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Supply Chain Management

A supply chain is the network of organizations—be they military, government, or private sector—involved in creating and delivering a product or service to a customer or consumer. RAND research on the management of supply chains has focused on both the efficiency and the security of civilian and military supply chains, with reports covering freight modernization, rail capacity and security, fuel taxes, and container inspection at ports.

Report

Measuring and Managing Army Supply Chain Risk: A Quantitative Approach by Item Number and Commercial Entity Code

Provides background on supply chain risk management, strategic sourcing, and management of the supplier relationship. Presents a methodology to estimate Army supply chain risk and identifies factors that increase risk.

May 7, 2015
Report

Identifying and Managing Acquisition and Sustainment Supply Chain Risks

Examines supply chain risk management, including evolving commercial and Air Force practices, and recommends modifications to Air Force practices.

Mar 4, 2015
Journal Article

A Fruitful Application of Static Marginal Analysis

This paper describes the application of the technique of simple "marginal analysis" to an Air Force problem and suggests that a similar application may be useful in many industrial situations.

Feb 20, 2015
Dissertation

Critical Rare Earths, National Security, and U.S.-China Interactions: A Portfolio Approach to Dysprosium Policy Design

Examines how the U.S. can pursue a portfolio of policies to reduce American vulnerability to the supply disruption of one critical heavy rare earth, dysprosium.

Jan 19, 2015
Report

Improving Defense Logistics Agency Supply Chain Agility

The DLA supplies common military items to the armed services and others while seeking to achieve customer service goals and minimize cost. When demand for an item rises unexpectedly, providing effective customer service is challenging, and when demand falls, the DLA can be left with the sunk cost of excess inventory. Continuous attention to supply chain agility is needed.

Jan 5, 2015
Commentary

'Product of Mexico': Why Have Corporate/Social Responsibility Programs Failed?

The Fair Food Program has been a leader in using cooperation, visibility, and accountability to meet the needs of workers, growers, and buyers. Can it be a model for addressing these critical issues in Mexico as well?

Dec 12, 2014
Report

Findings from Existing Data on the Department of Defense Industrial Base

Existing federal data can identify subcontractors in the defense supply base, their socioeconomic status, and the vulnerability of contractors and subcontractors to environmental risks and changes in their federal prime and subcontract revenue.

Nov 6, 2014
Report

Transforming Compliance: Emerging Paradigms for Boards, Management, Compliance Officers, and Government

These proceedings summarize the discussions and include the white papers from a symposium about compliance as a field, factors that are likely to contribute to its transformation, and practical implications for key stakeholder groups.

Sep 15, 2014
Report

Small Business and Strategic Sourcing: Lessons from Past Research and Current Data

Department of Defense (DoD) goals may conflict as DoD attempts to apply strategic-sourcing practices to reduce total costs and improve performance while maintaining a goal of spending about 23 percent of prime-contract dollars with small businesses.

Aug 26, 2014
Commentary

Should the U.S. Rely on Russian Rocket Engines?

One of the two launch vehicles that lift U.S. satellites into orbit depends on a rocket engine made by a company located in Russia. Russia's recent clashes with Ukraine and its claims on the Crimean peninsula have caused friction with the United States and thereby raised questions among U.S. policymakers about the potential for an interruption in the supply of the engines.

Jul 16, 2014
Testimony

Does Reliance on Foreign Component Supply Chains Put U.S. Launch Vehicles at Risk?

While there are both risks and benefits of using foreign components in the U.S. Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program, the risk of potential supply interruption of most foreign components is manageable. To mitigate those risks, trade-offs of costs, schedules, and mission significance must be considered.

Jul 16, 2014
Report

Soldier-Portable Battery Supply: Foreign Dependence and Policy Options

This report describes government and industry concerns associated with the foreign-dependent supply chain for batteries used by soldiers. It discusses alternative policy options to address these concerns.

Mar 21, 2014
Commentary

Wal-Mart Chooses Fairness, Giving Farmworkers a Boost

The recent commitment by Wal-Mart Stores to the Fair Food Program is a transformational moment in the decades-long struggle for fair treatment of agricultural workers in America but the decision is hardly the last human-rights battle to be won on behalf of this long-oppressed work force.

Feb 7, 2014
Report

Sourcing and Global Distribution of Medical Supplies

Opportunities exist to gain efficiencies in the global military medical logistics enterprise without sacrificing capability, notably through minimizing intermediate materiel handling, seeking the greatest value from commercial freight, and streamlining warehouse operations.

Jan 28, 2014
Solution

Dispersing War Reserve Materiel

Prepositioning of war reserve materiel is essential to rapid deployment of U.S. forces, but the existing centralized storage posture is not well suited to unpredictable deployments. Would dispersed storage be a better option?

Nov 3, 2013
Report

Improving Inventory Management of Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment at Central Issue Facilities

Army Central Issue Facilities (CIFs) do not have a formal mechanism signaling when to review inventory levels and when and whether to requisition items. RAND developed an algorithm that can be used to determine when and what quantity to replenish.

Aug 5, 2013
Report

Identifying and Managing Air Force Sustainment Supply Chain Risks

Examines supply chain risk management, including evolving commercial and Air Force practices.

Jul 2, 2013
Report

China Is the Controlling Producer of Materials Critical to U.S. Manufacturing

China is the controlling producer of 11 raw and semi-finished critical materials and has instituted export restrictions that create pressure to move manufacturing to China. Action is needed to mitigate the impact of such market distortions on the global manufacturing sector.

Feb 11, 2013
Report

A Gap Analysis of Life Cycle Management Commands and Best Purchasing and Supply Management Organizations

The Army Materiel Command (AMC) asked RAND Arroyo Center to review its achievements in implementing best purchasing and supply management practices, and assess how it compares to commercial enterprises. Arroyo found that the AMC is making good progress in the area of personnel education levels, but is losing ground in the area of supplier analysis.

Jan 7, 2013
Report

Integrating the Department of Defense Supply Chain

Provides a guide for the design and improvement of Department of Defense supply chain policy, structure, and management practices, along with associated opportunities for efficiency gains.

Sep 4, 2012

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