Marine Corps fleet of MV-22 Osprey is being reduced from more than 70 distinct variants to about five so the service will increase commonality throughout the Osprey fleet. These efforts will boost readiness through simplifying the maintenance efforts on the planes, while also generating savings in dealing with parts suppliers and making operations easier on pilots and maintainers.

Since Osprey production began in 2004, the Marines have continued to insert reliability and capability improvements into the production line – which not only incurs a cost on the acquisition side, but has made maintenance, operations and logistics a headache. Even within squadrons, pilots and maintainers have had to work with different configurations that have wires and switches in different places, have different mission capabilities, and require different spare parts.

Common Parts Catalogs present viable, robust solution to problems currently facing Build/Repair Job Site parts component operations. Through new device applications, there are now standard techniques that can extend the capabilities of parts catalogs. Integration of parts catalogs can now be done with material design/requisition applications.

Application teams are leading the way to many significant efficiencies for the processes of parts handling. The implementation and adoption of standards function as key component in larger integration efforts of Job Sites and functions as critical base for the one-Job Site concept.

Means of standardising and organising parts catalogs at Job Sites has become a crucial step in advancing useful communications between DoD and suppliers. From the extremely outdated method of parts tracking and cataloging on paper, to the latest available modern applications, efforts aim to alleviate problems encountered in executing disparate Job Site tasks. DoD must critically evaluate current parts cataloging system and replace it with a highly organised and flexible application structure to keep track of parts and materials.

Parts are the building blocks from which weapons systems are created and, as such, greatly impact factors critical to field-level missions such as dependability, readiness, and operating costs. Parts teams must establish practice of considering the application, standardisation, technology, system reliability, maintainability, supportability, and cost in designing or selecting parts and addressing availability and logistics support over service life of equipment. Because the reliability and maintainability of  end items are dependent upon these building blocks, the importance of selecting and applying the most effective application for tracking parts cannot be overemphasised.
 
Selecting, specifying, ensuring proper design applications for tracking parts used in complex systems constitute a major engineering task to include selection of preferred or commonly used parts during the design of weapons systems and equipment. Typically, use of parts described by military standards or the use of commonly used parts already in the DoD supply system is preferred unless business case assessments show new unique parts would have significant impacts on service life costs or other advantages.

Regardless of the actual means of tracking parts information, the largest problem that became compounded through the years was the lack of a standard practice or, where there was one, lack of dissemination of that standard to those who would need it. Many years of operations with many different users resulted in user-specific parts descriptions subject to user technique preference at the time the part was entered. Users could quickly expedite operations, but the lack of standardised formats make retrieval and manipulation of useful information almost impossible.
 
An important element of parts tracking applications is feedback. Engineers must have feedback from all the functional areas to ensure standardisation requirements are meeting the objectives of the parts tracking plan.  Sources of feedback information include subcontractors, quality deficiency reports, customers and suppliers. Establishing smart parts teams practices must include periodic adjustments based on information and experience acquired from initial design all the way through production and sustainment, also feedback to  include design engineering, purchasing and manufacturing phases.

Additional work is necessary to push the system out to vendors and design agents. Job Site Teams envision a system where vendors will upload their part information to a central repository, which the end-user Job Sites and design agents can access for downloading. The One-Job Site concept could soon be reality, at least with regard to material definition and information technology systems.

The most basic unit in Job Site build/repair processes is the separate part entities, so application design must deal with key physical traits of parts. Material requisition systems are concerned with parts vendors and timetables to acquire parts. Scheduling systems ensure parts are ready for build process at the correct times to maximise efficiency. Purchasing systems keep cost and vendor information, while inventory systems keep track of the in-stock quantities of a part.

All these systems deal with the same key component: single parts. Consideration as single part entity despite their complexity is an important concept in the process of integrating many different systems. With clear standardised methods of identifying and classifying distinct parts, barriers to achieving systems integration begin to break down.

Maximum flexibility in the part descriptions requires capability to handle extraneous information not effectively utilised within current structures. Often there are parts with information that can be shared between them as well as certain tracking documents that may relate to the part for certain purposes, but not for others. For many parts, extraneous information is not effectively covered in current systems, the most obvious example upon inspection is part material designations. Attributes for material type exist, but often there are grades and standards associated with a particular type, as well as certifications that are not attributes.

Contract specifications, material grade standards and certifications do not readily lend themselves to placement, but are important aspects of each part. Defining and tracking update descriptions in separate sections provides for part association, allowing for greater flexibility and optimisation.

Reliability and maintainability engineering have a direct impact on both mission capability and cost over the service life of equipment ensuring the parts selected meet contractual requirements and proper design application is critical to ensuring requirements and acquisition contracts for weapons systems are met. Part selection process reduces use of parts with known built-in failure mechanisms, resulting in enhanced reliability and maintainability.

Standardisation reduces proliferation of part types used in system designs and is important for enhancing material readiness and interoperability and for reducing total ownership costs. Selecting standard or commonly used parts ensures that reliable contracting of part types reduce design risks.

Use of standard or commonly used parts within and across DoD weapons systems and equipment enhances inter/intra-departmental part commonality and interchangeability; reduces the variety of parts in the inventory; enhances part availability, reliability, maintainability, and economies of scale; and reduces instances of part supply line termination.

Part and supplier qualify is an important requirement for selecting parts considering the source of supply and whether the parts are qualified for the application in which they are to be used. Part manufacturers and part suppliers who provide the selected part must be required to follow documented and established quality assurance policies and procedures.

