Avantix COLTS

Catalog Ordering Logistic Tracking System (COLTS) provides your organization with the tools to manage the Military Supply Chain business process including: configuration management, material order tracking, installation, asset management, maintenance, and weapon system support.

Unlike other static systems, COLTS can be configured to meet the business requirements of the Program Office. Using COLTS System Administration tools the analyst alters data elements and sets functionality switches to meet the Program requirements.

COLTS is a Military Supply Chain Management (SCM) System

It takes an integrated systems approach and a simple elegant solution to successfully implement a Military Supply Chain Management System. The primary goal of a Military Supply Chain System is to support offensive and defensive weapon systems. The availability of weapon systems depends on maintenance and spares.

COLTS provides a simple solution for the military maintainer to record maintenance, equipment structure changes and part consumption. Using this information COLTS calculates spare part inventories and pushes (ships) the proper inventories to forward sites. Additionally, COLTS calculates the proper inventory quantities to support central Inventory Control Points (ICP).

COLTS has been successfully used to support critical war efforts.

Software systems cannot save the lives of our Servicemen in harms way. But by using COLTS, the US Military has been able to increase the availability of critical equipment. For example COLTS supports the Joint Robotic Repair Facilities (JRRF) worldwide. These Robots are used to find and disarm Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in Iraq and Afghanistan. COLTS has increased availability of the Robots while decreasing cost of support.

COLTS has a proven track record.

Contact for Demo.

To see COLTS in action you need to contact us. We will provide you with the information your program needs to make the proper decision including presentations and software demonstrations.

Avantix, LLC • Gerald Perlmutter • Phone: 360.627.8116 • gerryp@avantix.com

Supply Chain Management

View Animation with Sound

Step One

Field Service Reps or Military technicians record maintenance actions and material requirements in COLTS using Work Order forms. Material demands are automatically passed to Logistics or Supply. Parts are issued from inventory to the technician. All issued parts are linked to Work Orders.

Avantix designed multiple use forms for maintenance and inventory functions. These integrated simplified forms are easy to use. All input is accomplished on one form using Asynchronous JavaScript and XML or AJAX.

Step Two

COLTS maintains tight control of inventory at all Forward Operating Bases. Reorder Points (when to reorder inventory parts) and Stock Objectives (optimum stock levels) are set using a special COLTS tool based on material demands recorded in Work Orders. Parts that have fallen below the Reorder Points are automatically pushed or shipped using DD 1149s to Forward Operating Bases; increasing their inventory quantities to the Stocking Objectives. Special (one of a kind) parts are ordered on-line.

COLTS Order Tracking web reports provide the ability for all users to track part orders including backorders, shipments and parts received.

Step Three

The COLTS Purchase Order Generator is used to generate Vendor/Supplier Purchase Orders or Requisitions. Supplier Purchase Orders are based on Reorder Points, Stock Objectives and Forward Operating Base special orders. In essence COLTS restocks its own pipeline.

Maintenance   View Animation with Sound

Work Orders

How do you get Field Service Representatives (FSR) or Military Technicians to enter Maintenance or Work Order data?

You make it easy - real easy.

Using web AJAX technology, Avantix build a Work Order Form. Better yet a Work Order Container that does it all! All on one form easy to use and where possible COLTS will fill in the blanks. Such as the Service Techs name, email and address or the equipment transfers (Property Book accounting).

RMA Tracking

In today's high tech world the military and industry need to form a close alliance to keep weapon systems operational. COLTS assists in that process.

A common use in industry is to assign Return Merchandise Agreement (RMA) tracking numbers to control material returned to the manufacturer for repair.

COLTS has built a completely integrated web based system that allows the manufacturer (repair depot) to assign a RMA numbers directly to repairable parts removed during maintenance. Additionally, COLTS provides means to track the carcass (broken repairable) back to the repair depot and through the repair cycle.

Configuration Management

Document Tracking

The COLTS Documentation Module can be configured to view and track the status of Configuration Management documentation including: Engineering Change Proposals (ECP), Engineering Orders, Engineering Changes, Approvals/Disapprovals, In-process reviews, and correspondence are tracked in COLTS and all can be made available for user to download and view.

Structure Management

COLTS Structure Manager is a logistic engineering design tool that allows the user to build a complete top down breakdown structure of the equipment. Imagine a Bill of Material (BOM) of all the equipment component parts viewed as a structured indentured diagram and listing.

