Showing papers on "Procurement published in 1982"

Design of Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems

Abstract: Designing an automatic guided vehicle system is a complex task. Besides hardware considerations, the design engineer should assess the impacts on facilities layout, material procurement policy, and production policy. In this paper we present some analysis techniques and a methodological framework for specifying the operational characteristics of an automatic guided vehicle system.

The Falklands War

Abstract: Even a partial analysis of information derived from the Falklands war suggests the need to examine key aspects of U.S. military policy, such as the nature of the All-Volunteer Force, the organization of the Rapid Deployment Force, and the procurement of giant aircraft carriers.

Regional Modeling of Obsidian Procurement in the American Southwest

Abstract: Publisher Summary New Mexico has a long history of archaeological research; quantitative analyses of prehistoric obsidian procurement have not been common. This is largely because of overall complexity of statewide geology and the limited availability of quantified data in published accounts. Several large research-oriented survey projects and greater interest in the cultural processes underlying the operation of prehistoric exchange systems have resulted in more quantitative studies. The chapter discusses the prehistoric and historic obsidian use throughout New Mexico, and presents an isolation of mathematical representations of the procurement strategies associated with different obsidian source areas and different time periods. It also presents an integration of these analyses with the available body of theory on raw-material procurement and exchange. The chapter discusses the factors that promote movements away from direct-access procurement toward complex down-the-line exchange. Movement, either up or down the scale of sociopolitical complexity, would seem to promote concomitant movement either toward or away from direct access.

Scheduling: Effective Methods and Techniques

Abstract: Network planning and analysis (CPM) is a proven means to outline the many activities to be performed and to investigate the feasibility of a given construction project. Commencing with a Master Project Schedule, developed in a low level of detail, the criteria is set for engineering and document development together with the logistics of construction. Costs, determined by conceptual estimates, added at this time forecast financial requirements. Schedule development continues to expand in detail as engineering information proliferates, and alternative construction methods and procedures are studied. With contractor input, a detailed Procurement and Construction Schedule is generated. Ultimate success of the project depends upon careful implementation and surveillance of the plan and schedule. Regular monitoring and comparing of actual performance with the plan and schedule enables maintenance of effective time and cost control.

Applying management science in developing countries: ABC analysis to plan public drug procurement.

Abstract: Despite the vital role of pharmaceuticals in the prevention and treatment of major causes of death and disability in the developing world, high costs and frequent shortages remain chronic problems for drug supply programs. Yet, management techniques developed to optimize the use of scarce resources have had limited application in the settings of greatest need. An important determinant of the cost and supply of drugs is the procurement pattern. This study reviews procurement patterns in selected public supply programs and, using management science techniques, compares alternative procurement patterns in terms of inventory costs and shortages. Using drug cost and quantity estimates from two countries, a simulated ABC value analysis was performed. This analysis showed drug inventories to be typical of industrial inventories: Over 80% of the consumption in dollars was accounted for by less than 20% of the drugs. Procurement patterns with more frequent purchasing or delivery of high usage drugs could reduce average inventories 20–50% over the commonly observed annual purchasing pattern. Sensitivity analysis of the results confirmed that variability in the delivery time and consumption pattern has a significant impact on the efficiency and economy of a procurement system. Closer supplier monitoring and better forecasting should reduce this variability. We found that methods of management science-specifically, ABC value analysis and sensitivity analysis-are feasible means to evaluate procurement patterns in public drug supply programs and that the results of these analyses have a great deal of practical significance.

Managing drug supply: the selection procurement distribution and use of pharmaceuticals in primary health care.

Abstract: This manual combines the basic concepts of pharmaceutical logistics developed by Management Sciences for Health during a decade of work in this field with the experiences and observations from a host of individual developing countries. An idea book rather than a text or a how to book the manuals primary objectives are to assist health decision makers to: identify and clarify the major functions and components of an effective drug supply system; assess existing supply services in terms of resources strengths and weaknesses; and design and implement improvements in drug supply systems combining solid management principles with an understanding of the conditions unique to each situation. An overview section focuses on the dimensions of and planning for drug supply. In subsequent sections attention is directed to the following: the selection of drugs and predicting drug requirements; procurement (the procurement cycle procurement methods and terms locating and selecting suppliers quality assurance financing drug supplies and local production opportunities); distribution (the distribution cycle inventory cycle importation and port clearing design and operation of storage facilities and delivery strategies); use (promoting rational drug prescribing establishing good dispensing practices and encouraging appropriate use by patients); and managing the system (organizing drug supply systematic cost reduction security system and designing training programs to improve pharmaceutical logistics). In an effort to make this manual more accessible to persons looking for guidance in specific areas the following features have been included: a problem index overview chapters assessment guides country studies chapter summaries and appendices sample forms a reference list at the end of each chapter and a glossary. Pharmaceuticals including vaccines pills and capsules oral rehydration sachets intravenous solutions and other drug products must be available. Their importance for primary health programs must be recognized in light of the following 4 observations: drugs improve health; drugs promote trust and involvement in health services; drugs are costly; and substantive supply improvements are feasible. These observations have provided the primary motivation for the preparation of this manual. The primary functions in the logistics cycle of any drug supply system fall into 4 categories: selection; procurement; distribution; and use.

