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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

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

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

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

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

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

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
Commentary

Drawing Right Lessons from the Olympic Security Debacle

The way forward is not for the government to say no to outsourcing of sensitive functions, but to think carefully about which efficiency savings are real and which are, instead, a result of introducing a far greater degree of risk, writes James Gilbert.

Jul 25, 2012
Commentary

Revisiting 100% Inspection

It is good that the congressmen have asked the Obama administration to revisit supply chain security. However, precipitous changes to how the global supply chain operates do not seem warranted, may not in fact improve security, and could have costly unintended consequences, writes Henry Willis.

Jul 6, 2012
Report

A Federal Role in Freight Planning and Finance

Congestion within the U.S. freight system has increased dramatically in the past few decades, costing travelers, consumers, and businesses billions of dollars each year. A federal policy is offered to address the challenges faced by the U.S. freight network in an environment dominated by declining revenues and public resistance to increasing taxes.

Mar 21, 2012
Report

Report

Best Practices in Supplier Relationship Management and Their Early Implementation in the Air Force Materiel Command

Assesses the Air Force's Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) program, which seeks to help reduce the costs of logistics operations and improve their performance, and recommends actions that the Air Force could take to improve its SRM program.

Feb 29, 2012
Research Brief

Research Brief

What Should Be Stocked in War Reserve? A New Method for Allocating Resources

Describes the methodology used to develop resource allocation and forward positioning recommendations for the sustainment stock portion of Army pre-positioned stocks, given a specific scenario and budget.

Dec 15, 2011
Report

Report

Strategic Distribution Platform Support of CONUS Army Units

Examines ways to improve the Army's system for the distribution of supplies to home station units via the scheduled truck service from the Strategic Distribution Platforms.

Dec 7, 2011
Research Brief

Research Brief

Is There a Cheaper and Faster Way to Distribute Medical Supplies?

Examines whether there is a less costly medical distribution structure for U.S. Central Command that would maintain or improve performance.

Nov 29, 2011
Research Brief

Research Brief

Targeted Use of Theater Inventory to Effectively Sustain Overseas Forces While Minimizing Supply Chain Costs

Discusses how to design a distribution network that takes advantage of the respective strengths of different modes of transportation to meet combatant command needs while minimizing total supply chain costs.

Nov 29, 2011
Report

Report

Assessment of the USCENTCOM Medical Distribution Structure

Examines whether there is a less costly medical distribution structure for U.S. Central Command that would maintain or improve performance.

Mar 8, 2010
Report

Report

Global Combat Support Basing: Robust Prepositioning Strategies for Air Force War Reserve Materiel

Alternative approaches to storing combat support materiel might provide better support to deploying forces in an expeditionary environment that features frequent force projections, of varying sizes and of unknown durations, to wide-ranging locations.

Jan 14, 2010
Project

Project

RAND Project AIR FORCE: Resource Management Program

Part of the RAND Project AIR FORCE, the Resource Management Program analyzes policies and practices in the areas of logistics and readiness; outsourcing, privatization, and contracting; the industrial base; planning, programming, and budgeting; infrastructure; and weapon-system cost estimating. The goal of this program is to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of Air Force operations in a resource-constrained environment.

Jul 6, 2009

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