Quality assurance policies and procedures should include, for example, quantify process controls on manufacturing, material, shipment, storage, notification concerning process changes and field-level customer satisfaction. It is easy to understand why disciplined part selection processes in the design phase, as part of a formal assessment increases the probability of using the most optimum parts in DoD weapons systems and equipment.

Parts teams establish basis for maintaining parts baselines and includes rational approach to qualify suppliers, change suppliers, and/or switch parts. It also evaluates whether there is a reasonable path to qualification of both development articles for design verification testing and qualification articles.

Also, parts administration determines the extent to which there is a reliance on commercial products and the potential methods for dealing with future parts design changes driven by the commercial marketplace. Parts teams support the planning processes throughout all manufacturing phases.

Standardisation limits the introduction of new parts, which enables consistent and efficient methods for manufacturing planning and support. Parts teams ensure the facilitation of manufacturing support systems and processes such as material requirements planning. In the operations area, parts teams consider several supply line issues operational support.

Design teams evaluate the effects of part selection on all applications, considering all requirements. It ensures key design considerations are given sufficient emphasis and that processes are in place to avoid prohibited design practices.

Parts teams ensure standardisation is taken into account to minimise costs e.g., maximise the use of parts already being used elsewhere. It also identifies the funding needed to perform the activities necessary to determine the part will work as intended.

Reduced acquisition lead-time .is a factor when a preferred part is used, DoD and suppliers can frequently avoid the expense and delay of designing new parts, as well as the issues associated with acquiring a new item with no available history or documentation. Using preferred parts often reduces the time between purchase request and receipt of the parts.

Parts teams ensure material selection processes account for special handling and assess selected parts for availability, evaluates them to mitigate future effects of not being available, and establishes processes to minimise the use of incompatible components, materials, and processes. Parts teams ensure qualification considerations have been properly addressed by identifying and performing tests and assessments.

Process capability and control teams efforts ensure high degree of understanding exists of the consistency of the design to manufacturing processes establish processes are sufficient to satisfy the system requirements. It also provides for special design considerations-- for example, making sure product performance meet system requirements.

Parts teams ensure quality requirements have been tailored for different commodities. It recommends part failure assessment approaches, determination of the root cause of failures, identification of failure effects on performance, and corrective action accountability. Also, parts teams establish proper controls to avoid the introduction of defective parts as a result of schedule and out of date conditions.

An important factor in selecting quality parts suppliers is whether the parts are qualified for the application in which they are to be used. Part manufacturers and part distributors that provide the selected part must be required to follow documented and established quality assurance policies and procedures.

Those policies and procedures must address both quantification of process control and the implementation of process controls on manufacturing, material, shipment, storage, process changes, customer satisfaction, and quality assurance.

Enhanced logistics readiness and interoperability is achieved when assemblies or systems share common components, repair time is shorter, because parts are more likely to be in the supply line. Using common components simplifies logistics support and enhances ability to substitute because fewer parts need to be stocked. This translates into savings in procuring, testing, warehousing, and transporting parts.

Increased supportability leads to selection of the right parts to reduce risk and improve the chances that equipment will perform reliably. Preferred parts have a history of proven reliability, withstanding testing and performing at stated levels. Their use may reduce the number of part failures, thus reducing the number of maintenance actions, increasing operational availability, and potentially precluding failures that could compromise success of critical missions.

1. Part Ownership/Description

Spare Parts naming has always been a challenge, from the lack of description standardisation among parts manufacturers to systems classification templates being configured by individual users. 

2. Part Revision/Replace

Version and revision team action ensures on-site replacement parts are ready for use when you need them

3. Special Condition/Action

Time for action conduct physical evaluation to see the real condition of spare parts and remove obsolete items from storage at same time

4. Type Modifier

Part item order modifiers ie, fixed lot multiplier are used for establishing sourcing scenarios.

5. Material Commodity

Direct materials are services or commodity purchases forming part of a finished product.

6. Size/Capacity Rating

Replacement parts can be ordered individually, but if difference in size between like parts is small, mistakes can occur when interchanged.

7. Unit of Measure Issue

When a non-definitive unit of issue is assigned to the stock item, it may be further quantified by a unit of measure and measurement.

8. Make/Buy Source Lead Time

Latency between the initiation and execution of a process, for example, the lead time between the placement of an order and delivery of spare part from a manufacturer

9. Shared Part Inspect Override

Default inspection site identified for an item is used as the putaway location at the time of receipt, unless an overriding assessment is specified

10. Part Tolerance

Quality of materials, precision in assembly and high tolerance level for entire design are essential elements to guarantee durability of any component

Deploying DoD weapons systems requires focused efforts by all stakeholders to ensure logistics resources are available to support the Fleet introduction to include funding, spares, tools, support equipment, information systems support, and training. The summit was primarily built to maximise communication, elevate problems, and arrive at solutions. DoD aircraft have unique maintenance and support structure, and new platforms are usually unlike existing fleet components.

It takes patience to provide DoD with services to make sure all equipment shows up where they can use it. DoD contracting officials must make determinations of good supply schedule order deals for equipment and product support/repair services.

At the core of every successful aircraft repair shop is one simple, obvious similarity—one aspect of operations that can never be overlooked: quality repairs.

That’s the bottom-line, price-of-admission expectation from customers in increasingly competitive markets. Repairs have to be accurate, correct and on time, or else nothing else you do matters.