Problems in Administering Overseas Projects

Abstract: Management of an overseas project can be successful if potential problems are recognized and considered early in a proposed new venture. Such problems include organizational structure, foreign engineering requirements, world-wide procurement, personnel relocations, host country regulations, construction labor, cost control, and estimating techniques. The paper briefly covers the organizational of the author's company and mentions numerous questions and considerations for major project functions that need resolution early in venture strategy planning. Generally, planning for overseas projects are more complicated, require more up-front time, and need more management attention than comparable domestic projects.

The free‐rider principle, the charity market and the economics of Mood

Abstract: This article summarizes some recent developments in the economics of the charity market, presents some applications of the analyses and highlights areas which need interdisciplinary research. A brief summary of the fairly recent extension of economic analyses to non-private market institutions is presented, followed by an overview of economic analysis applied to the charity market, interspersed with examples of policy applications. The article concludes with a generalized application of economic analyses to the policy debates on the roles of the volunteer and commercial blood procurement systems in the United States.

The cold chain and the expanded program on immunization in Chile: an evaluation exercise.

Abstract: It was decided that a study of the cold chain should be conducted in Chile in an effort to identify situations that could be corrected and to improve the technical and administrative development of the program. Specifically study objectives were as follows: to determine the degree to which the EPI standards for procurement receipt transfer control maintenance and distribution of vaccines were being met; to assess the turnover knowledge and training of auxiliary vaccination personnel against the relevant standards established for vaccine and cold chain management; to determine the antigenic potency of measles vaccine samples available at the time visits were made to local clinics regional health storage sites and the central supply facility; and to test a written instrument designed for the express purpose of assessing achievement of the first 2 objectives cited. The study sought to provide a descriptive assessment of work being performed at the central regional and local levels in the Metropolitan Region. The operating units involved included the airport and main supply center at the central level; the 7 storage facilities of the Metropolitan Regions 78 local clinics providing maternal and child health care. 40 clinics selected by lot represented 51% of the regions 78 clinics and provided coverage for 49% of the population assigned to the regions health services. The units studied failed to satisfy half the investigated Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) standards i.e. the average achievement rating of the 3 levels combined (49.3%) fell short of half the desired 100%. The airport unit met very few of the EPI implementation standards scoring only 20% in this area. Deficiencies were found in systems for shipping vaccine in cold boxes for making cold rooms permanently available and for providing adequate vaccine transportation. The central supply facility responsible for the purchase storage distribution and maintenance of an adequate vaccine stock had an achievement score of only 41%. The regional level represented by the 7 storage facilities studied obtained a lower overall achievement score than the other 2 levels and appears to be a high-risk link in the cold chain. The local level represented by the 40 clinics studied attained the highest average achievement score of any level (57%). Yet serious deficiencies also emerged at this level particularly regarding implementation and control activities. These deficiencies were aggravated by the fact that vaccines undoubtedly encounter a larger number of potentially damaging contingencies at the local level than they do elsewhere. Suggestions are made for overcoming these difficulties.

Flexibility in policy-formation

Abstract: This thesis reports on a study undertaken to investigte how the concept of flexibility can be made operable in a policy setting. To expedite this, we reviewed previous research in pertinent areas and examined the conceptual foundations of flexibility. Two field studies were subsequently conducted. The first examined a technology-specific homogenous policy-setting. The process whereby small manufacturing firms acquire electronic data processing facilities was observed from its embryonic phase, where the technology was being appraised to its eventual implementation. Following a description of these phases, an attempt was made to outline the technological attributes which promote flexibility in such a policy-setting. these attributes are: Compatibility, Expandability, Maintainability and Supportability, Upgradability, Modularity and Portability, Potential for Innovation and Procurement Options. The second field study was focussed on policy-formation in corporate-settings.Twenty-one large corporations, active in diverse and technologically-dynamic arenas participated in the study. Our objective was to ascertain how these organizationa cope with a capricious future. Following a series of informal, open ended interviews with their senior corporate strategists, a number of practices were identified which when adopted, enhanced flexibility. These spanned issues such as being able to vary production output, interfirm cooperation and collaboration, redeployment of key personnel, shortening lines of communication to and from senior policy makers and blending of transnational portfolios. Five general capabilities were derived subsequently which underpinned these practices in the quest for strategic flexibility. These are Mobility of Resources, Variability of Thrust, Versatility of Personnel, Malleability of Organizational Structure and Manoeuverability across business areas. Our findings indicate that although strategic flexibility appears to be intuitively simple, putting it into practice is a complex task.

