Description
Organization: Acquisition and Business Management
Team Name: Joint Navy/Industry Power Supply Team
Related Acquisition Topic(s): Commercial Practices, Commercial and Non Developmental Items (CANDI), Financial Management, Integrated Product Teams (IPT), Partnering
Description:
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), Acquisition and Business Management Directorate, ASN(RD&A)ABM sponsored a joint Navy/Industry Ad-hoc committee to examine power supplies in today's acquisition environment. The purpose of this effort was to develop and produce user-friendly guidelines that reflect current technology and are consistent with Navy Acquisition Reform initiatives. The focus is on the processes for specifying, procuring, integrating, and supporting power supplies, with an emphasis on technical risk management in the acquisition of commercial power supplies.
In January 1999, the Navy/Industry Power Supply Ad-hoc committee was convened under ABM sponsorship to address new technical challenges and procurement issues related to selecting, specifying, integrating, and fielding power supplies in our current acquisition reform and commercial practices environment. A separate but related objective was the need to capture and document critical technical knowledge as power supply experts were leaving the industry due to retirement and workforce reductions. This committee was comprised of 19 members representing a major portion of power supply vendors and Navy systems contractors. The companies which provided their expertise and time on a voluntary basis are: American Avionic Technologies Corp., Berkshire Associates, DOM Engineering, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrup Grumman, PATCON, IIT Research Institute, RANTEC, Southwest Research Institute, Transistor Devices Inc, and EG&G Technical Services. This effort was completed at a minimum expense to the Navy, as most committee members and their representative companies underwrote their respective travel and labor expenses. To accomplish this effort in such a short time frame, the team conducted technical research in assigned areas of responsibility, meeting approximately once a month at various locations to discuss information that was accumulated between sessions and to incorporate it into an updated draft.
The end result was a Navy guidelines document, NAVSO P-3641, published in October 1999, entitled "More Power for the Dollar." As a useful reference tool, this guide will assist DoD program managers, weapon system contractors and power supply vendors in identifying and understanding the alternatives available in selecting best power supply value. Particular attention has been given to emphasizing best power supply value for each of the three power supply categories: Commercial-Off-The-Shelf/Non-Developmental Items (COTS/NDI), Modified COTS/NDI and Custom. It is divided into five sections: Program Management, Systems Engineering, Low Voltage DC Power Supplies, High Voltage DC Power Supplies, and AC Power Supplies. It also provides tools for measuring total ownership costs. The appendices contain a variety of checklists, platform power characteristics, and derating criteria to assist in the selection of best power supply value.