You can overcome a lot of things, but that’s one thing that you can’t. It’s a lot easier said than done, though, as proper, consistent repairs require the right tooling, equipment and training to keep up with aircraft requirements that are always changing.

Problems can pop up during issuance or use of a policy, procedure, solicitation provision, written contract section, method, or practice of conducting acquisition actions of any kind at any stage of the acquisition process that is inconsistent with DoD Rules.

DoD design of the Logistics Modernisation Programme system has been a challenge encountering problems with the functionality to identify receiving and invoice documents in addition to sensor status updated stored in another system. DoD staff could not identify the amounts of customer transactions in capital working fund for inventory items returned for repair.

Result comes from ineffectively performed discovery and corrective action phase activities of the fiscal operating space related to capital fund inventory business processes. Specifically, DoD did not: 1) detail standard operating procedures, flowcharts, and narratives describing inventory business processes; 2) identify the key positions that needed to be contacted to identify, maintain, and provide key supporting documentation for the transactions associated with inventory processes; and 3) create corrective action plans to remediate known documentation and sensor deficiencies.

There have been, more than a few cases in which the Defense Department has sunk up to 10-figure sums into enterprise information technology systems with little to show for it. On the other hand, there are examples like the Logistics Modernisation Programme, in which the DoD has already saved more money by implementing the system than what it’s spent so far and what it will cost to keep it going for the next decade.

DoD said the system, which helps manage the workflow of the sprawling maintenance and manufacturing network overseen by Materiel Command eliminated costs to maintain outdated systems and also cut expenditure of “spare” parts DoD doesn’t actually need.

The plan was simple, yet thorough. Every training programme must have a clear goal in mind. For our shop, it’s about maintaining a high level of competency and having all technicians on staff working toward or having achieved advanced certification.

The budget can vary greatly depending on shop locations and requirements, but it is important to take into account what options at a location are to be picked up by the shop on a case-by-case basis depending on the programmes in motion and availability of training hours.

“It has let us make the right decisions on divesting our inventory. We’re still providing the right parts where soldiers need them.. “Some of that was linking together what had been our legacy systems to get a clear picture of what our inventory posture is on any given day.

DoD must have visibility into contracting processes so that we can see when new procurements are going to be delivered, when the items that are out for repair are going to come back, when all of the items that are in transit are going to be delivered to our customers. An item manager at, let’s say, Tank System Research, Development and Engineering Center can see the worldwide status of all of logistics assets in one place.”

The current iteration extends the enterprise resource planning system functionality to tens of thousands more users, most of whom are front-line artisans and machinists rather than the high-level officials who had mostly used the system for budgeting and planning, “We’re now taking these capabilities to streamline and automate our business processes down to the shop floor in support of detailed repair/production activities involved several million transactions a day.”

Much of that work is happening via the recent deployment of mobile devices distributed to workers at DoD depots across the country, replacing paperwork with tablets and barcode scanners to specify and then document each turn of a screw on a helicopter, truck, tank or many other aircraft.

This means creating an organisation focused on continuous improvement, building dynamic shops where mechanics focused on bettering themselves in order to push the unit forward on its consistent growth pattern.
But how do you get the technicians on your staff  to want training? For some people, it’s automatic, but what about the rest of your team? How do you create that type of organisation?
 
“Before, if you were at the DoD depot and you were taking apart a Blackhawk helicopter for an overhaul, that was all done manually: the engine goes through various work centers, the rotor blades go somewhere else, and a lot of people touch those components and use a lot of new parts before it comes back together into a Blackhawk at the end

You can imagine the stack of paper as that process goes on. We’ve eliminated that with automated technologies so all the labour, the parts consumed, the financials that link to all of that are all linked so you only have a couple pieces of paper moving around with barcodes that link back to all this information.

It’s always been a great place to work. It’s always been a unit that invested in itself, from equipment to training. We are very proud of the fact that through all the changes, we have created a really good reputation. In competitive markers, you are measured by that reputation. It’s so important, and you can lose it in a hurry, too.

Longevity is valued for individuals in the unit . Some mechanics are proof of that. So, if the shop transitions from one function to another, its not just a matter of hiring on new technicians. It is essential to re-equip and retrain the team in place.

DoD has reduced costs and those reductions are reflected in the new services contract pilot programme to improve the maintenance of Stryker combat vehicle. The pilot eventually involved 300 vehicles or about 10 percent of the Stryker fleet. So the new contract also includes more use of machine learning.

First up, is expanding the Stryker work beyond the pilot. There is a growing focus on prevention when it comes to vehicle and fleet maintenance fit with multiple sensors collecting real-time structured/unstructured information on vehicle performance. Across the fleet machines integrate information to predict what maintenance needs to be done and when.

The idea is to better plan where material is located and how it is distributed and transported, including how to ship materials around the world determines if it better to go by sea, rail or aircraft, for example. The scope of work is broad “from research to customer service.

We’ve always been lucky that Site Visit Executive has been extremely dedicated to making sure we have the most up-to-date equipment. The organisation has also always subsidised training costs for technicians, offering numerous opportunities each year through regional associations, suppliers and parts distributors.

It goes back to quality of repairs. We want to make sure every repair for every aircraft is correct, and to do that, we need to be as up-to-date on training as possible. It wasn’t that no one was motivated. We had a number of technicians who really put in the effort, but those were people who were already passionate about training and improving. The problem is, how do you get those who are uninterested in training to improve?
 
