christopher Harper, Author at DJ Products

DoD Forms Advisory Panel to Help Firms that Aren’t Typical DoD Contractors

Changing Regulatory Instructions for the DoD are Fueling a Need for More Technological Adaption.

The most innovative companies have countless ideas and technologies that are useful to the Department of Defense, but doing business with DoD can look and feel very differently than what tech firms are used to. In Silicon Valley and beyond, firms that prize speed, agility, and the ability to pivot or launch a product on a moment’s notice can feel encumbered by red tape when collaborating with the government.

A DoD advisory panel was recently formed to expedite collaboration with non-traditional contractors—those companies who aren’t accustomed to DoD contracts.

So far, the Government Accountability Office has identified these challenges facing DoD contractors’ equipment needs, negotiations, and finances:

• Complex processes

• Drawn-out processes

• Inexperience on the part of DoD staff

• Unusual, government-specific terms and conditions

• Unpredictable budget and cash flow issues

• Conflicts with intellectual property rights

Government and the tech industry have long enjoyed a two-way street of innovation and growth. What’s different now? According to the GAO, the private sector has increased R&D spending by 200% since 1987, while the government has held steady at 10% growth.

Among the goals: speed up contracting agreements to 60 days max, and enable DoD agility with easier access to new technology platforms.

Technology for Government and Military Contractors

At DJ Products, our GSA-approved material handling carts serve military and DoD contractors’ equipment needs in hangars, warehouses, factories, construction sites, and more.

From the TrailerCaddy Chain Drive battery-powered trailer hauler to the remote-controlled BombCaddy for explosives removal or general confined space towing, we have solutions that empower DoD contractors and make it easier to fulfill government work. Contact DJ Products today for more info!

Hoteliers Embrace Social Media for New Marketing Opportunities

Technology can change people’s habits, leading to changes across an entire industry. In 2015, mobile search volume surpassed desktop search. In 2016, social media advertising spending outpaced TV ad spending for the first time.

The hotel industry stands in position to embrace social media as an exciting—and in fact, necessary—means of marketing. Especially to the younger generations.

For the hotel and hospitality industry, social media marketing is especially important because it lends itself toward converting sales immediately online.

Jimmy Quach of HVS Vancouver explains some tips for hotels using social media:

• Produce quality content about experiences, food and drink, destinations

• Encourage the use of branded or event-specific hashtags, which make it easier to track engagement

• Spend on influencer marketing to get your hashtags and links in front of specific demographics

• Use social media as a customer service tool

• Combine with new mobile wallet and online payment tools for seamless bookings

Embracing Technology to Grow a Hotel Business

When used smartly, technology can help your hotel deliver a better experience to a growing customer base. Social media and mobile engagement make it easy for guests to find and book. Technology, like our powered hospitality industry carts, can also improve the guest experience.

DJ Products has a lineup of motorized equipment for housekeeping carts, supply carts, waste bin hoppers, and more. Powered hospitality industry carts let your staff work more efficiently, which improves guest comfort, reduces customer service response times, and even prevents worker injuries to keep your best staff on the clock.

Contact DJ Products today for more info about powered hospitality industry carts such as our CartCaddyLite electric cart pusher.

Have the Feds Over-Outsourced Work Contracts?

Has the Pentagon been outsourcing federal work too frequently? Some lawmakers believe so, and they’re attempting to resolve the problem by instituting a cap on service contract spending by the Defense Department.

Restoring Balance to Defense Department Outsourcing

A cap that limited service contract spending to fiscal 2011 totals was instituted in fiscal year 2012. The measure remained in effect until fiscal year 2015, but it has been removed for the past two years.

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, introduced the amendment including the cap, which was part of the annual defense authorization bill approved by the House Armed Services Committee. According to Rep. Hanabusa, the cap was necessary to “strike a fair balance” between federal workers and service contractors.

Has Outsourcing Become “Unfair and Inefficient?”

The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers local in Hawaii represents a number of Navy civilians. Led by its president, Jamie Hiranaka, the union supported the amendment’s inclusion.

Hiranaka stated that without the cap, “unfair and inefficient” outsourcing of jobs is likely to continue. With no room to hire federal workers, DoD agencies would be forced to outsource new work.

Michael Fischetti, executive director of the National Contract Management Association, disputes the need for a cap. In his view, such caps make spending decisions political rather than acquisition-based.

Meeting DoD Contractors’ Equipment Needs for Safety and Efficiency

DoD contractors’ equipment needs range across a wide spectrum of sizes and types. DJ Products offers a full line of battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers to handle any requirement.

Visit our website and chat with one of our sales engineers to find the solution for your application.

Tips for Choosing the Right Dumpster Moving Solution

With So Many Options, You Have to be Sure You Make the Right Choice. We Can Help.

Do your employees have to work in pairs to move the dumpster? According to insurance statistics, the trash room is the most high-risk area on your property.

