COTS Product Support Seminar Las Vegas 2010

Managing an Outcome-Based Business Model
More and more weapon systems are being configured with Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) items. The Product Support processes for managing traditional Developmental Items during the Maintenance Stage of the lifecycle of a weapon system are being severely challenged as a result of the influx of the use of COTS items. It is estimated that 5-10% of the value of new ACAT I weapon systems and 15-20% of the value of new ACAT II and III weapon systems materials is comprised of COTS items.

From different approaches to planning, to different cost drivers, to different technician skills, to different End of Life challenges, to different inventory and depot investments, COTS items are changing the rules of managing the resources employed during Product Support processes.

All COTS item Product Support management discussions will be focused upon favorably impacting the outcomes below:

• Reducing Total Ownership Cost (TOC)
• Growing materiel availability
• Increasing reliability
• Improving speed of deployability by reducing the organizational level resource footprint
• Assuring capabilities
• Evolving technologies
• Increasing maintainability