Structure Manager is not just for viewing equipment structures, it is a full design tool with the ability to cut, copy and paste components and systems to build complete equipments. An unlimited number of versions, variants and engineering changes maybe stored.

A unique tool built into COLTS allows analyst to identify the serialized components of the equipment that require tracking. This allows COLTS to track end items equipments and the important components within - Total Asset Visibility.

Inventory Management and Asset Tracking

Total Asset Visibility

Imagine a computer system where you can see all the systems/equipments deployed worldwide along and their tracked serialized components. Now further imagine that you can not only view critical attributes of the system like condition (operational, not operational, partially operational etc.), version or frequency but you can see a chronological log book of all events that have occurred against each item in the equipment structure including Failures, Corrective and Preventive Maintenance, Shipments, Receipts, Warrantees, Property Book, Modifications, Upgrades, RMA, Location etc. ...That is COLTS

COLTS took a lesson from the aviation world, where log books where kept on engines and airframes. Every event was manually recorded in the log books for each engine and airframe. COLTS improved that process and designed its internal data model to record standard log book entries for each track item.

With this data model COLTS not only has Total Asset Visibility but can view every recorded action against each tracked component.

IUID   View Slides with Sound

Office of Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Logistics...

Item Unique Identification (IUID) is a system of distinguishing one object from another, allowing DoD to track identical items individually throughout their lifecycles. With IUID, DoD can consistently capture the value of items it buys, control these items during their use, and combat counterfeiting of parts. IUID is a business imperative for DoD, which has been without a universal method for parts identification.

The IUID Registry is the central repository for IUID information and serves as an acquisition gateway to identify:

•  What the item is

•  How and when it was acquired

•  The initial value of the item

•  Current custody (government or contractor)

•  How it is marked

IUID registration and use of 2D markings are mandatory. COLTS not only registers items with the IUID Registry but is using inputs from 2D scanners for shipping, receiving and maintenance.

DAASC   View Slides with Sound

The primary mission of the DAASC is to receive, edit, and route logistics transactions (part requisitions and shipments) for the US Military Services, and Federal Agencies. The DAASC receives over 5 billion DoD part requisition and shipment transactions per year, numerous DoD level and Service/Agency edits and validations against these transactions, and then routes the data to the appropriate destination

COLTS communicates with DAASC's full-service Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Telecommunications Hub. Operating under selected Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between Program Offices and DAASC COLTS can receive, process and ship standard Military requisitions (DD 1348) from servicemen worldwide.

RFID   View Slides with Sound

Supply Chain Management systems in the Commercial sector make use Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID) to expedite shipping, receiving, and inventory handling for years.

Recently a Navy SPAWAR activity and Avantix tested the use of RFID tags integrated with COLTS for inventory handling. The test documented an 88% reduction in manpower costs - wow!

This capability will be available for all government COLTS users.

Documentation

COLTS provides a means for all to see documents important documents such as instructions, technical bulletins, pictures, technical manuals, procedures, etc. Just click the hyperlink on the COLTS web page and the documents is loaded down to the client's computer...Simple easy!

Robotic Systems Joint Program Office (RSJPO)

DoD makes extensive use of Robotic Systems to remove mines, find and destroy IEDs and most recently operate offensive weapon systems. The Robotic Systems Joint Program Office at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL has been given the responsibility to provide maintenance and spares support in critical locations such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally RSJPO has been given the responsibility to provide support for schools that training users in the operation and maintenance of robotics.

In June 2005 Avantix won a contract to setup and maintain a complete Supply Chain Management system using COLTS. Because most of the Robotic programs supported where COTS purchases, the Program Office was able to successfully implement all COLTS functionality.

This is a true success story.

To paraphrase the Program Office;

"Using a worldwide staff of approximately 50 service and civilian personnel and an ICP staff of 10 to 15 personnel the RSJPO provides better overall support using COLTS then other Military Programs having hundreds of personnel."

Joint Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal

COLTS was chosen as the Supply Chain Management software for Joint Service EOD programs. NAVEODTECHDIV, Indian Head, MD (Stump Neck Detachment) manages these programs. Combining a "Just in Time" inventory management scheme, Contractor Depot Repair, and a tight supply chain management process this organization has significantly lowered the cost of support.

