Applied crowdsourcing to the DoD exchangeables pipeline (WAR-Mart)

This proposal describes a mature but novel approach to the physics of the DoD exchangeable supply chain. The approach leverages a marketplace-based bid paradigm in cooperation with existing depot system software to provide an improved logistics pipeline and improved warfighter supportability. The proposed feasibility study described here will leverage our existing work with, understanding of, and connection to the OC-ALC/CMXG 553rd (local manufacturing) squadron to operate a MILSuite-enabled marketplace-bid strategy that allows 553rd customers to place bids on and collectively prioritize the 553rd workload (as provided through EXPRESS) each day. Scaling this TRL-9 pilot to the field unit and depot supply chain echelons will establish a workload prioritization strategy that matches the warfighter needs, depot capacities, and avoids both the local optimization found in decentralized strategies and the unresponsiveness of centralized production control systems. The proposed effort will result in a “step improvement� in the exchangeable pipeline leveraging existing production and pipeline support systems operating through the aggregated wisdom of a crowd sourced marketplace.