Dashboard from DLA Energy Provides Comprehensive Fuel Quality Data

The Defense Logistics Agency Energy has modernized its fuel quality data system to better monitor and analyze fuel for service members.

The DLA Energy Quality Data Portal replaces a static booklet by consolidating data from the Wide Area Workflow, or WAWF, an electronic invoicing and receipt system. The portal allows DLA Energy staff and quality managers to track fuel quality performance over time.

"The DLA Energy Quality Portal, which builds upon the former Petroleum Quality Information System, provides an interactive dashboard for viewing comprehensive fuel quality data to ensure the Quality Team can track vendor performance history and test data across the globe, bringing reliable fuels sources to the troops.," said Eamonn Knights, a lead technical quality business analyst for DLA Energy. "This upgraded application now integrates additional information, such as daily regional data monitoring, sourced from the Enterprise Business System, EBS."

According to Knights, the portal includes full specification test results from 2019 to the present and its data can be refreshed on demand to support trend analysis.

The primary users of the portal include quality managers, quality assurance representatives, technical and quality business process analysts, chemists, inventory management specialists, quality assurance specialists, customer account specialists and DLA Energy Business Process Support Directorate leadership.

Knights credited Rhiannon Staley, a Pathways to Career Excellence Program member, and Meagan Alexander, a contractor with DLA Energy, for the development and upkeep of the data portal.

"Rhiannon Staley was able to bring to reality the data analytical platform that is now used by the DLA Energy division," Knights said. "This was a feat the quality team was attempting to do for 10 years and was accomplished in less than a year."

He added that the entire team contributes to what data is included, how the data is utilized across DLA Energy and the creation of training materials for other users.

"Historically, fuel quality information was confined to a physical booklet with limited accessibility, making it difficult for quality managers to efficiently monitor trends, identify anomalies, or respond to data inquiries," said Staley.

Alexander emphasized that enhanced access to the revamped data portal allows for high-level trend analysis, detailed test-level reviews, and rapid support for acquisition reviews, audits, and leadership briefings. "Ultimately, the portal fosters a shift from reactive to proactive quality management, enabling data-driven decision-making across all acquisition and quality operations," she added.

The portal allows users to access information through Microsoft Teams; gives quality managers increased visibility of their regions and provides chemists with access to the data. Since its launch, the portal's reports have expanded to include surveillance data, acquisition data, fuel downgrades and quality assurance representative notifications and activities.

Staley and Alexander said the biggest challenge was consolidating data from different platforms into a cohesive dashboard. They explained that ensuring accuracy and consistency between live and static data sources required troubleshooting, but the team overcame it through collaboration and continuous practice within Power BI.

A key lesson, they noted, is that with the increased focus on analytics, data quality and context are essential for creating a consistent display of information. They added that proactive monitoring, valid data sources and proper data governance are used to keep the data secure, accurate and available.

Looking ahead, the team plans to enhance the portal by integrating data from the military services, according to Knights. The goal is to create a single point of visibility for test data, allowing staff to track depot fuel quality in real time.

Ultimately, he said, this evolution will help "enhance fuel quality security across the globe," by providing a clear picture of where fuel is on-specification and monitoring vendor quality at its source.