Describe how the allies organized convoys of merchant ships protected by warships.

Explanation:

The allies would surround merchant ships with battleships/destroyers and often a carrier to deter enemy submarine/U-Boats

they could find out our specific needs.

an informal structure in a bureaucracy would be something like so-called "office politics". where there's a formal structure set up for the organization, but then an informal subculture as well that has a way of organizing the bureaucracy further. this can be positive because it sets up an added degree of organization, albeit informal, within the bureaucracy.