Abstracts

A Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) issue is the loss or impending loss of manufacturers or suppliers of items, raw materials, or software. The Department of Defense (DoD) loses a manufacturer or supplier when that manufacturer or supplier discontinues production and/or support of needed items, raw materials, or software or when the supply of raw material is no longer available. While traditionally thought of as applying to electronic items, a DMSMS issue can arise regarding any item within a system, including software and non-electronic components, materials and structural, mechanical, and electrical (MaSME) items.

DMSMS management offers a multidisciplinary process to identify risks resulting from obsolescence, loss of manufacturing sources, or material shortages; to assess the potential for negative impacts on scheduled and readiness; to analyze potential mitigations; and then implement the most cost-effective resolution. By performing proactive, risk-based DMSMS management, a program office can:

• Ensure DMSMS resilience during design
• Minimize the scope of DMSMS-related, out-of-cycle redesigns (when they cannot be eliminated or avoided)
• Eliminate DMSMS-caused production schedule impacts
• Eliminate readiness degradations caused by DMSMS issues

This track will discuss proactive and strategic DMSMS management best practices and how they contribute to the four benefits identified above. Candidate abstracts should seek to equip the audience with techniques that can improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and outcomes of their DMSMS management activities.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Proactive DMSMS Management
• Developing or improving DMSMS management workforce competencies
• Applying DMSMS management to non-electronic items (e.g., software, non-electronic components, and materials, and MaSME items)
• Improving risk-based assessments to inform which sub-systems and items to focus proactive DMSMS management activities
• Identifying DMSMS issues proactively
• Assessing when DMSMS issues will impact the system and which issues to address first
• Analyzing resolution options to select the best and most cost-effective option
• Developing and employing contract language that incentivizes appropriate government and industry collaboration regarding DMSMS management activities
• Programming and budgeting for DMSMS management operations and resolutions
• Using data collection and analytics to monitor and improve DMSMS management process efficiency, effectiveness and outcomes

• Strategic DMSMS management
• Designing for DMSMS resilience
• Planning for repair
• Leveraging data and analytics to plan for technology refresh
• Leveraging technology roadmaps to inform optimal resolution of DMSMS issues
• Applying predictive analytics to better identify when items are likely to go obsolete
• Using data and analytics to link DMSMS management to impact on operational availability, material availability, and cost per day of availability

Parts, materials, and processes (PM&P) management focuses on selecting optimum parts throughout the life of DoD systems. It is fundamental to achieving many systems engineering and manufacturing objectives; influences cost, schedule, and performance; and impacts technical and sustainment reviews. The need for DoD to have effective oversight of industry PM&P management activities is greater than ever before.

This track will provide a forum to discuss processes, methods, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, and success stories related to PM&P oversight and PM&P management concepts. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group with experience employing PM&P management and systems engineering concepts to ensure that parts meet their allocated and derived requirements.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• PM&P oversight and PM&P management requirements, procedures, standards
• PM&P oversight and PM&P management issues and challenges
• Development of contractor or government PM&P management plans
• Synergy of systems engineering and PM&P management
• Role of PM&P management in design
• PM&P oversight and PM&P management success stories and lessons learned
• Use of non-military grade alternative parts in military applications
• Innovative PM&P oversight and PM&P management practices
• Strategies to choose alternate part
• Innovative approaches to Qualification and Screening to meet cost and lead-time
• Benefits of PM&P oversight
• Obsolescence as an engineering design consideration for PM&P selection
• Automated tools, processes, and resources supporting PM&P oversight and PM&P management
• DoD-industry partnerships for PM&P management (electrical and/or mechanical)
• PM&P management review boards
• PM&P management with coalition partners
• PM&P oversight metrics
• Implementation (or verification) of PM&P requirements when integrating COTS electronic assemblies

Today’s counterfeiters are introducing sophisticated counterfeit parts within the EEE domain (as well as other parts areas/domains) that cannot be readily verified as authentic or not. The counterfeiters are using such advanced techniques as cloning, and processes that do not leave any physical traces detectable using conventional techniques like testing, X-ray, external visual, XRF, and Decap, amongst others. Proactive planning, part monitoring, and resolution implementation are all necessary to mitigate the risks and impacts of counterfeit parts and materials from entering the DoD Supply Chain and possibly prevent the introduction of counterfeit product into product used by DoD. This track will discuss best practices and lessons learned in these areas. We are seeking presentations from individuals who are counterfeit prevention and detection subject matter experts.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Risk management and identification methodologies
• Communication and reporting (e.g., GIDEP and ERAI)
• Physical inspection and testing
• Training
• Auditing and assessing counterfeit mitigation implementation
• Understanding and implementing DFARS/FAR requirements
• Supplier management
• Contract language
• Indicators of counterfeit electronic or mechanical parts and materials
• Quality assurance
• Long term reliability impact
• Latest counterfeit threats and mitigation techniques (e.g., clones, advanced counterfeit techniques to avoid detection, most common methods to catch counterfeits)

