How Does the Supply Requisitioning Process Affect Average Customer Wait Time Onboard U.S. Navy Destroyers?

Abstract

The Navy's current inventory and requisition management procedures for issuing repair parts onboard ships have remained relatively unchanged for decades. As a result of current practices, many ships are experiencing higher average customer wait times (ACWTs) for repair parts onboard ship. The U.S. Navy has identified the need to reduce this wait time in order to complete shipboard repairs faster and increase readiness levels across the fleet. Applying a Six Sigma define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC) process approach, this report describes current procedures from initial demand to issue of repair parts, including collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data. Recommendations and conclusions are offered to improve the overall process, identify bottlenecks, improve response time to demand, and reduce shipboard procedure inefficiencies.