Laura H. Baldwin

The authors conducted a tabletop exercise to assess the geopolitical implications of Taiwan's semiconductor dominance and the vulnerabilities of the semiconductor supply chain. The exercise revealed that there are generally no good short-term options for responding if China attempts to unify with Taiwan and that a concerted effort should be made to reduce the concentration of semiconductor production in Taiwan.

This study examines contingency purchases made in theater to support U.S. Air Force activities during Operation Iraqi Freedom in fiscal years 2003 and 2004. It develops a custom database to determine the types of goods and services purchased and illustrates how such data can be used to facilitate planning and policy decisions associated with future CCO staffing and training, combat support, and sharing of lessons within the theater.

To assist the Air Force in the process of changing the way it purchases services, this report reviews related commercial sector practices and suggests metrics to track progress and refine services procurement efforts over time. To assist the Air Force in the process of changing the way it purchases services, this report reviews related commercial sector practices and suggests metrics to track progress and refine services procurement efforts over time.

For the past several years, the U.S. Air Force has been using data from the Individual Contracting Action Report form, also known as the DD350, to analyze its goods and services expenditures. For this study, the authors collected data from Air Force contracting officers on a sample of fiscal year 2002 (FY02) DD350 records to assess the adequacy and accuracy of DD350 data for conducting expenditure analyses. The authors then extrapolated their findings from the sample to reflect all Air Force FY02 DD350 contract actions.

To assist the Air Force in the process of significantly changing the way it purchases goods and services, this monograph reviews related commerical-sector framework of metrics to track progress and refine procurement-workforce-development efforts over time.

Discusses the complexities of, and recommends a methodology for, measuring changes in service costs incurred by the military. The 2002 National Defense Authorization Act set goals for the Department of Defense to achieve savings in service contract expenditures over a ten-year period through changes in contracting practices and improvements in management techniques. The authors of this report investigate ways to measure whether the Air Force is achieving these cost-reduction goals and discuss the primary steps in the measurement process.

Describes best commercial practices for purchasing services that are analogous to services the Air Force purchases to support its installations The authors examine whether and how well-respected commercial firms apply performance-based practices within their facilities and food services contracts. Communication between buyers and providers is critical; a small set of metrics is helpful for performance management; and incentives and a flexible contract can be of value.

This annotated briefing examines the incentives of participants in the Air Force's sourcing process.

This report, originally prepared as an annotated briefing, discusses the recommendations of the economics and business management literatures on issues related to outsourcing. It is found that organizations should outsource those activities that can be most effectively managed externally, so that senior managers can devote their attention to activities best managed internally. The economics literature emphasizes that activities involving transaction-specific assets should be managed internally, whereas the business management literature recommends that organizations retain internal control of their core competencies. Organizations can often gain access to superior performance at equal or lower cost by outsourcing other activities. Therefore, it seems prudent for the Air Force to focus its outsourcing efforts on activities that are neither core competencies nor involve great asset specificity, although the business management literature suggests that the Air Force could outsource activities that do involve asset specificity, such as the provision of complex services, if it develops longer-term partnerships with suppliers rather than treating them as arm's-length vendors. Also, past performance information could be used to advantage in outsourcing to develop longer-term relationships and encourage transaction-specific investments.