Unitized Group Ration (UGR)™ Update R&DA Meeting October 2008

1. M. Susan Harrington Group Rations Team DoD Combat Feeding Directorate US Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center Unitized Group Ration (UGR)™ UpdateR&DA Meeting October 2008

2. UGR-A™ FY08 Field Evaluation 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment Ft. Carson, CO Sept/Oct 2008 Approx 120 Soldiers 2 Groups, 8 Days UGR-A™ for Breakfast and Dinner

3. FY08 Field Evaluations Heat & Serve Polymeric Tray Institutional-Sized Pouch Containerized Kitchen

4. UGR-A™ FY08 Field Evaluation • Fully improved UGR-A™, 08 menus as standard control menus • Over 100 candidate UGR-A™ items were submitted by industry, with over 70 selected and field tested • Results will be presented to the UGR-A™ Integrated Product Team (IPT), Jan 09 to review/ approve UGR-A™,10 menu items/changes

5. UGR-A™ FY08 Field Evaluation

6. UGR-A™ FY08 Field Evaluation UGR-A™ Breakfast Test Items:

7. UGR-A™ FY08 Field Evaluation UGR-A™ Dinner Test Items

8. UGR-A™ FY08 Field Evaluation UGR-A™ Bakery/Snack Test Items:

9. UGR-A™ FY08 Field Evaluation “Standard field chow is usually stomachable and at best invokes a feeling of indifference. To make field chow enjoyable is a commendable and worthy cause and should be pursued with vigor. I don’t mind being a “lab rat” if it is geared towards improving the Army.” SSGT Poyer, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment

10. UGR-H&S™ FY08 Field Evaluation 1st Battalion, 8th Marines Ft. Pickett, VA Oct 2008 Approx 200 Soldiers 2 Groups, 7 Days UGR-Heat & Serve (H&S)™ for Breakfast and Dinner

11. UGR-H&S™ FY08 Field Evaluation • Fully improved UGR-H&S™, 08 menus as standard control menus • 39 new items were field tested. • Results will be presented to the Joint Services Operational Ration Forum (JSORF), Jan 09 for approval to be included in FY11 Menus.

12. UGR-H&S™ FY08 Field Evaluation UGR-H&S™ Breakfast Test Items: • Steak with Peppers and Onions • Steak with Au Jus • Creamed Ground Beef with Potato (NDI*) • Creamed Ground Sausage with Potato (NDI) • Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Casserole (NDI) • Ranchero Beef (NDI) • Breakfast Blend (NDI) • Boil-in-Bag (BIB) Grits (NDI) • BIB Creamed Ground Beef (NDI) * Non-Developmental Item

13. UGR-H&S™ FY08 Field Evaluation UGR-H&S™ Lunch/Dinner Test Entrees: • Steaks with Au Jus • Turkey and Lentil Stew • Chicken and Vegetables in Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce • Creole Dijon Chicken • Cuban Garlic Beef • Thai Chicken in Spicy Peanut Sauce

14. UGR-H&S™ FY08 Field Evaluation UGR-H&S™ Lunch/Dinner Test Sides: • Green Bean Casserole (NDI) • Lima Bean Casserole (NDI) • Corn & Tomato Casserole (NDI) • Sweet Potato & Coconut Casserole (NDI) • Santa Fe Rice & Beans (NDI) • Barley with Mushrooms • BIB Rice (NDI) • BIB Stuffing (NDI) • BIB Pasta (NDI)

15. UGR-H&S™ FY08 Field Evaluation • UGR-H&S™ Bakery/Snack Test Items: • Maple Brown Sugar Biscuits • Apple Cinnamon Biscuits • Lemon Swirls • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies • Grab’n Go Granola • Peanut Butter Cookies • Cranberry Orange Cake • Red Velvet Cake • Key Lime Cookies • Cranberry Cookies • Banana Nut Cake • Instant Oatmeal – Blueberry, Cranberry

16. Sue Harrington Group Rations Team DoD Combat Feeding Directorate US Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center Lean Six Sigma (LSS)Project Update

17. LSS Project Title Reduction in product variability (appearance, acceptance, and nutritional value) of UGR-H&S™ Polymeric Tray Items. Using the principles of Lean Six Sigma we first defined the problem – described the “pain” that we or our Customers are experiencing? • Industry has issues producing operational ration components using performance-based documents. • Production issues generate Engineering Support (ES) Cases, which incurs a cost to the Customer. • Ration components that don’t meet requirements are rejected by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and/or Natick at a cost to the vendors and ultimately Defense Logistics Agency and the Services. Define