DoD must use operational  information relayed from predictive sensors to make better repair decisions and be more efficient. DoD has entered into service contracts to address its logistical challenges, which include administration of military bases and facilities, and coordinating transit of personnel and vehicles.

DoD is moving beyond infrastructure as a service and embracing platform service, adopting commercial capabilities to further enhance DoD readiness. DoD cannot conduct tomorrow's operations using yesterday's processes and procedures emphasising understanding the leading indicators to readiness, and getting in front of the many logistics challenges by providing improved training to increase coordination and efficiency of operations.

Service contract will enable DoD to predict vehicle maintenance failures from billions of historical and real-time input points of on-board sensors directly from military assets to better understand the condition of its vehicles and predict mission-critical failures to enable intervention.

By stopping failures before they happen, DoD will realise significant savings, increase prioritisation of resources, efficiency, and provide key intelligence around logistics, asset service life product support, technical advice, assistance to soldiers, and provides asset visibility for timely and proactive decision-making when it comes to top priority – readiness.

We had to work with our parts suppliers to pick up as many training options as possible. The shop purchases some packages to be performed in house, it signs up techs for workshops at multiple locations. Site Visit Executive compiles schedules of all available training and makes them available to leadership.

It’s difficult to truly gauge technician motivation levels within the organisation, but as far as the success of training programmes, there are a few useful metrics. Each shop is different, making it difficult to give exact numbers that describe technical improvements within the team.

Site Visit Executive has overhauled technician advancement structure and it is now predicated on training and education. Techs are assigned designations based upon certification levels. Each level has different bonuses that techs can advance through depending on their amount of training hours completed during time period. Each technician  training hours workloads are monitored closely, and Site Visit Executive convenes regular review meetings with each team member.

In addition to moving toward predictive maintenance models, DoD is taking advantage of machine learning capabilities to provide faster insights into recommended fixes, based on input information of equipment details,  ie, model, version, configuration, controller so DoD can execute equipment status/conditions tests and prescribed repair procedures, repair resolution, operational procedures, tooling, expertise, and evidence utilising insights to provide probability-ranked guidance regarding diagnostic and resolution options or next best action recommendations to help preempt or resolve correlated failures.

Technology is always changing so DoD must strive to keep up the pace and always stay one step ahead of the competition by speeding application modernisation. This has never been more true and DoD is marching forward to the technology of the future, which revolves around predictive/cognitive intelligence to enhance readiness by anticipating requirements for DoD to run hundreds of military bases, as well as coordinate the movements of thousands of troops and equipment.

DoD must delivery cutting-edge operational/business intelligence and tools to provide unprecedented logistics support at efficient and affordable means provides on-time integrated logistics support of worldwide operations, impacting every soldier, every day.

As someone who has played a large part in growth of success rates in the training programme, Site Visit Executive takes a lot of pride in the staying power of shop functions, no matter what the mission, focusing on maximising service performance at each location, while continuing to offer field units an experience they can’t get elsewhere.

And that starts with quality repairs.

That’s the absolute starting point if your shop is going to be successful. Everything starts there. That’s where you build your reputation, and that’s where you earn the trust of leadership.

Many times, you don’t get a second chance with a customer. We can’t afford to take those chances. We want to be as ready as possible for every aircraft that comes in our shops. We have proven we’re on the right path to doing that.

1. Can the maintenance process be made more efficient for determination of condition/function reporting, transit, work load assign?

2. Are there any substantial delays in the repair process?

3. Can sustainment planning and demand forecasting be more accurate and efficient through the introduction of performance incentives?

4. Is the supply support strategy satisfying Warfighter requirements?

5. Can the supporting supply line be made more efficient through the introduction of performance incentives?

6. Are there any substantial delays in the procurement process for spare parts or new units?

7. Are there any significant inventory build-ups at any stage in the supply line or are parts no longer made available?

8. What is the scope of opportunity for repair teams to get access to system technical specs?

9. Does the available contract mechanism not conflict and allow for a long-term performance-based arrangement?

10. Is it the right time for a change in sustainment strategy with enough time remaining to benefit from emerging technology and the logistics business model?

Why is service contract category administration important? Sometimes procurement is invited late to the table and stakeholders have greater awareness about a product and service than the procurement team. You can gain more credibility by demonstrating the depth of your category-specific knowledge, the supplier business space and the technical specification.
 
At its most basic level, category buy strategy is about bundling items. Buyers look for items purchased across the enterprise and consolidate disparate agreements into a single contract. Category is essentially any group of similar items DoD wants to buy under a single deal. The central driver behind category strategy is to simplify demand and take a bigger contract to the market.

Diminishing returns from strategic sourcing efforts at DoD for Service Contract Applications have driven an increased focus on category/time bucket grouping in recent years, Site Visit Executive has discovered it is still largely not very well defined discipline within DoD procurement enterprise.

DoD must take positive steps towards creating the right conditions for category/time bucket grouping such as re-aligning Site Visit Executive authorities for procurement team structures and establishing common contract frameworks and standards for category/time bucket grouping.

But DoD has not yet acted on Site Visit Executive directives to institutionalise category/time bucket grouping for service contracts as a core procurement capability to the same extent that strategic sourcing now is in many DoD divisions.

The application of category/time bucket grouping is still highly inconsistent across DoD and depends heavily on the skills and experience of Site Visit Executive to prioritise efforts towards more strategic activities within contract portfolios.