Investing in a dumpster mover can quickly pay for itself through reduced labor costs and fewer work-related injuries. Use these tips to choose the most effective dumpster-moving solution for your multi-family community.

1. Choose a Product That Is Built for the Job

It can be tempting to create a DIY solution by using fork lifts, golf carts or other motorized items already in use on your property. Since they’re not designed to the specific requirements of a dumpster mover, they can actually increase the risk of injury.

2. Choose a Company that Understands Your Needs

Some providers try to be all things to all people, and as a result they really offer nothing of value. When you work with a company that focuses on commercial movers and tugs, they have the experience and knowledge to assist you in finding the right solution for your needs.

3. Work with an Established Provider

Purchasing a dumpster mover is a little more involved than buying office supplies. You’re investing in a product that should serve you for many years to come with the proper care. Beware of companies with no track record or ones that are vague about replacement parts and other maintenance requirements.

DJ Products: Providing Industrial Mover Solutions for More than 20 Years

Find out how products like our best-selling CartCaddyLite can increase productivity while saving you money. Visit our website to learn more form one of our friendly and knowledgeable sales engineers.

Probe Started into Camo Colors Selected for Afghanistan Military by the Pentagon

Military spending by the Department of Defense is sometimes a source of controversy. The subject recently took an unusual turn when a criminal probe was launched regarding the purchase of uniforms for Afghan troops.

“This Is About Reason and Common Sense”

John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, opened the investigation this past July. Sopko made the announcement when he recently appeared before a House Armed Services subcommittee.

According to Sopko, there are two significant problems with the purchase:

• Although Afghanistan is largely covered by desert, the uniforms feature a woodland pattern.

• The expensive and proprietary pattern was purchased from a private contractor when the Defense Department had their own patterns available for use.

In the IG’s 17-page report, it was implied that the pattern was selected based on a whim expressed by the Afghan defense minister rather than a formal assessment to determine an appropriate choice.

The Government Reacts

While the Pentagon and the IG are often at odds, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis criticized the “ineffective and wasteful manner” of spending taxpayer dollars. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), chair of the oversight and investigations panel, stated, “We cannot afford to make avoidable mistakes.”

Electric Tugs and Movers for DoD Contractors’ Equipment Needs

Moving heavy equipment such as aircraft, boats and trailers is labor-intensive and carries a significant risk of injury. DJ Products offers a full line of electric tugs and movers to accommodate any DoD contractors’ equipment needs.

Visit our website and let one of our friendly and knowledgeable sales engineers help you find the right solution for your business.

Congress Tackles DoD Acquisition Overhaul

Once again, the House Armed Forces Committee is tackling the hot-button issue of DoD acquisition reform. The current Defense authorization bill under consideration includes a blockbuster provision that would signal the biggest change in decades.

DoD Joins the E-Commerce Revolution?

The provision in question requires DoD to purchase commercial off-the-shelf products from at least two private sector online platforms such as Amazon and Staples. Committee chairman Mac Thornberry’s original proposal has been revised to include all federal government spending.

While proponents of the measure believe the government would benefit from the already competitive nature of online buying, opponents question the possibility of conflicts of interest by forcing commercial firms to sell through a portal operated by a competitor. There’s also the question of compliance with the Buy American Act and other legal requirements.

Controlling Service Contract Spending

Other provisions address service contracts, which comprise more than half of the DoD’s contracted spending. DoD budgets would be required to include detailed spending plans for both service contracts and weapons systems, and so-called “bridge contracts” to cover the period between an expiring contract and a new one, which would need approval from officials at increasingly higher levels of command.

DoD Contractor Equipment Supplier Tugs, Movers and Pushers from DJ Products

The DoD uses an incredibly varied range of products and vehicles, which is why a DoD contractor equipment supplier needs an effective solution for safe and efficient movement of these items. Our full line of battery-powered tugs and pushers can move loads weighing up to 50,000 pounds.

Visit our website to learn more from one of our friendly sales engineers.

Why Use the WasteCaddy 4SC Waste Bin Mover?

Automated equipment that helps move dumpsters serves two equally important purposes: to prevent worker injuries and to increase productivity. Here’s why your business should be using a waste bin mover to assist with moving dumpsters from the trash room to pickup areas:

Trash-related injuries are the #1 risk at multifamily properties
Injuries vary from pinched fingers, crushed toes, to spinal injuries and more
Use 1 employee instead of 2 to handle trash duties
Safely haul trash in wet, snowy, or icy conditions
Maneuver waste bins around tight corners and through congested areas like parking lots

Get More Done with Less Labor Required

Do you wish labor costs ate up a smaller percentage of revenue? Many of our clients make significant improvements to their profitability by adding a waste bin mover.

Better workplace comfort can reduce turnover, too. In rental properties, your tenants feel the brunt of it when quality service staff are constantly disappearing.