18. SIPOC Map Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers Product Development Field Test Present Data to JSORF JSORF Approval • Customer • Natick • Industry • USDA • VETCOM • DLA • Test Product • JSORF Approved Product • Technical Data Package • Draft PCRs • Services • DLA • USDA • VETCOM • Ration Industry Approved First Article (FA) DSCP award for Full Rate Production PCR Coordination & Transition to DSCP Cutting Develop PCR Input Metrics Process Metrics Output Metrics • Customer Satisfaction • Quality • Process Speed • Customer Satisfaction • Variance (Quality and Nutrition) • Engineering Support Cases • First Article Failures • Customer Satisfaction • Variance (Quality and Nutrition) • Engineering Support Cases • First Article Failures Quality • Existing Process Cycle Time • Process Cycle Time • Post Process Cycle Time Speed • First Article Results • USDA Defect Results • ES Cases • PCR Accuracy • First Article Results • USDA Defect Results • ES Cases Cost

19. LSS Process Improvement Voice of the Customer Survey revealed that the Customer perception was that there were too many requests for waivers and changes to Performance-Based Customer Requirements (PCRs). • Rationale – PCR changes are a normal evolution of the process due to unknown transition from lab top to full rate production. • The goal is to reduce or eliminate the unknowns prior to finalizing the PCR, which should greatly reduce the number of request for waivers and document changes and ultimately eliminate adverse Customer perceptions. DRAFT PCR

20. LSS Process Improvement LSS Team initiative along with Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) buy-in was to implement production testing of polymeric tray items • DSCP Limited First Article/Production Test using draft Performance Based Contract Requirements (PCRs) were completed Jul/Aug 08 at: Sterling Foods, San Antonio, TX Ameriqual Packaging, Evansville, IN The Wornick Company, Cincinnati, OH • PCR review meeting conducted internally at Natick on 8 Oct 08 and will be discussed with the three vendors on Wednesday morning, 29 Oct 08 • Full Document Coordination and Transition to DSCP 1Q09

21. LSS Process Improvement Retorted Polymeric Tray Items Produced • Chicken Pot Pie Filling • Pork Carnitas • Hoppin’ John • Chicken Tamales • Turkey Tetrazzini • Chicken Stir Fry Bakery Polymeric Tray Items Produced • Apple Scones • Blueberry Breakfast Cake • Apple Breakfast Cake • Cornbread

22. Existing and Proposed UGR-H&SProcess Cycle Timeline Proposed Change in Process Proposed Process Cycle Timeline Approved LFAs available for assembly into XX+2 modules • DSCP updates contract with final PCR for full production of approved LFA • 2. Industry submits full production First Articles for approval FEB/MAR XX+1 FEST transitions UGR FYXX+2 draft PCRs to DSCP JAN/FEB XX+1 JSORF approves items for inclusion in the FYXX+2 menus MAY/JUNE XX+1 Limited First Article (LFA) production testing SEPT/OCT XX+2 Transition fully coordinated PCRs to DSCP JAN-APR XX Product development of field test items JUN/JUL XX+1 PCR review and Coordination Aug XX Field test UGR H&S OCT XX+1 Tech data to FEST JAN/FEB XX+1 JSORF approves items for inclusion in the FYXX+3 menus JAN-APR XX Product development of field test items AUG XX Field test UGR H&S OCT XX+1 Tech data to FEST SPRING XX+1 Cutting of FYXX+3 items NOV XX+2 FEST transitions UGR FYXX +3 PCRs to DSCP OCT XX+3 UGR H&S Menus available to the field NOV XX+2-OCT XX+3 DSCP procures components and assembles modules of UGR H&S Existing Process Cycle Timeline

23. LSS Initiative • A second LSS initiative is the Photo Digitized Documentation Database (PD³) • The PD³ will provide a visual guide (for DSCP, Veterinary Inspectors, USDA, Ration Producers, and Natick panelists) of the end item product requirements that will help ensure producibility, compliance and reduce major variation in operational ration components • FY08 accomplishments included procuring software and cameras. • FY08 Database includes: • Limited First Article Production Items • FY08 UGR-H&S Field test items • (initial & storage studies)

24. LSS Initiative • PD³ (continued) • Initial photos will consist of JSORF approved product as the primary comparative measurement • As the product evolves through large scale production, photos will be used to measure comparability, determine level of allowable variability, which will lead to less subjective decisions. • Vendor First Articles (FAs) (failures and approvals) will be added to document and verify continued visual compliance of quality. • This database will be linked to approved procurement documents and will be continuously updated and rigorously managed as products/documents evolve.

25. Questions?