Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s Special Operations Equipment (SOE) Tailored Logistics Support (TLS) Program was initially created in the 1990s to provide equipment to the military’s diving community. Since many military divers come from the SOF community, its use was expanded to include the supply of other specialized combat equipment.
Various types of special operational equipment and related incidental services may be provided including but not limited to: survival gear, tactical equipment, protective eyewear and vision enhancing equipment, escalation of force equipment, visit board search and seizure (VBSS), scuba gear, surface diving gear, thermal protection equipment, communication devices, compressors, hazardous material (HAZMAT), air purification devices, hyperbaric instrumentation, lifesaving equipment and other safety items.
The concept is simple. Multiple commercial companies are DLA contract holders and compete against one another to provide special equipment to organizations using the SOE TLS vehicle for procurement.
The program offers several advantages to the Department of Defense. First off, it allows customers to quickly fulfill requirements via a standing contract. Second, it relieves the burden on the government to stock every piece of equipment which might be needed. Concurrent with this, customers can get the latest version of needed equipment. Finally, it offers competitive pricing via task order bids for each requirement amongst the contract holders.
Currently, the SOE TLS contract is five years long in total and has a ceiling of $10 Billion. According to a special notice published by DLA, when the contract for the fifth-generation of the program is let, they want to expand the program to a total of 10 years, with the initial contract of two years and four additional two-year options. Likewise, they plan to triple the contract ceiling to $33 Billion. As in years past, they plan for this to be a small business set aside.
This expansion signals how successful the program has been for both DLA as well as its customers.