Key Features of the User-Friendly WasteCaddy4SC

We have solutions for all sizes and weights of dumpsters. The WasteCaddy4SC is the waste bin mover of choice for many condominium and apartment management firms. It attaches easily to the wheeled side of a standard dumpster. DJ Products can provide a bracket if needed.

Then, it’s a simple matter of pushing a button and steering with an ergonomic handlebar grip. Move and maneuver the dumpster at up to 3 mph on any terrain, with an automatic brake for inclines.

Find out why the WasteCaddy4SC waste bin mover may save your company tens of thousands of dollars in injury claims and lost time. Ask us for a free demo today.

Dumpster Moving = Danger & Injury. The Case for Safety.

The average cost of a trash room injury is more than $41,000 to the employer. To the injured worker, the trouble goes beyond pain and medical care. Great employees don’t stick around forever when working conditions are unpleasant and dangerous.

Making it worse, dumpster injuries are the most common type of injury for many janitorial and property management jobs. At apartment complexes and similar locations, the worst job of all is trash room duty without a dumpster mover.

All in all, dumpster-related injuries cost businesses big time in the short-term and long-term, in both concrete and intangible ways.

Why Dumpsters Cause Injury So Often

As risk specialist Brian Plautz of Minnesota Comp Advisor explains, there’s usually no good way to approach a dumpster and then push it or pull it. The worker exerts brute force to start the dumpster rolling. Then, there’s inevitably some kind of hazard—an inclined plane, rough terrain or gravel, or tight turns.

The heavy force of pushing or pulling combines with the high-torque movements of maneuvering a dumpster to create the perfect storm for back, neck, and shoulder injuries.

A Dumpster Mover Can Prevent Workers Comp Fraud

Invisible injuries like sprains and strains carry the highest risk of fraudulent claims. Plautz explains that unlike a broken bone, the worker can describe symptoms however they want and the doctor can never definitively say they’re cured. A motorized dumpster mover like the WasteCaddy from DJ Products essentially eliminates the risk of trash room injury in the first place.

Protect your workers—and protect your business—with the risk-reducing solution of the WasteCaddy from DJ Products. Contact us for more info!

What’s In Store for the “Smart” Warehouse of the Future?

Technology has been making inanimate objects like cell phones and appliances “smart,” and warehouses are part of the revolution. Companies who embrace the concept of smart warehouses today will reap the benefits of increased profitability in the future.

Robotics and Automation

For some time now, production and assembly tasks have been shifted to automated warehouse equipment, but some companies like Amazon are pushing the envelope and using machines for packing, shipping and other fulfillment services.

Customer Relationship Management

Customers certainly benefit from the improved accuracy and faster ship times that result from automation, and many companies are adopting chatbots to handle the initial order process and basic troubleshooting. But the personal touch hasn’t been eliminated altogether, as human intervention is still needed to solve more complex issues.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

The IoT is what allows you to shop and place orders from such diverse means as a smart phone and touch-screen kiosks. Industry 4.0, or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), is the technology that’s creating self-contained automation, such as self-driving forklifts and order picking robots.

Seasonal Functionality

In the past, employees were forced to deal with seasonal workflows on top of normal day-to-day operations, which often meant sacrificing efficiency. Smart warehouses are better equipped to handle seasonal inventory without interrupting regular operations.

Material Handling Solutions for Smart Warehouses

Smart warehouses call for smart solutions to move heavy warehouse equipment safely and efficiently. DJ Products has a full line of electric tugs, pushers and movers to fit any application. Visit our website or call 800.686.2651 to learn more from our friendly sales engineers.

Military Contractors: The New Cyber Security Gurus

Over the last few years, a sizable stream of high-ranking intelligence officials and operatives have migrated to similar positions with military contractors and other private sector firms. How does this blurring of lines impact our country’s intelligence community?

Rise of the Cyberintelligence-Industrial Complex

As President Dwight Eisenhower left office in 1961, he famously warned about the dangers of the growing military-industrial complex. Observers are now noting the similar rise of a cyberintelligence-industrial complex that could have even more serious implications.

A prime example of this model is the Chertoff Group, founded in March 2009 by the firm’s namesake, Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security. Chertoff also enlisted Michael Hayden, retired four-star general and former National Security Agency (NSA) director.

From the beginning, the Chertoff Group touted its ability to provide clients with access to the same leaders who have “kept the American homeland and its people safe.” Hayden was even more explicit, expressing his desire to re-create his government experience in the private sector.

Democracy at Risk?

What are the dangers of this new cybersecurity elite?

• Knowledge gained by men and women working at the highest levels of cyber-intelligence is now available to the highest corporate bidder.

• This new class is free to operate in a “black hole of secrecy” without government oversight.

Solutions for Today’s Military Contractor Equipment Supplier

Are you a military contractor equipment supplier trying to make your operations safer and more efficient? Contact us for information about our full line of electric tugs, pushers and movers for military and DoD applications.

Author: christopher Harper