COLTS has setup a unique flow of supply chain actions, where one action automatically leads to another - the domino effect.

•  Field Service Representatives (FSR) or Military Repair Techs record maintenance or Work Orders (WO) in COLTS. If a Depot Level Repair Part (DLRP) requires repair a request RMA event is added to the WO.

•  Automatically, the DLRP repair depot or Contractor is notified to create a Return Merchandise Agreement (RMA) in COLTS.

•  After the RMA is created, COLTS creates the inventory pick list and shipping documents (DD 1149s) for Inventory Control Point (ICP) to ship the replacement DLRP (Just in Time) to the WO site using a reusable container.

•  The Field Service Representatives (FSR) or Military Repair Techs will receive the DLRP in COLTS and complete the repair. One click in COLTS will create the shipping document (DD1149) properly addressed to ship the broken DLRP (carcass) back to the repair depot.

•  The repair depot will receive the DLRP, estimate the cost or the RMA repair, await government approval and if approved record the repair - all in COLTS.

The JS EOD program will grow to approximately 4,000 users for both classified and unclassified programs.

SPAWAR

The Navy Space and Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) is one of the largest users of COLTS. SPAWAR activities use COLTS to manage inventory, shipping, receiving and In-Service Engineering Activity (ISEA) analysis. There are over 200 users listed on two Server Centers supporting:

• All Satellite communication systems (SATCOM)

• Submarine Communications (SLVR, TFDS etc.)

• Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare (MIUW)

• Electronic Harbor Security System (EHSS)

COLTS has been operational in SPAWAR since 1997 and is NMCI approved and Navy FAM approved (See DADMS ID 36932)

Army UAS

The Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program Office has purchased COLTS for all Army unmanned air vehicle programs. Due the size of this program COLTS will be implemented in phases throughout 2007.

When fully implemented COLTS will be integrated with standard Army and Military systems including:

•  Standard Army Management Information System (STAMIS)

•  Unit Level Logistic System (ULLS) for UAS

•  Item Unique Identification (IUID) Registry

•  Defense Automatic Addressing System Center (DAASC)

Northrop Grumman (TASC) and Avantix are working as a team to provide the total supply chain support process for this Program Office. The team is implementing a new Army concept of operation support where ULLS UAS provides support to AVUM activities and COLTS provides support to AVIM and Contractor Logistic Support (CLS) activities. The Program Office will query both systems via STAMIS.

Joint Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal

COLTS was chosen as the Supply Chain Management software for Joint Service EOD programs. NAVEODTECHDIV, Indian Head, MD (Stump Neck Detachment) manages these programs. Combining a "Just in Time" inventory management scheme, Contractor Depot Repair, and a tight supply chain management process this organization has significantly lowered the cost of support.

COLTS has setup a unique flow of supply chain actions, where one action automatically leads to another - the domino effect.

•  Field Service Representatives (FSR) or Military Repair Techs record maintenance or Work Orders (WO) in COLTS. If a Depot Level Repair Part (DLRP) requires repair a request RMA event is added to the WO.

•  Automatically, the DLRP repair depot or Contractor is notified to create a Return Merchandise Agreement (RMA)
in COLTS.

•  After the RMA is created, COLTS creates the inventory pick list and shipping documents (DD 1149s) for Inventory
Control Point (ICP) to ship the replacement DLRP (Just in Time) to the WO site using a reusable container.

•  The Field Service Representatives (FSR) or Military Repair Techs will receive the DLRP in COLTS and complete the repair. One click in COLTS will create the shipping document (DD1149) properly addressed to ship the broken DLRP (carcass) back to the repair depot.

•  The repair depot will receive the DLRP, estimate the cost or the RMA repair, await government approval and if approved record the repair - all in COLTS.

The JS EOD program will grow to approximately 4,000 users for both classified and unclassified programs.

Contractor Logistic Support

The more complicated the Weapon System the harder it is for the Military to provide maintenance and logistic support. The latest Military acquisition strategy is to "outsource" maintenance and logistic support back to the Prime Contractor. This is called Contractor Logistic Support (CLS). Performance Based Logistics (PBL) is the term used by Military to measure the effectiveness of the Contractor Support.

COLTS is a CLS System with built in PBL metric reports.

COLTS is being used by several contractors as the primary CLS tool.