Supply chain risk management is the process for managing resiliency through the identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks, threats, vulnerabilities, and disruptions to the DoD supply chain throughout the lifecycle of a system, to ensure mission effectiveness. Recent events (e.g., COVID-19) and changes to Government policy regarding foreign sources of supply and ownership of technologies critical to national defense have introduced additional complexity and challenges in managing DMSMS. This track will provide the audience with an array of Supply Chain Risk Management topics.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Understanding the implications of Government policy and guidance
• What DoD polices apply to supply chain risk management?
• Addressing program impacts to recent policy changes
• Legislative changes on the horizon impacting the supply chain
• Processes and tools in assessing supply chain risks
• What tools and processes are available to identify, assess, and mitigate threats, vulnerabilities, and disruptions to the DoD supply chain?
• Effective supply chain risk management plans
• Supply chain awareness
• Best practices to navigate the layers of a program supply chain
• Assessing second and third tier suppliers
• Supply chain awareness throughout the entire lifecycle
• Supply chain assured access, resiliency, and interruptions
• Natural disaster preparedness: pandemics, extreme weather, earthquakes, and other natural disasters
• Market forces on supply chain risk: mergers, acquisitions, financial solvency, and foreign influence
• Supply chain sensitivity to labor strikes, geopolitical instability, and nation-state actors
• Supply chain impacts due to reduced access to strategic technologies, suppliers, and raw materials
• Supply chain risk management methods and applications
• Digital engineering
• Application of blockchain
• Other digital methods, such as supply chain mapping and supply chain illumination

Systems Security Engineering (SSE) is an element of systems engineering that applies scientific and engineering principles to identify security vulnerabilities and minimize or contain risks associated with these vulnerabilities. SSE activities allow for the identification incorporation of security design and process requirements into risk identification and management in the requirements trade space. SSE activities integrates contributions from other engineering disciplines such as anti-tamper, hardware and software assurance, supply chain risk management (SCRM), and cybersecurity. Because the risk of these disciplines imposing different security requirements on a system, they must interface with DMSMS and parts, materials, and processes practitioners to support parts selection and resolution of DMSMS issues.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Program Protection
• Best practices for analysis in determining threats and potential mitigations, and how they may change over time
• Likelihood and consequences of threats, and the efficacy and cost of proposed mitigations
• Best practices for interactions between relevant stakeholder communities, such as intelligence, parts management, maintenance, program protection, cybersecurity, and system security engineering
• Risk assessment and risk management
• Asset management and access control
• Anti-counterfeit and cyber-supply chain risk management
• Anti-tamper and Defense Exportability Features
• Cyber Security/Physical Systems Security
• Development of monitoring plans of functional obsolescence attributed to cybersecurity
• Incident management
• Electronic and physical security
• Information protection, sharing, and reporting
• DMSMS technology refresh plans, taking cybersecurity into account
• Conducting a DMSMS business case analysis on potential resolutions, taking cybersecurity into account
• Prognostics, forensics, and recovery plans
• Hardware and Software Assurance
• Selection of components (software, hardware), taking hardware assurance (HwA), software assurance (SwA), and Cyber Physical Systems Security into consideration
• Address gaps in security specific to SwA and HwA
• Software assurance and application security
• Metrics for trust, resilience, and assurance
• Assurance mitigations
• Anti-counterfeit and cyber-supply chain risk management
• Introduce cost-effective design, development, assessment, verification and validation, and screening methods

The manufacturers selected for the items used in DoD systems will impact sustainment, the potential for DMSMS issues, and the ability to resolve those issues. Determining which manufacturers to utilize during design and determining which manufacturing technologies to choose can affect the DoD’s ability to both manufacture and sustain their systems. The DoD has the ability to shape the manufacturing supply chain (the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and its suppliers). Likewise, system designers and maintainers can impact the sustainability of their systems by choosing the right manufacturers and manufacturing technologies.

Advanced manufacturing, such as additive manufacturing, are poised to significantly improve DoD’s supply of difficult-to-obtain (DMSMS) hardware, especially for sustainment and repair and overhaul situations. However, many advanced technologies still have challenges to overcome to become common place means of part production.

This session will explore efforts to improve the DIB and its supply chains, help the DoD and industry practitioner search for best manufacturing solutions, and select which of these advanced technologies may be suitable to help support their systems and applications.

Advanced manufacturing topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Additive manufacturing.
• 3D Scanning.
• Digital engineering, modeling, and simulations.
• Adaptive machining.
• Repair technologies.
• Software development and maintenance.
• Discussion of potential challenges in leveraging advanced manufacturing for obsolete parts and how those roadblocks may be overcome.
• Current “state-of-the-art” for advanced manufacturing methods relative to supporting DMSMS.
• Case studies showcasing how advanced manufacturing have helped provide an obsolescence solution.
• New technologies under development that might help support DMSMS requirements.

Other manufacturing topics of interest include:

• Strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities to secure a stable manufacturing source and establish supply chain resilience.
• Onshoring of manufacturing critical to DoD systems.
• The role of manufacturing in parts selection.
• How manufacturer’s supply chains can impact parts selection and DMSMS.

Effective Communication and Collaboration (ECC) focuses on developing and enhancing the interpersonal skills essential for successful team performance and stakeholder engagement. It is fundamental to achieving many organizational objectives; influences morale, productivity, and job satisfaction; and impacts leadership and professional development.

This track will provide a forum to discuss processes, methods, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, and success stories related to ECC concepts and their application in the DoD environment. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group with experience employing ECC principles to improve team performance, communication, and collaboration.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Crafting effective presentations: strategies for engaging audiences and conveying complex information
• Professional Networking: building relationships, identifying opportunities, and navigating organizational dynamics
• Using storytelling and emotional intelligence to enhance communication and connection
• Negotiation techniques for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes
• Presenting to high-level decision makers: tips for confidence, clarity, and persuasion
• Connecting with diverse audiences: understanding and adapting to different communication styles and preferences
• Public speaking styles: exploring different approaches to presentation delivery, from storytelling to data-driven narratives
• Effective communication in meetings: strategies for active listening, clear expression, and productive discussion
• Managing conflict and difficult conversations: techniques for de-escalation and resolution