The overall level of resourcing available to contract operations is also a factor at DoD since implementation of advanced priorities for procurement resources promoted by Site Visit Executive has typically not kept pace with drive to influence more and more spend within the organisation.

Conditions at DoD have made necessary renewed Site Visit attention to procurement priorities with some contracting activities delegated.

Despite some changes at DoD, procurement has yet to embed new operating contract models created by Site Visit Executive to ensure consistent and comprehensive category/time bucket grouping in all cases.

Site Visit Executive has promoted advanced approaches to category/time bucket grouping across many contracting areas and it has become evident what is being done in terms of category/time bucket grouping at DoD takes more effort than simply asking ‘what’ does not in itself, offer a complete picture.

In order to really understand why category/time bucket grouping has become such a focus for contracting efforts in recent times, Site Visit Executive has examined objectives DoD has for category establishment as well as the perceived challenges that may prevent achieving objectives.

Site Visit Executive has put together the following recommendations to assist DoD efforts to improve category/time bucket grouping capability for Service Contract Success:

1. Train DoD division skills in strategic planning techniques so Site Visit Executive is empowered to ask questions about contract work efforts to enable elevation of focus and reduce amount of time spent on tactical details.

2. Learn to say no - push back on distractions from DoD stakeholder demands negatively impacting strategy and enable Site Visit Executive attention to tactical and operational day-to-day contracting requirements for category value to the end-users.

3. Ensure DoD category strategy includes considered communications plan to so Site Visit Executive can identify key contract stakeholders motivators and resistance points so communication of content, frequency and channel can adapted for each stakeholder.

4. DoD category strategies to be proactively reviewed by Site Visit Executive to create reminders to check in and adjust according to stakeholder/supplier status updated influences on contracts to validate category strategy continues to be appropriate.

5. Consider co-locating with of DoD teams and stakeholders to provide beneficial insights so category strategy is aligned with contract priorities to assist Site Visit Executive ability to establish success in critical activities such as supplier specification updates.

6. Continue to create awareness at senior levels of DoD about Site Visit Executive ability to create contract value and establish procurement scorecards to include metrics aligned with business drivers such as sustainability, product innovation etc.

7. Build specific communications capability and enable Site Visit Executive to assist DoD in tailoring contract outcomes by engaging stakeholder groups and driving successful behaviour in respect of each category to create focus on specific team competencies.

8. Take advantage of Site Visit Executive assistance to look beyond immediate DoD contracts to understand unique organisational, procurement and category specific requirements for team experience within each category.

9. Establish clear/consistent DoD definition of strategic and non-strategic contracts to enable Site Visit Executive application of well-allocated objective decision criteria, procurement approaches and resources as to risk and business impact to determine where and to what extent to deploy category strategies

10. Invest in comprehensive category frameworks for contracts and category strategy status updates to ensure Site Visit Executive expertise is applied by DoD across the board.

 
Top 10 Features of Acquisition Application Solution Space User Interaction
 
1. Place to organise and save your acquisition status updates

2. Contains info & tools specific to each category or sub-category

3. Project location where users can save statements of work & other acquisition info

4. . Solutions Search tool so buyers allowed to locate “best-fit” contract vehicles

5. Series of user forums on specific acquisition topics with expert & cross-agency Q&A

6. Focused place of acquisition articles, solutions, links

7. Connect with exclusive category tools

8. Place for market research, pricing info & requirements

9. Growing searchable archive of examples

10. Share/search from planning to closeout acquisition phases
 
 
Top 10 Category Admin Overview/Goals for System Upgrade/Repair Supplier Contracts
 
1. Optimise buying channels
 
2. Reduce contract duplication
 
3. Enhance contract transparency
 
4. Create better contract vehicles
 
5. Increase contract administrative spend
 
6. Achieve contract volume savings
 
7. Achieve contract administrative savings
 
8. Grow contract info sharing expertise/practices
 
9. Improve/Leverage Supplier Communications
 
10. Maximise purchasing agency relationships
 
 
 
Top 10 Category Application Skills Pursuit by Establish Project Initiation Basics

1. Do you understand the Business Objectives? It is important that you think like your stakeholder rather money keeper. Procurement can be both tactical and strategic. Both are important but a good procurement team can switch between both.
 
2. What are the strategic plans to achieve the business objectives and how to find your position in this strategy to help the department/ function or stakeholder achieve their vision? If project is high value or high risk, having procurement strategy will make you more confident in presenting
 
3. Build relationships, attend events and keep up to date with what’s happening with the market. Position yourself as the category expert, speak the language. Identify who the influencers are and trends affecting the category
 
4. Establish position at the current moment and how it may change. Always be prepared. It is critical to profile spending to create your category plan. Provide the context and narrative for future negotiations and measuring success metrics post contract award
 
5. Review the alignment of the procurement strategy against organisation objectives. What is important to you, what does the contract need to deliver? How can you improve on current specification/ service?
 
6. How would the business prefer the needs to be prioritised? How quickly is the market changing and how might this affect your needs in the short, medium and long term? What must the contract deliver? What are the stretch targets define success?
 
7. Identify Opportunities & map stakeholders. Agree on scope of work and stablish project or category team. Outline the current situation, the target and the proposal on how you will meet your goals
 
8. Map out which stakeholders are on board, who are the supporters and who is likely to block progress. Add steps on how you will improve on their baseline position
 
9. Define the roles and responsibilities for cross-functional team. Establish project patterns of reference. Identify current and future business requirements for a category or commodity.
 
