EDS to deliver 'Management of Materiel in Transit' project for Ministry of Defence :: PublicTechnology.net :: e-Government & public sector IT news + job vacancies:

EDS today has been awarded a contract by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to deliver the Management of Materiel in Transit (MMiT) project. EDS will work together with SAS to deliver this important project which will improve the management, planning and tracking of essential supplies and equipment from the UK to the MoD’s deployed operations around the world.

The increased efficiency within the supply chain will give front-line commands the ability to plan procedures with greater certainty through knowing where and when vital supplies will arrive.

EDS will deliver a supply chain management system, based on Supply Chain Consulting’s Viewlocity product Control Tower Platform (CTP), together with a performance analysis and reporting system, based on SAS’ Enterprise Intelligence Platform. SAS’ software will provide the MoD logistics community with detailed information on how each step of the supply chain is performing and help identify areas for improvement in a way that has not previously been possible.

Recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have highlighted the importance of the visibility of vital equipment within the supply chain. Using EDS and SAS for the MMiT project, the MoD will gain clearer and more accurate information regarding the delivery of supplies and the performance of the supply chain. MMiT will also improve the speed at which provisions flow through the MoD’s supply chain and reduce costs by avoiding duplication of supply requests.

After comprehensive testing and trials, MMiT is expected to be delivered to the front line commands of all units by mid 2009. Upon successful completion of the project, front-line units, across all three services – the Royal Navy, the Army and Royal Air Force – will have the ability, using Supply Chain Consulting’s CTP, to see items as they move from depot, en route to the receiving unit, providing an assurance of timely delivery of essential parts and supplies. Using SAS’ software, MMiT will also be able to provide supply chain performance information to commanders on the ground, leading to improved procedures and resulting in troops receiving the right equipment at the right time.

Col. N. I. Barsby, Materiel Flow Project Team Leader, MoD, commented: “Past operational experience has shown that the MoD urgently needs the MMIT capability in order to make best use of the physical supply chain. The positive impact on user confidence of knowing exactly where things are and when they will be delivered will be immense. We look forward to working in close co-operation with EDS, SAS and Supply Chain Consulting to achieve the delivery in the middle of next year. The introduction of MMiT will mark a step change in the way the MoD manages its materiel in transit and will be significant milestone in an overall programme that will revolutionise the Joint Supply Chain programme. We can't wait to get MMIT out to Front Line users.”

“We are pleased to be working with the MoD, SAS and Supply Chain Consulting to deliver the MMiT project. Once operational, this will enable field commanders and troops to plan and execute activities with an even greater degree of confidence, safe in the knowledge that critical parts and equipment will now be clearly visible, both in terms of where they are in the supply chain and when they will arrive,” said Mike Huntley, Client Executive for Logistics, EDS Defence. “The combination of the Supply Chain Consulting Visibility product and SAS’ analysis and reporting capability will provide the MoD with the ability to monitor and manage the supply chain in a way that has previously been difficult in selected areas. It will also enable rapid identification and rectification of issues.”

“SAS is delighted to be working with EDS and the MoD to deliver the MMiT project. It is a highly important project for the MoD given the critical need for efficient logistics to support the types of operations that the Armed Forces undertake. This system will give the UK front-line forces much needed improved decision-support information and help manage the very complex and challenging supply chain between the UK and MoD deployments world-wide,” said Ian Manocha, Managing Director of SAS UK.
“Supply Chain Consulting is pleased to have had its Viewlocity CTP product chosen to provide the supply chain visibility backbone for the MMiT project. This will enable the MoD to provide what is needed, when it is needed, to our armed forces in the field. We are proud to be associated with this project,” said Peter Klein, Vice President for Supply Chain Consulting in the UK.

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Ministry of Defence