Parts and materials management focuses on selecting the optimum parts throughout the life of an acquisition program. It is fundamental to achieving many systems engineering and manufacturing objectives; influences cost, schedule, and performance; and impacts acquisition technical reviews. The need for DoD and industry to have effective parts and materials management programs 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 parts and materials management concepts. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group with experience employing parts and materials management and systems engineering concepts to ensure long-term system supportability.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

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