Logistics & Supply Management

Acquisition Logistics Overview

Acquisition Logistics is a multi-functional, technical management discipline associated with the design, development, test, production, fielding, sustainment, and improvement modifications of DoD systems. The majority of a system’s life-cycle costs can be attributed directly to operations and support costs once the system is fielded.  The three (3) principal objectives of acquisition logistics are to ensure:

  1. That support considerations are an integral part of the system’s design requirements
  2. The system can be cost-effectively supported throughout its life-cycle
  3. Product Support elements necessary to the initial fielding and operational support of the system are identified, developed, and acquired.

The Program Manager (PM) and Product Support Manager (PSM) is responsible for accomplishing these principal program objectives across the life-cycle of a system, including the Operating & Support (O&S) Phase. Employing Performance-Based Life-Cycle Product Support tied to Sustainment Metrics is the overarching DoD acquisition logistics concept for providing Materiel Availability, Supportability, and readiness to the user. [1]

Acquisition logistics activities are most effective when they are integral to both the contractor’s and Government’s System Engineering Process and addressed early in the Acquisition Processes.  The main elements of Acquisition Based Logistics are:

A number of the tasks associated with acquisition logistics include:

AcqLinks and References:

Updated: 3/16/2020

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