IUID Blog

Smartphone APP Supports IUID

Thu, 17 May 2012 20:57:00 GMT

The UID Forum in Atlanta was small by some conference standards, but the level of knowledge by those in attendance continues to grow at an impressive rate. There was an unmistakable urgency expressed by attendees who know that IUID is far more than another DoD mandate. Since I first blogged about smartphones and Auto ID in November 2010, they have gained momentum in everyday use. One reason for this is that they connect us to the “grid” in a valuable yet personal way.

My Droid currently has 108 apps and each one does something for me. For example, I can read the news from a variety of sources or access office email while waiting in airports. I can check the latest weather conditions (rain, wind, tides) before heading out on the water. I even have my own company dashboard that displays metrics on performance in key areas of the business.

Every well run company or organization requires visibility into its own operations, and easy access to that visibility should be as handy as my weather app. But that visibility relies on data that is accurate and high quality. What is the point of data, after all, if not to form the basis for informed decisions? IUID represents the global standard for collecting and utilizing highest quality serialized data when capturing an item’s location or condition in the physical world (e.g. weapons, vehicles, trailers, body armor) for military decision making.

With the understanding that smartphones connect users with data, A2B recently released our first smartphone app that leverages the camera phone to read a 2D Data Matrix barcode. This free app, available from the Droid store, is simply an IUID quality control tool for users to ensure that IUIDs are properly encoded to MIL STD 130 and uploaded successfully to the IUID Registry. Like all good apps, it has a specific function and use and is highly intuitive.

GAO Report Released – IUID Improvements Needed

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:23:00 GMT

The long awaited GAO report on IUID was published late last week. From my viewpoint, as a commercial provider, the GAO has honed in on areas that require considerable DoD attention. To summarize, these include the following:

Oversight and enforcement of DFARs for new acquisitions and government furnished property
Lack of progress toward legacy marking
Lack of progress in preparing information systems at the enterprise level for sharing and exchanging IUID data

I agree with these conclusions, with the caveat that it is easy to point only to what is not being well managed. I believe that OSD has done a good job of providing policy support for IUID.

While some of the deficiencies noted above are systemic in nature, e.g. ensuring consistent enforcement of IUID policy stemming from DFARS, others simply boil down to DoD’s need to “move out” in certain areas that can be commercially supported.

Two such areas come to mind. Marking and data cleansing for legacy or government furnished property items has been successfully completed in some venues, and knowledgeable commercial teams are readily available to complete this task. Likewise, enterprise-level software with the capability to link IUID data into pre-existing legacy or ERP systems has already been developed and successfully deployed.

These are NOT capabilities that need to be invented or home grown at this time. They have evolved and matured significantly over the past three to five years as the policy and implementation efforts within DoD have evolved.

At the end of the day no one likes to hear that they are not managing well, however I agree with GAO’s assessments of the state of IUID implementation and with their recommendations for improvement.

A summary of the study with recommendations can be found here: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-482

The full GAO report is also posted on A2B’s document library.

UID Forum Update

Fri, 04 May 2012 20:58:00 GMT

A2B hosted a well-attended Executive Breakfast during the Forum. At that meeting I drew a parallel between two waves of bar code, the older UPC and the newer IUID. The former undeniably revolutionized the grocery and general retail supply chain by enabling tighter inventory control, instant price look-up, automatic product resupply, product batch and lot traceability, efficient item return processing and last but not least, in excess of billions of dollars in cost savings annually.

The latter has extraordinary potential to revolutionize the DoD supply chain and logistics by maximizing warfighter readiness while minimizing costs. IUID enables critical asset management, clean audit and FIAR compliance, anti-counterfeit assurance, rapid asset deployment, total asset visibility and significant budget savings estimated at $3 billion to $5 billion annually. The technology force multiplier that has emerged over the past few years has created some exciting opportunities for asset control by leveraging ubiquitous mobility, internet connectivity, and authentication technology. Distributed connection devices as common as smartphones can now be used to perform data capture at the point of the activities.

IUID and the technology force multiplier effect are coming together to gather data and turn it into meaningful information for smart, cost-saving decision making. Once IUID is fully implemented across the services, and potential efficiencies are utilized, I have little doubt the cost savings will dwarf those realized by the grocery and retail industries.

News and Events for the UID Forum in Atlanta on April 10-12, 2012

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:39:00 GMT

A2B will be hosting an Executive Briefing Breakfast again this year at the UID Forum in Atlanta on Thursday, April 12^th. We have held these events for the past few years and we’ve received feedback that it’s one of the most valuable sessions from the conference. We plan to make this year’s breakfast briefing even better.

