Jan. 22, 2014

The VA has released detailed instructions that service providers can use when requesting surplus for Stand Down events (to be approved by a local facility HCHV coordinator or VA employee stand down POC).  Below you will find this set of instructions, in addition to the Stand Down Surplus Notification Request Form, the Surplus Authorization Form, and the 2014 Stand Down Notice of Proposed Event Form.

 

FY14 Operation New Hope Stand Down Surplus Request “Step by Step” Instructions
(Summary of below:  submit first 3 attachments at least 60 days prior to delivery date — see attachments at bottom page)

Please follow steps below if planning to request surplus to support future stand down event or outreach (justification required if surplus is to be distributed for other than stand down):

1. Confirm stand down date & location (verify against VA & NCHV stand down calendar or with community representatives).  Submit 2014 Notice of Proposed Event Form (3rd attachment).

2. Determine if surplus (primarily clothing items) will be required for stand down (or outreach).  If no surplus will be requested, notify the stand down coordinator (Kevin O’Connell) of scheduled stand down dates (indicate no surplus required) in order to update master stand down calendar.

3. Identify Primary POC (must be VA employee assigned to local VA main facility).

4. Assign Alternate POC (VA employee or community representative).

5. Fill out & submit Stand Down Surplus Notification Request Form (1st attachment) at least 2 months prior to delivery date (data is used to forecast shipment, project transportation costs, and update ONH warehouse calendar, processed in date sequence), email to Kevin.O’Connell@va.gov, or send in body of email as follows (see additional notes below):

• Delivery Date:
• Delivery Address:
• Stand Down Date:
• Stand Down Event Location:
• Estimated # of Homeless Veterans:
• 3 Digit Main VA Facility ID #:
• Primary VA Employee POC contact info:
• Alternate POC contact info:
• Signed Surplus Authorization Form (attached) & include event flyer if available

6. Sign & submit Surplus Authorization Form (2nd attachment).  Must be signed by authorized VA employee.

7. Once received & verified by the Stand Down Coordinator, you will receive warehouse order sheet calendar update & nomenclature listing “working copy” (4th attachment) to review ahead of time.

8. Recommend setting up outlook reminder for order sheet between 3-4 weeks prior to requested delivery date or according to order sheet calendar date.

9. Start “drafting” quantities of surplus items to request (use word document nomenclature listing or old order sheet & base it off estimated # of homeless veterans), be prepared to fill out & submit excel order sheet after receipt.  Reminder:  updates are processed daily due to outgoing shipments & stock replenishment, order sheet (inventory) will be outdated if not submitted by deadline indicated on email upon receipt.

10. Once order sheet is received, fill out & submit in original format for processing (see additional notes below).

11. Account for surplus upon delivery (quantities submitted on order sheet will not always be completely filled depending on requests from other cities, timing of shipment, etc.).  Recommend having each homeless veteran sign issue sheet (generated locally) upon distribution for better accountability & record keeping.

12. Fill out & submit stand down event after action report to:  Robert.Figueroa@va.gov.

13. Report any excess surplus left over from event or additional feedback to:  Kevin.O’Connell@va.gov.

 

Notes for step #5:

Delivery date:  recommend scheduling at least 2 weeks prior to stand down date to allow time to prepare, receive, & store shipment.  Sep & Oct have historically been the busiest months for the Operation New Hope warehouse.  To help alleviate the workload & prevent “rush” orders, try to have delivered between months of Jan – Jun if long term storage is available locally.  Deliveries generally arrive in the AM, the truck driver will have contact information you provided, no need to send inquiry regarding delivery times (can’t always provide exact time depending on road, traffic, & weather conditions) unless the shipment is late (no show on scheduled date).

Delivery address:  include building name if applicable, street address, city, state, & zip code.  Indicate any special requests:  lift gate, time of delivery, additional directions not captured on GPS to assist truck driver, etc.   VA funds the transportation (distance, weight, & # truckloads determine charges), providing at least 2 months in advance assists with determining projected freight costs.  Delivery address is updated in our database consignee file (verify address prior to submission).  Send correction if there are any changes to address prior to order sheet submission (3-4 weeks prior to delivery date).

Stand down date:  verify with local coordinates correct date(s).  If you aren’t requesting surplus to support the stand down, please submit stand down date(s) IAW above & indicate in body of email stand down notification only, no surplus required (put N/A under Delivery date & address block, required to update master stand down calendar).

Stand down location:  specific town or city where the stand down is being held (not always the same as delivery address).  Include event flyer if available.

Estimated # of homeless veterans:  # of homeless veterans expected to attend based on local & historical data.  Determines amount of surplus authorized.  3 digit main VA facility ID:  3 digit customer ID for the main local VA facility.  If multiple stand downs are scheduled under same facility, recommend working with local coordinators by consolidating surplus shipments (saves on transportation costs) if there is sufficient storage available.  Facility ID can be found under the following: http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/rpt_fac_list.cfm?sort=Sta&list_by=all&oid=all.

Primary POC contact info:  Local VA employee (generally HCHV coordinator or social worker) assigned to the main VA facility.  Provide full name & phone #’s.

Alternate POC contact info:  VA employee or local community representative coordinating the stand down & on site to receive surplus.  Include any additional POCs to assist truck driver upon delivery.  Provide full name & phone #’s.

 

Notes for step #10:

Order sheet:  Customer ID is the 3 digit facility ID, fill out dates in mm/dd/yyyy format, Est. Homeless Vets is number you expect based on local & historical data.  The nomenclature listing sent to you is in different format (word) than the updated order sheet (excel).  Use the nomenclature listing ahead of time to begin drafting quantities & review (recommend printing for any stand down planning meetings).  For specific details on any item, input the NSN under the following link: www.logisticsinformationservice.dla.mil/webflis/default.asp.

Inventory will be generated shortly before you receive order sheet to reflect “real time” on hand balances (under UI Avail column).  If the OP (Original Packaging) is more than 1 and there is sufficient on hand quantity available, recommend you round up to the OP (under the Std Qty column).  For example:  if you need  198 pair of drawers & the OP is 204 then round up to 204; if you are requesting 28 liners & the OP is 15 then round up to 30 (or down to 15), and so forth.

 

Additional notes:

• The Operation New Hope warehouse is located in Hillsborough, NJ.  Standard working hours are M-F, 7AM-3:30PM EST.
• VA stand down calendar link: http://www.va.gov/homeless/events.asp
• NCHV stand down calendar link: https://nchv.org/index.php/service/service/stand_down/
• DLA DRMO site location link: http://www.logisticsinformationservice.dla.mil/SiteLookup/ (contact Kevin first to coordinate on site screening / pickup @ DRMO near you, helps save on transportation costs if picking up locally)
• Operation New Hope nomenclature listing (4th attachment) is a “working copy” to be used for drafting quantities prior to receiving updated order sheet (in excel format) as addressed in step #10.  Recommend sharing this with community partners ahead of time to assist with planning of event & to be prepared when receiving order sheet.  Listing is as of 1 Oct 2013.

 

Attachments:

Stand Down Surplus Notification Request Form
Surplus Authorization Form
2014 Stand Down Notice of Proposed Event Form