Steve, May
I feel Steve's pain!  The SPI might work, but not necessarily.  If Steve is
a subcontractor then he has to build what his customer says, and even though
the end user is DOD he has to get approval from his customer, the one that
directly pays the bills.  And they may be reluctant to make a change they
don't fully understand, or reluctant to invest the $$ in processing the
change.  Plus, if Steve is building as a subcontractor for multiple DOD
contractors then it's a hydra of mythical porportions (as one would expect
with a hydra) and new instances may pop up later.
I don't know that you (Steve) will find a lot of designers who don't want to
change, but explaining the reason for asking for the change to your contract
folks may give you a new ulcer.

Good luck!

Graham Collins
Process Engineer
Litton Systems Canada (902) 873-2000 ext 6215

-----Original Message-----
From: May William D (Dean) CNIN [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 10:30 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] DOD Designs...


There is an out.  Many companies are using Single Process Initiatives (SPI).
What is this?  As quoted from an Air Force web page: "SPI is an acquisition
reform initiative designed to reduce costs associated with doing business
with the Government. It is a streamlined approach to change to performance
based contracting and allow industry to use best practices and commercial
processes, specifications, and standards. SPI allows block contract changes
to implement common processes and replace or eliminate military standards
and specifications and business requirements when they don't add value. SPI
also allows contractors to reduce costs by adopting new acquisition reform
initiatives on existing contracts. It gives contractors the ability to move
to the most efficient business and manufacturing processes for their
individual facilities and the products they produce."  Check out
http://www.safaq.hq.af.mil/acq_ref/spi/spiguide.html#contrpropos.  Even
though this is information from the Air Force it is in effective for all DOD
programs, I think.

Wm. Dean May
NSWC Crane
812-854-3073

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen R. Gregory [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 9:44 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] DOD Designs...


I'm gonna rant...

I know the documentation paper trail can be be daunting with DOD assemblies,
but is correcting the design to specify current assembly standards too much
to ask? It can only enhance the assembly reliabilty...

I am expecting replies from lazy designers that don't want to "buck the
system"... I'm saying that to get some people to speak-up.....

Not being derogatory, just trying to get real...

-Steve Gregory-

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