B737 CREW DEPARTED MDW WITH LESS FUEL THAN THE DEP RELEASE SPECIFIED.

Narrative

FLT DEPARTED MDW WITH LESS THAN MINIMUM FUEL AS SPECIFIED ON DISPATCH RELEASE; UNINTENTIONALLY. THE FUELER INADVERTENTLY PUT LESS FUEL ON THE ACFT THAN WHAT WAS ORDERED BY OPS. NEW FUELING PROCS HAS OPS PLACING FUEL ORDERS AND NOT THE CAPTS. FLC ENTERED PLANNED FUEL OF 17.6 IN FMC 'PERFORMANCE PAGE.' DURING BEFORE START CHKLIST; FLC CHKED FUEL QUANTITY AGAINST 'PROGRESS PAGE 1' AND IT READ 17.6; WHICH WAS ACTUALLY THE PLANNED FUEL INSTEAD OF THE ACTUAL FUEL ON THE ACFT. AT THE SAME TIME DURING THE FUEL CHK ON 'PROGRESS PAGE 1;' CREW CHKED ARR FUEL AT DCA AND ARR FUEL INDICATED NORMAL. ABOVE FL290; FLC CLOSED AN ARR RTE DISCONTINUITY ON THE 'LEGS PAGE;' THEN RECEIVED AN FMC MESSAGE STATING 'USING RESERVE FUEL.' CHKED THE ARR FUEL FOR DCA IMMEDIATELY. FMC PROGRESS PAGE 1 INDICATED ARRIVING DCA WITH 5.4 REMAINING. WHILE 5400 LBS OF FUEL IS MORE THAN ADEQUATE; IT IS BELOW COMPANY RECOMMENDED ARR FUEL AND LESS THAN ARR FUEL OF 8500 FT OR 8.5; SHOWN ON DISPATCH RELEASE. FLC MONITORED FUEL CONSUMPTION DURING THE FLT AND CONTINUED TO DCA LNDG WITH 5000 LBS OF FUEL; WELL ABOVE ANY FUEL MINIMUM ADVISORIES. ENRTE; DEP AND DEST WX WAS VFR AND UNRESTR VISIBILITY AND NO ATC DELAYS.