An examination of the United States Air Force optimal nonnuclear munitions procurement model.

Abstract: : This evaluates the United States Air Force (USAF) Nonnuclear Armament Program (NAP) models and specifically the Heavy Attack (HA) model Particular attention is paid to the optimization techniques incorporated in Heavy Attack, to the validity of the inputs being optimized, and to the implications of underlying model assumptions An examination is made of the validity of using target values as model inputs for not only the beginning of a conflict, but also for but also for times extending into the conduct of a conflict New technology has been applied to the problem and the success achieved is reviewed Reformulations aimed at improving model capabilities and/or solution speeds are described (Author)

Target and cost-reimbursable construction contracts. part a: a study of their use and implications

Abstract: This report (Part A) is based on visits to 50 firms and organisations, and includes 25 case studies which illustrate the advantages and problems associated with the various forms of target and cost-reimbursable contract. Separate consideration is given to: when to use cost-reimbursable contracts; methods of introducing competition at the tendering stage; targets and incentives for cost, time and quality; and the implications of their use. The establishment of a joint planning team is recommended and the merits of open-book accounting emphasised, particularly in relation to work for publicly-accountable clients. It is concluded that cost-reimbursable contracts are viable and sensible contractual relationships, especially in situations of rapid change or unquantifiable risk. They can provide the necessary flexibility between client and contractor (or between design and construction) and reduce the incidence of claims commonly experienced when an admeasurement contract I88090 is used in such circumstances. (TRRL)

A Comparative Analysis of Sole Source versus Competitive Prices in the Acquisition of Weapon System Replenishment Spare Parts.

Abstract: : Competition is the law of the land in Department of Defense procurement. Yet, buyers are continually faced with uncertainty, and the Government has no specific guidelines or firm basis for deciding when to introduce competition into the acquisition process. The overall research objective was to determine the effect of competition on the prices of weapon system replenishment spare parts. Multiple regression analysis and parametric statistical tests were used to analyze procurement history data for thirty-six replenishment spare parts, which were purchased by the Air Force Logistics Command. Price changes were attributed to three factors: inflation, order quantity, and competition. Five research hypotheses were formulated and tested to address three major research issues. Generally, the research findings contradict the results of previous empirical research and competition theory.

Large-scale project management

Abstract: A forum on the total management of large-scale projects was organised within the Management & Design Division of the IEE,* with the objective of providing an interchange of ideas among engineers actively engaged in this field, at superior levels of responsibility. Part 1 of this record of the forum is a summary of the introductory address by Vice Admiral Sir Lindsay Bryson, who traced the history of project management in the defence procurement sphere, leading to the recent trend towards placing management responsibility with a prime contractor in industry, taking as an example the Sting Ray torpedo project. The participants in the forum comprised some thirty invited members from the fields of industry, research and development, the public sector, and the armed services. They were invited to discuss a number of problem areas, and their views and experience have been collated and summarised in Part 2. This is intended to serve as a primer and checklist to assist those who are required to engage in such projects. It is proposed to initiate a further study of how project experience may be recorded, and to develop a recommended code of practice.

Medical student financing and the armed forces health professions scholarship program

Abstract: : The principal source of physician procurement for the Department of Defense since the end of the draft has been the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (AFHPSP), authorized in 1972. As a result of subsequent legislation authorizing HEW's National Health Service Corps (NHSC) scholarships, the competitive position of the AFHPSP has been eroded. This report describes the analysis of a sample survey of medical students, carried out in late 1977. The purpose of the research was to analyze survey responses to recommend benefit changes to ensure that AFHPSP would remain a viable source of physician procurement. The empirical results derived from the survey of first and second year medical students suggested that DoD would, after the transition to full NHSC funding, fall short of its requirements for medical AFHPSP accessions by about 400 students per year. The analysis also suggested that increasing service compensation by about $7,500 (1978 dollars) per year would fill the short-fall. As the empirical evidence has testified, the prediction was accurate.

Naval Procurement Problems: Theory and Practice

Abstract: : Contents: Introduction; The Current U.S. and Soviet Navies; Industrial Organization; The Procurement Process; Competition and Incentives: Theory and Practice; Conclusions.