10. Assemble all  available information to make informed strategic assessments. Obtain a copy of the spend report assess trends. Undertake supplier research by contract team, hold meetings with suppliers in the market place

 
Top 10 Research Sourcing Category Application Strategy Implementation
 
1. Map out the current market positioning- leaders and influencers, businesses on an upward trajectory.
 
2. Issue request for market information establish storyboards. Make sure you are aware of the technology roadmap
 
3. What constitutes the total cost of ownership/cost drivers/ pricing model? Validate what you want to achieve- quick wins, deep savings, vendor control.
 
4. Perform a rigorous assessment of the information you hold and piece it together
 
5. Generate a procurement strategy that justifies the proposed category approach. Make sure you have tracked all risks in register. If required get sign off for the procurement/ category strategy to proceed.
 
6. Use an Invitation to Tender to get what you want. Make your case clear and state what the market must deliver
 
7. Meet all the business benefits outlined in the procurement strategy. Conduct pre- market engagement. Hold Supplier days. conference calls to share information. Simulate  tender pack exercise
 
8. Transfer the information to a contracts repository. Exchange contracts and keep the momentum going for project implementation
 
9. Align supplier capabilities to meet long-term business goals. Conduct supplier and market reviews roadmaps for future improvements
 
10. Continue to meet with stakeholders don’t wait until the last minute to be invited to table. Don’t function as  stationary buyer but add  real value. Monitor and measure procurement process improvements

 
1. Why does System Reliable Available, & Maintained Equipment decrease over time with no consideration given to Service Life Sustainment Cost?
 
2. What Tools are Required to construct complete case assess what system supports Reliable Available, & Maintained Equipment Requirements
 
3. How is Field Service Performance monitored during Operations/Sustainment Phase for process control, quality & stress screen?
 
4. How does Systems Engineering translate into readiness goals ensure system capable of user requirement performance?
 
5. How to evaluate effects of Reliable Available, & Maintained Equipment changes to System Design during build phase?
 
6. Are there any substantial delays in the repair process?
 
7. Can sustainment planning and demand forecasting be more accurate and efficient through the introduction of performance incentives?
 
8. Is the supply support strategy satisfying Warfighter requirements?
 
9. Can supporting supply lines be made more efficient through the introduction of performance incentives?
 
10. Are there any substantial delays in the procurement process for spare parts or new units?
 
11. Are there any significant spare parts build-ups at any stage in the supply line or are parts no longer made available?
 
12. What is the scope of opportunity for repair teams to get access to system  technical specs?
 
13. Does the available contract mechanism  not conflict and allow for a long-term performance-based arrangement?
 
14. Is it the right time for a change in sustainment strategy with enough time remaining to benefit from emerging technology and performance-based  logistics business models?
 
15. Has asset reached its materiel sustainment date in Service life and how many years of remaining useful life does the system have?
 
16. Are current performance levels meeting customer requirements?
 
17. Are there indications of gaps in the current sustainment strategy?
 
18. How does asset  performance affect its platform readiness?
 
19. Are performance levels of equipment subsystems and components not meeting their targets?
 
20. Has overall platform availability decreased  to the point where the asset ceases to meet Warfighter requirements?
 
21. How are clearly defined Warfighter relevant outcomes  acquired- not just sustainment services or replacement equipment?
 
22. Does use of  measurable and practical metrics accurately assess product support provider performance against delivery of targeted Warfighter outcomes?
 
23. Are incentives provided to the support provider that are tied to achievement of outcomes for aspects of performance that are within their control?
 
24. Does sufficient contract length exist  for the product support provider to recoup investments on improved product e.g. time between failure, sustainment processes and build capabilities?
 
25. Are performance-based logistics knowledge and resources maintained for sustainment team and product support providers?
 
26. Do Leaders champion product support effort throughout organisation  and involve everyone with vested interest in the outcome?
 
27. Are supply line activities aligned to the desired performance-based  logistics outcome?
 
28. Is assumption of Risk is shared between  customer and support provider?
 
29. How do teams select a set of Job site locations/capacities and determine levels for each product at each Job Site?
 
30. How do traffic flows from Job Site to minimise  inventory costs and satisfy service level requirements?
 
31. Is inventory held due to uncertainty in customer demand, uncertainty in supply process, or some other reasons?
 
32. What are the  impacts on product quantity order/turnover of the forecasting tool used to predict customer demand and optimise logistics operations?
 
33. Are there pricing strategies impacting  service levels to provide incentives for buyers to order more products and increase supplier profit?
 
34. Should competing dealers selling the same type of product share inventory and what is degree of competitive advantage?
 
35. How does shared  information and components infrastructure between  internal/external providers integrate shared product strategies and affect the design and operation of the supply line planning  activities?
 
36. How can supplier identify what build activities exist in  set of core competencies?
 
37. What activities should be completed internally, and what product and components should be purchased from outside?
 
38. How can  risks of outsourcing  on inventory levels and cost of capital be minimised to ensure timely supply of products?
 
39. When is it worthwhile to redesign products to reduce logistics costs or lead times and compensate for uncertainty in customer demand?
 
40. What role do supply line logistics processes play in the successful implementation of large-scale customisation concepts?
 
41. What type of information assessment transfers are  most important to retain for evaluating success of supply line operations?
 
