Your Commissary Could Launch Grocery Delivery

Lori Waddell

2 years ago

DeCA Considers Grocery Delivery

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The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is responsible for the operations and expansion of commissaries all around the world. The commissary access afforded to the military community is one of the most widely used benefits across all the services. Now, it is likely that the commissaries will begin offering delivery services.

The DeCA Click2Go (C2G)

DeCA’s Click2Go service is only a “Customer Pick Up” option for online shoppers at this time. This service has saved beneficiaries countless hours that would have otherwise been spent on shopping. By being able to order online and schedule a pick up time, DeCA has expanded their products and services to a wider customer base.

This C2G service utilizes the NCR Freshop application, which is an eCommerce platform hosted in the Amazon cloud. So, when a customer places an order, commissary personnel do the shopping and have the packages pre-staged for the pick-up delivery. Once the customer picks up the delivery, they approve the payment and the order is complete.

Grocery Delivery on the Horizon

Shopping and delivery services like Instacart have taken society by storm. It has become an entrenched part of life in most urban centers, and I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon. To that end, DeCA has taken notice and intends to bring the same type of services to its own customers.

Currently, DeCA has solicited a Request for Information (RFI) seeking information from potential service providers as to the feasibility of implementing DeCA’s delivery plans. Ideally, DeCA is searching for a service provider that has an “out of the box” compatibility with the Click2Go platform already in use.

During this time of market research, DeCA will receive feedback from interested companies explaining if and how they can meet the Operational Requirements of the delivery service.

DeCA’s Operational Requirements

In addition to the normal expectations society has for delivery service providers (conduct, safety standards, etc.), DeCA has specific concerns for a large portion of its customer base. Since most commissaries are on military installations, and access to those installations is highly controlled, DeCA seeks a service provider that already has experience engaging with on-base deliveries.

It is apparent by reading DeCA’s RFI for Delivery Services that the agency seeks the most seamless way of offering the delivery option to its customers. And why wouldn’t they? With companies like Shipt, GoPuff, and Instacart scurrying groceries to millions of homes during the pandemic lock-downs, it only makes sense that DeCA would seek this same service on and around military installations.

When the service does start, it will likely only be for the CONUS installations. There will certainly be a delivery radius, outside of which the Commissary delivery option will not be available. We can only speculate about such details at this point, as they may be determined by the company providing the service.

Even so, the RFI contains a list of CONUS locations where the service will be available.

Will DeCA Launch Grocery Delivery?

I certainly hope that the delivery option becomes available. Not only is it convenient, but for the past couple of years, it has been an essential service for those stuck at home. From a business point of view, if DeCA wants to remain competitive and relevant, then adding a delivery service is a must. DeCA hopes to get this launched as quickly as they can, but there is still no timeline.