credit card program.

The Tooele Safety Office reduced cost and improved customer service through hiring a private contractor to set up a safety clothing and equipment store on post. Protective eye wear is obtained by employees in one week instead of six to eight weeks. Safety boots are better quality, better fitting, and available in a larger selection. A return policy was put into place, and the process for emergency purchases was made more effective. As a result of the effectiveness of this contract, TEAD is looking to renew the contract for the on-site store and pursue possible additional locations in the DCD south area.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.