What is a Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement in Foreign Military Sales?

The DoW offers the CLSSA as an effective means of replenishing the in-country stocks of spares and repair parts, which were initially furnished with end items of equipment. The CLSSA is an FMS arrangement for the furnishing of secondary items from the U.S. logistics system to a country in support of specific major end items/systems. The arrangement requires the country to make a financial investment in the DoW logistics system to fund its anticipated support requirements. The CLSSA LOA describes the end items supported rather than a definitive list of items or quantities, although items and quantities may be negotiated. The investment permits the MILDEP to augment its stocks in anticipation of the country’s actual demands. The CLSSA is used for replenishment of consumables or for replacement of repairable components. It may not be used to acquire major defense equipment, significant military equipment, excess defense articles, explosive ordnance, classified materiel, initial spare parts, or the other categories the manual excludes, nor anything that the DoW does not centrally stock or centrally manage. The CLSSA is not intended for initial support, but, rather, as a mechanism to resupply the initial support package.

The materiel purchased with the country’s cash investment is commingled with DoW stocks and is not physically separated or otherwise identified in the inventory control point’s inventory records. In return for this investment, the country is entitled to support from DoW stocks equal to that, provided U.S. forces assigned the same force activity designator.

Once an investment has been used to augment DoW stocks and a country desires to withdraw materiel for use, the country’s payment for those items provides funds for restoring USG stock levels. This allows for further support to that particular country in the future under the arrangement.

Due to the two-step nature of the arrangement, the CLSSA consists of two separate FMS cases where the case designator’s first character is “K”: one for DoW stock augmentation and another for materiel withdrawal. Each LOA in the arrangement is referred to as a Foreign Military Sales Order (FMSO) I and II respectively.

The CLSSA is a viable option for many international partners who own U.S.-origin weapon systems currently in use by U.S. operating forces. By participating in the CLSSA, the international partner has greater access to the DoW’s inventory of spares, on the same level as does the American military. The result is faster FMS stock replenishment, which keeps the international partner’s equipment operating at full capability.

The effectiveness of CLSSA can be influenced by a variety of factors. First and foremost, CLSSA is predicated on adequate inventories of stocked materiel in the purchasing country. In most instances, this requirement is accomplished through the initial support package/concurrent spares package provided with the purchase of the weapon system. CLSSA effectiveness depends on the orderly and timely replenishment of this in-country stock. The participating country should submit replenishment requisitions in a routine manner, as needed, and should avoid ordering large quantities infrequently. In addition, CLSSAs are not intended as the vehicle for large quantity augmentation of in-country stocks. Such augmentation may be required because of an increase in stock levels due to changes in mission, operational levels, maintenance philosophy, or the introduction of additional end items. These requirements should be satisfied through a defined order or blanket order case. The investment levels of the CLSSA should then be adjusted accordingly to support the replenishment of these increased levels of in-country stock.

Factors that normally preclude the use of a CLSSA for follow-on support or drastically reduce its utility are the international partner’s requirements for sole-source procurement, the international partner’s desire for single-vendor integrity, or the need for nonstandard items.

A sole-source procurement is defined as one where supplies or services may only be obtained from a specific person or firm. The CLSSA program relies on the availability of depot stock, and there often are multiple suppliers of a single-stocked item. Since DoW procedures do not provide for segregation or identification of stocked materiel by the manufacturer, international partners insisting upon a sole source may not requisition the item against a CLSSA.