Peace Education as a Foundation for World Order and International Stability

Abstract: Peace education can assist in altering political priorities from a high emphasis on procurement of military hardware to an increased effort toward building a stronger social infrastructure having improved international stability. Incorporation of conflict resolution into curricula (primary, secondary, and university) should foster a social mentality based on the model of a positive-sum relationship rather than a zero-sum game. Salient developments in peace research in recent decades are indicated, and representative organizations and consortia are mentioned.

Fuel-cost-adjustment clause incentives: an analysis with reference to California

Abstract: This article addresses a variety of policy issues raised by regulatory efforts to structure automatic fuel- and other cost-adjustment mechanisms in such a way as to provide incentives for efficiency and economy in fuels (or other materials and services) procurement and use. It takes one of the most elaborate of adjustment clauses, the energy cost adjustment clause in effect for electric utilities in California, as a point of departure, demonstrating how a carefully constructed set of provisions intended to promote efficient use of fuels in fact creates distortions in the relative costs of fuel-related decisions by utility managements, ultimately leading to decisions that would be uneconomic and therefore not taken but for the operation of adjustment-clause provisions. The authors offer suggestions for the design of a fuel-cost adjustment that avoids the undesirable effects identified in the California case. Their article is based on work originally done under contract to the California Public Utilities Commission. 5 tables.

Optimizing the light rail vehicle pre-procurement effort

Abstract: Over the past 18 years, great technological advancements have been made in the development of rail transit systems. In conjunction with these developments, vehicle systems, related equipment, and operating techniques have become more complex and costly. These factors result primarily from the requirements of accommodating overall system configuration, increased sophistication, Buy-America constraints, vehicle improvements and standardization impacts, initial capital cost versus life-cycle cost considerations, critical vehicle options, and many other factors that tend to complicate the procurement process. The objective of optimizing the light rail vehicle pre-procurement effort--to satisfy all functional, operational, safety, and site-specific requirements within predictable and reasonably acceptable cost and time constraints--can only be accomplished through a systematic and practical approach. The approach must have sufficient flexibility to permit tailoring the pre-procurement process to the site-specific requirements and must consider the various financial and technical compromises and constraints that may be imposed on the procurement.

Assessing Defense Procurement Policies

Abstract: Defense systems are typically over budget and behind schedule, and they often fail to meet performance specifications despite incentive schemes. Our study shows that these schemes are ineffective primarily because they assume (1) that a contractor's sole criterion is maximizing profit on a contract, and (2) that a single decision maker determines criteria that do not change in the course of system development. In fact, defense contractors have many different criteria, and their relative importance often changes with time.We have developed a dynamic computer simulation model that accounts for all the major motivations of the defense contractor, some of which are unrelated to any particular contract. It considers how the con tractor interacts, at both the corporate and the project-manager levels, with decision makers at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).The model is a relatively new type called a decision process model. A special feature of the model is that the user can modify the corporate-level and pr...

Planning for the Phase-In of Fixed-Route Accessible Buses

Abstract: Many transit systems are planning to introduce accessible buses into their fixed-route operation. This report was prepared for use by transit systems and Metropolitan Planning Organizations in planning for these services so as to minimize service disruption and to maximize mobility benefits. It provides guidance in seven key functional areas of the transit system that will be impacted by the phase-in of accessible buses. The seven areas are citizen participation; vehicle procurement and facility improvements; service planning and operations; maintenance; training; marketing; and monitoring and evaluation. The report offers a range of options which can be tailored to the particular system.

Simple Relationships for Estimating Procurement Cost of U.S. Navy Ship Categories.

Abstract: : A common first step in estimating costs of naval ship categories is to use a linear relationship based on ship displacement. Such estimates represent rough initial approximations. This process can be used, however, with better accuracy to estimate the cost of procurement of aggregations of naval ships and classes. Cost estimating relationships (CERs) are developed in this paper for such applications.

Multiyear Contracting for the Production of Defense Systems: A Primer

Abstract: : This Note describes the concept of multiyear contracting in defense procurement, summarizes recent proposals and new legislation intended to widen its use and increase its utility, and outlines the criteria to be used in choosing the types of acquisition best adapted to this mode of contracting. Its purpose is to describe and explain rather than to assess or advocate, and it emphasizes contracting for production--that is, for the procurement of end items not available off the shelf. The Note discusses basic funding-contracting modes, changes in multiyear contracting and advanced procurement, and issues of choice in applying the opportunities for multiyear procurement provided by the DoD authorization act, 1982. 44 pp. Ref. (Author)