Shareable Operational Resources Tool (SORT) Operational Enhancement and Demonstration
NCMS Project #: 140703
Problem: The Shareable Operational Resources Tool (SORT) was developed initially to demonstrate the benefits of merging “Product” level data through its NATO (or National) Stock Number (NSN) or Reportable Item Code (RIC), and “Item” level data using Item Unique Identification (IUID) as a means to provide visibility of common or shareable resources between forces within a contingency operation.
SORT exists in 2 forms: As a web-based portal hosted at the NATO Support Agency (NSPA), and as dSORT (deployable SORT), a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product which is capable of being hosted on the internet as well as closed networks.
Due to funding limitations, SORT functionality has fallen behind commercial upgrades incorporated into dSORT which add functionality or address shortfalls which identified during employment in exercises and user evaluations. Resource constraints in DoD and in Allied nations precipitate the need to provide means to reduce redundancy in a manner that is low-risk to success of exercises and contingency operations.
Benefit: This will result in both improved capability and awareness of SORT as a means to implement Multinational Logistics capabilities in exercises and Contingency Operations – reducing deployed footprint requirements, strategic lift, and demand for high-priority shipment of items into theater when they exist outside of the traditional supply chain.
Solution/Approach: Although SORT has high-level backing, it has yet to be embraced during operational planning and execution. This project is designed to address this issue by integrating SORT coincident with various standard logistics information systems and processes and to demonstrate its capability via live exercises with both multinational participation, as well as the command planning level (CPX) as well as live forces (LIVEX).
This CTMA initiative will develop capabilities necessary to upgrade SORT (NSPA) that enable logistics services within SORT (NSPA) in addition to addressing other identified shortfalls, and will demonstrate this to multinational forces in a 2014 exercise using the Maintenance and Repair DEX.
Impact on Warfighter:
- Improved weapons system readiness, availability, global visibility and tracking
- Class IX inventory reductions by enabling mutual multinational logistics support during coalition operations
- Reduction of deployed footprint
- Reduction of supply and maintenance response times
- Automation of existing Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement processes
- Reduction of costly expedited materials shipments from outside of theater
- Efficient redistribution of assets during turnover, drawdown and re-deployment
DoD Participation:
- OSD
- NATO Support Agency
Industry Participation:
- Topline Technologies
- Nexus LCM
- Black & Rossi, LLC
- NCMS
Technology Focus Area(s):
- Improved readiness