42. Can available information  tech and decision-support systems be used to achieve competitive market advantage?
 
43. What prevents other participants from capitalising on info tech and decision support?
 
44. What factors serve to determine how customer value characteristics are measured in different markets?
 
45. How is information technology used to enhance customer value in context of supply line logistics operations?
 
46. How do emerging trends in customer value, such as establishing new relationships impact supply logistics?
 
47. What is the relationship between product price and supplier reputation in both traditional and conventional markets?
 
48. Is pricing and inventory or available capacity integrated to influence market demand bottom line?
 
49. Can smart pricing strategies be used to improve supply line performance?
 
50. What is the impact of economic order quantity adjustment strategies on supply line logistics performance?

Measures of DoD Logistics dispatcher performance relating to equipment contracting case duration include tracking time taken from the receipt of a field-level customer request to Sales Division transmission of a completed offer/acceptance to the customer for approval.

DoD tracks performance and establishes Logistics goals based in part on the complexity of the cases. Specifically, simple contracting cases that involve routine or repeat purchases of the same item, such as spare parts, training, and technical support, have shortest anticipated offer date.

Standard cases that include purchases by experienced DoD customers such as purchase of a Blackhawk helicopter with all associated equipment and services, have an intermediate anticipated offer date.

Complex cases involve factors that are expected to substantially impact the time taken to complete the offer/acceptance or involve significant modifications and, therefore, have longest time period.

For example, the sale of new F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing aircraft, which includes spares, support equipment, technical orders, contractor services, programme tech support/training, would be categorised as complex.

1. Provide support/augmentation to Combatant Commands to define/refine partner capability requirements for training provide foundation of acquisition and contracting for steady-state and expeditionary operations.

2. Establish and deploy Expeditionary Requirements Generation Teams to customer sites translate capabilities into precise, actionable, and sustainable requirements.

3. Create a Strategic Planning Support Group to identify partner capability requirements for technology security disclosure reviews  transit/distribution Logistics training requirements.

4. Implement mitigation plans for when release problems are identified, and develop policies for equipment transfers and submit them for review and approval.

5. Create training programmes enable expertise in security cooperations assistance authorities and funding,

6. Maintain an inventory of high-demand and long lead-time items via recapitialsed Special Defense Acquisition Fund

7. Define structure of workforce; training, education, and experience certification standards

8. Perform workforce assessments to identify gaps with tools and/or reach-back capability in place of the training.

9. Identify and institutionalise key security cooperation-related skills as part of a systematic approach

10. Implement “fast-track” or Compressed, Rapid Acquisition, Fielding and Training process to handle unexpected and urgent cases cannot be met by standard processes in the time required.


Top 10 Weapons Systems Portfolio Supplier Component Activities Ensure Productive Services Acquired


Site Visit Executive chairs focus groups to define common processes for DoD Service Logistics metrics to be utilised for assess status update trends in the acquisition of services and provides portfolio oversight of Equipment Service Life Sustain process by establishing strategic execution of programme domains to improve planning so greater efficiencies and cost reduction is achieved, most importantly ensuring processes are in place to monitor post-contract service provider performance.

1. Assess supplier status updates to identify product support providers within the marketplace for specific services

2. Identify potential contract consolidation supplier candidates to ensure compliance with category groups

3. Demonstrate supplier competencies, performance, and cost competitiveness.

4. Maximise participation at all supplier levels to expand competitive base of service providers

5. Use controls and supplier review systems to establish situational awareness of services acquisitions

6. Ensure services acquisitions use performance-based supplier requirements to maximum extent practicable

7. Include identifiable and measurable cost/schedule & supplier performance outcomes consider quality and delivery

8. Enhance supplier services acquisition planning and coordination by using multi-functional review teams

9. Accomplish supplier reviews to collect information and maximise reliance on available marketplace

10. Realise benefits from supplier capabilities, tech & competitive forces to meet mission requirements


Top 10 Weapons Systems Logistics Services Contracting Process Execution Phases to Close Product Support Deals

Administration of product support services acquisitions must improve productivity and efficiency. Requirements will be addressed from an appropriate enterprise-level so resulting contract awards are aligned with mission, performance, and cost objectives to enable implementation of strategic oversight framework. Contracting phase format requires collection/sharing of Sales information within and across organisations, employing boundary crossing teams so best Services Contracting practices and lessons learned are identified.

1. Initiate Assistance Request

Contract Sales process begins when field units submit request notice to purchase items or services. In the request notice, field units express interest in obtaining preliminary cost estimate for acquisition of capabilities to detail offer and acceptance process determine quantities, cost, and schedule for sale of items/services provided.

2. Define Requirements

Meeting desired capability can be iterative process to require multiple interactions between field units and Sales Division For example, to sufficiently define the requirements consult to identify not only weapon system categories and support requested to achieve desired capability.

3. Consider Operational Factors

If field unit wants to acquire weapons systems, Sales Division will ensure the customer considers operational scenario of use factors and capacity of forces to operate and maintain weapons system, ie, requirements for spare parts essential to properly equip to operate and sustain mission

4. Specify Agreement Process

Request is forwarded to Sales Division responsible for particular weapons system item then provides preliminary pricing estimates for sales agreement determine specification of offer and acceptance.

5. Assign Responsibilities

Contracting officers in Sales Division solicit requests for supplier proposals and negotiate prices necessary to award contracts. During this phase, contracting officers make determination of best acquisition strategy to include appropriate contracting vehicle to fulfill customer request

6. Include Specific system/support

Training, logistics and spare parts must be included in drafted contract and Sales Division must review and approve the agreement with notification if proposed sale meets established thresholds and other requirements then agreement is sent to field units for action.

