Parts Management
The DoD Parts Management Program establishes parts management best practices across DoD to increase weapon system availability and reduce total ownership costs. Effective parts management is an important contributor to the long-term success of any program because the end-item’s reliability, maintainability, and supportability is dependent on the parts the comprise it.
DoDM 4120.24 Defense Standardization Program Procedures states, “Program offices must apply standardization processes to improve parts commonality” and “should ensure that a parts management process is used to reduce the proliferation of parts and associated documentation.”
Additionally, DoDI 5000.88, Engineering of Defense Systems, states, “The Program Manager (PM) will ensure that a parts management process is used for the selection of parts during design to consider the life cycle application stresses, standardization, technology (e.g., new and ageing), reliability, maintainability, supportability, life cycle cost, and diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages.”
To accomplish these goals set in these policies, we
- review and revise DoD parts management policy and guidance;
- assess the effectiveness of DoD parts management activities across DoD;
- research, find, and promote parts management best practices across DoD and industry;
- prepare and publish SD-19, Parts Management Guide;
- promote parts management education and engagement; and
- establish and pursue DoD-wide parts management strategic objectives.
Parts and Material Management Working Group (P&MM WG)
The Parts and Material Management Working Group (P&MM WG) is a forum for promoting, shaping, and coordinating government and industry approaches to effective parts management. The Working Group (WG)—which meets biannually in conjunction with the Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) WG —fosters continuous improvement in defense and industry parts management processes and practices. At each PMWG meeting, members present parts management activities undertaken in their home organizations with a focus on discovering cross-cutting approaches for application cross services and DoD.
Parts Management Training
The Defense Acquisition University offers a continuous learning module course, LOG 0630, “Introduction to Parts Management.” The course is designed to be self-taught and should take about 1.5 hours to complete. Prospective students may apply for this course.
Parts and Material Management Proven Processes - This monthly series provides a cross-functional forum for promoting, shaping, and coordinating government and industry approaches to effective DMSMS and parts management. The series leverages subject matter experts to increase your knowledge, awareness and ability to support your program effectively.
Parts and Material Management Conference
The annual DMSMS conference is now the Parts and Materials Management Conference (PMMC). The PMMC provides the opportunity for attendees from DoD, other government agencies, industry, and academia to interact and exchange ideas and learn about new tools and technologies that can impact parts and materials management. For more information on the upcoming conference, please visit the official PMMC Conference site.