Navy Purchasing And NAVSEA Officials Address Marine Machinery Association Seminar

More than 80 key marketing and sales executives representing some 40 leading marine machinery manufacturing companies currently selling to the U.S. Navy attended a recent seminar in Washington, D.C.

conducted by the Marine Machinery Association (MMA).

Rear Adm. James Nunnelly, USN (Ret.), president of the American Society of Naval Engineers, welcomed attendees at the seminar and commented on the importance of the work of the MMA to the Navy and to the nation. He wished the association continued success.

Organized specifically for the Navy market when it was founded more than a year ago, the non-profit MMA is the first and only organization of its type. It is a recognized, fully operational, and growing association with notable successes already to its credit.

The main purpose of MMA, largely achieved in a surprisingly short period of time, is to establish a united presence in Washington to work more closely with the Navy to help solve problems, to more efficiently meet Navy requirements, and to increase cooperation and generally improve working relationships for the mutual benefit of both the Navy and the marine equipment suppliers.

In his welcoming address, MMA executive director Daniel Marangiello of ORI, Inc. told how MMA founders were particularly concerned with extensive, costly, and continuing problems created for both the Navy and the equipment manufacturers in the critical area of spare parts and service.

He noted that there is a great need to close the communications gap between the users (the Fleet), the purchasers, and the technical community. He pointed out that it was the obligation of the technical community to exercise its integrity and to insist on requisite quality. If the technical community does not lead and demand quality parts and service, Fleet reliability will suffer and the maintenance burden of ships' personnel will increase, he stated.

Mr. Marangiello concluded by warning that if the technical community did not stand up for technical excellence, the reputable manufacturers will not be able to compete with suppliers who have no engineering, no quality assurance, no traceability, and no product liability.

The end result will be 100 suppliers, each of whom can build a spark plug but none of whom can build an engine. Such a situation, Mr. Marangiello stated, could be catastrophic for the industry, the Navy, and the country.

Jack Janetatos, then president of the MMA, spoke on ethics in business. Ethics, he noted, must be a requirement not only for the manufacturer but also for the government.

Government personnel must feel a sense of obligation for their actions in dealing with manufacturers.

He described how the government was issuing challenges to rights and data solely for the purpose of forcing manufacturers into a decision not to defend their rights because of the prohibitive cost and time involved in such legal actions. In the view of the association, this is improper conduct and not in the spirit of good, ethical business practice, he concluded.

Richard McFarland, executive director of the Navy Ship Parts Control Center in Mechaniesberg, Pa., addressed the seminar on his operations. He stated that SPCC maintained good security of rights and data, and it is their commitment to do so. He admitted that the SPCC had no Quality Assurance per se, and that it depended totally upon NAVSEA for instructions and guidance in this regard. He noted that this was right, as it is the technical community that has the knowledge, expertise, and responsibility in this area.

Hon. Robert McClory, former member of Congress with 20 years of service in the House of Representatives, gave a report on the legisla- tive efforts of the association during the past year, and noted the significant impact of the MMA on several pieces of legislation. He also outlined plans for the coming year, including testimony before the House Armed Services Committee and its Subcommittees.

Jack Flannigan of Terry Corporation was elected president of the association to succeed Mr. Janetatos.

He thanked the board of directors for its confidence, Mr. Janatatos for his extraordinary efforts during the past year, and vowed to continue efforts to restore honest, fair, and true competition.