7. Proceed to Acquisition

In this phase, sales Sales Division is responsible to fulfill field unit request from existing supply or procured weapons systems items/services confirm offer and acceptance upon funds receipt.
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8. Determine Best Structure

Contracting officer may determine the best approach is to combine field level and Sales Division requirements on single contract or place on separate contracts depending on realisation of cost effectiveness approach and best meets production schedules align with field unit timeframes.

9. Expedite Delivery Conditions

Upon delivery of items by supplier included in offer/ acceptance agreement determinates, field units take custody and make arrangements for transit/delivery reimbursement to Sales Division

10. Execute Case Closure

Weapons system procurement case is a candidate for closure when all materiel and services have been delivered and field unit customer has not requested for the case to be kept open by  Sales Division.


Top 10 Core Logistics Planning Considerations Organised With Field Unit Sustain Work Order Capable Mission

Logistics sustainability overview provides broad assessment of the core capabilities of Logistics Services required to execute component commander plans. Logistic sustainability action plan assessment tool seeks to define the total unconstrained requirement of logistics for execution of a concept of operations. Goals of review must highlight operational- level gaps in logistics and risks associated with Service providers to supporting operations. The product assesses each core capability of logistics and is usually accomplished as part of plan updating status of Logistic sustainability potential.

1. Force Structure Transit

Ability to see and act upon supply/troop circumstances access real-time information of units and items entering theater of operations

2. Force Structure Sustainment

Requirements to keep weapons systems operating at an acceptable operational tempo until adjustment made to redeploy

3. Supply/Equipment Stocks

Cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products/services for military applications

4. Global Network Requirements

Used by military units with emphasis on real-time info rate, fast routing during mobility and integration with existing systems.

5. Resource Capability/Risk

Effective process for preserving resources to address challenging circumstances of conflict risk for military operations

6. Field Maintenance Activities

Involves on-equipment or organisational maintenance performed by operating unit on day-to-day basis to support assigned weapon systems operations

7. Depot Maintenance Activities

Entails materiel maintenance requiring major repair, overhaul, or complete rebuilding of weapon systems, end items, parts, assemblies

8. Base/Installation Support

Site directly operated by or for military to shield military equipment/personnel, and promote training/operations

9. Contract Support Integration

Task executed under expedited agreement authority to provide supplies/services from commercial sources in operational areas

10. General/Combat Engineering

Forward positioned unit performs construction tasks under combat conditions with goals to involve facilitating mobile/support of Troops


Top 10 Logistics Sustainment Operations Combatant Commander Option Select/Design Mission Planning Factors

Logistics Sustainment planning addresses capacity/capability requirements to result from deliberate planning processes or those utilised during prosecution of an extended campaign.  Concurrent with deliberate planning processes, sustainment is included in Product support Services plans matching the procurement and delivery of supplies, equipment, troops and other support against forecasted requirements for periods of consumption contribute to Sustainment demand applied against level of combat  intensity, adversary strength, and estimated duration of the campaign.

1. Conflicting mission priorities adjudication

Clarify real-time work order scenario to demonstrate existence of multiple tasks, some are urgent, some are routine, others have higher priority to meet guidelines, and are working on a date/time dependent schedule.

2. Direct Integrated transit process

Create ability to forward traffic purchases towards transit provider required to forward that traffic further and also provide for autonomous system purchasing to have routing information involves obtaining direct connectivity from customer to upstream transit provider.

3. Coordinated component suppliers

Coordinate internal/external suppliers providing services in a cost-effective way to achieve the end-to-end service levels required to support business function goals crate layer between suppliers and internal functions to support/enable integration of services offered by multiple internal/external service providers.

4. Timely requirement/shortfall identification

Determine requirements to mitigate deficits in force structure, equipment, troops, materiel, or capability, reflected as difference between resources identified as requirements apportioned to combatant commander for planning, and what could compromise ability to accomplish mission.

5. Component operation function expertise

Identify unique input, part, piece, assembly or subassembly, system or subsystem required to complete activity, item, or job, also perform functions required for system operation, or intended to be included as a part of a finished, packaged, and labeled item. Components are usually removable in one piece and are considered indivisible for a particular purpose or use. Commonly, items of very small or insignificant cost are not considered components.

6. Link component capabilities schedules

Enable application administrators to control when/where work order tasks take place in information space. Using Scheduler can improve planning of time consuming tasks and ensure tasks occur without manual intervention so operating costs are reduced and more reliable routines are implemented with shorter time windows.

7. Integrated logistics authorities

Integrate logistics support process for materiel support strategy to optimise functional Services, leverage existing resources, and guide system engineering process to quantify and lower costs of Service Life sustainment and decrease demands for large logistics footprint to make system easier to support.

8. Joint logistics planning centre

Provide means to integrate, coordinate and prioritise joint logistics capabilities toward achieving supported commander operational objectives and desired outcome during all phases of plan execution.

9. Situational awareness maintenance

Prioritise situational awareness to enhance perception of elements/events in decision time/space, articulate meaning, and projection of status updates after some variable has changed, such as time, or some other variable, such as a predetermined event.

10. Cross component asset track

Resolve trade-offs compromising requirements with Balanced Scorecards mechanism , for example, to involve equality of impact, pressure or achievement and optimise effort to find most attractive resolution of conflicting elements to mitigate risk or other combination so positive net total impact to mission requirements is best achieved.