This year we’ll highlight industry trends and technology advances with IUID and beyond. We’ll also have some exciting software news that we are anxious to share and to demonstrate which will enhance our client’s ability to Identify, Mark, and Track with IUID and other powerful auto ID technologies. If interested, please respond quickly as space is limited. Register by emailing pchasse@a2btracking.com

FIAR Guidance 2011

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:41:00 GMT

An October 13, 2011, DoD-wide memorandum, issued by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, directed the Department to accelerate key elements of the FIAR (Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness) Plan and to place greater emphasis on achieving key priorities. One of those priorities is effective management of mission critical assets, utilizing the unique item identifier to prove mission critical items’ existence, location, type, status and custody.

Senior defense and GAO officials have long known that until the Pentagon’s financial ledgers achieve a clean audit, DoD will be unable to determine baseline information including the true cost of running the military. With clean audit data, DoD will know what spare parts it has or needs and will realize savings by eliminating duplication and other inefficiencies.

DoD suppliers stand to realize similar efficiencies through the utilization of IUID and serialized item management.

FIAR Guidance 2011

GAO on DoD Financial Management

Property accountability – as IUID priority #1

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:54:00 GMT

The need for property accountability for our US Department of Defense is extraordinary. The thinking is simple: how can you budget and maintain equipment when you don’t know what you’ve got in the first place? Mark an item, scan the item, and identify the location or custodian. As we progress through 2012 we’ll see more legacy equipment accountability and inventory control application of IUID.

That said, 2011 marked a shift in IUID policy ownership. The office that birthed IUID, Undersecretary of Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L), has passed the baton to the Undersecretary of Logistics, Maintenance, and Readiness (LM&R). This is a profound change that shifts the focus from a contractual obligation and unfunded mandate to the areas of the armed services that stand to benefit greatly from the technology – the logistics and maintenance enterprise. I have no doubt that this office will need to consider their approach to leveraging IUID and that will take time. However, some current established policies can easily be “refreshed” to take advantage of IUID and the benefits of the technology. Serialized Item Management or SIM is a good example of this. Since SIM can be leveraged as a powerful approach to maintaining military equipment and systems, IUID provides that extra layer of machine-readable encoding that will result in more accurate data and lead to productivity improvements.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) will also have a part in IUID for 2012 but I believe that it’s much smaller than people imagine. IUID will not rely on ERP in the short term since any ERP that is still being deployed has a trajectory that won’t include IUID for several years. Meanwhile, the current legacy information systems will have a role with IUID now, even if ERP will “absorb” these systems someday. Since ERP systems are useless without high quality and reliable data, current legacy systems have the opportunity to clean up any less reliable data by applying IUID with item level detail. In my experience, as much as 40-50% of the data in an equipment database without IUID item level detail has cumulative errors, as result of using traditional clipboard or fat fingered recording which provide high error rates.

Back to Basics with IUID

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:27:00 GMT

Property accountability, a phrase that the Department of Defense uses frequently, is tough to understand. I like to use a more simple reference: “What do I have and where is it?” IUID and barcode technology do a tremendous job of answering those questions, whether in a unit, a company or an enterprise.

By way of analogy, I like to relate IUID to the organizational equivalent of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (breathing, food, and water). IUID satisfies a “basic” fundamental need. And, as with the evolutionary levels in Maslow’s pyramid, IUID can provide so much more than answer the fundamental, “What do I have and where is it?”

When implemented and used correctly, it can answer questions such as “Who has had it?” and “Where has it been and under what operating conditions?” It can also answer questions such as “How many times has it come in for repair or maintenance?” and enables one of the higher levels of self-actualization for items, equipment, and property – that of predictive failures. Imagine for a moment that you are a CH47 (Chinook) helicopter pilot and your maintenance team has seen a key transmission gear fail with regularity. After the third repair cycle, it is almost certain to “go” at the most unexpected time and when lives are on the line. As a pilot, you would most certainly do whatever it takes to acquire reliable and actionable information.

Property accountability may be the motivation to get IUID off the ground in the first place, but when the basics are put in place, a much higher level of organizational productivity can be achieved with the technology.

FDA Rules and Unique Device Identification (UDI) Updates

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:20:00 GMT

We all wait in anticipation of “the rule.” John Crowley, Senior Advisor for Patient Safety, Center for Devices and Radiological Health for the FDA, joked at the beginning of the UDI conference in November that we’re only two weeks away from releasing the rule and have been for almost six months now. That became the running joke for the conference that often had the audience in hysterics.

Joking aside, it is going to be released and it will have a dramatic effect on medical device manufactures and healthcare providers. The benefits of UDI will be realized throughout the supply chain, benefits that are a mere concept right now in areas such as patient safety and supply chain efficiencies. Much like the Item Unique Identification (IUID) policy from the Department of Defense, the UDI rule from the FDA is based upon “license plate” encoding standards, technology standards, and data transmission standards. This is good for the industry.

However implementing these technology and data standards does not come naturally to medical device manufacturers and hospitals, nor is it straightforward for all of the distributors in between. Extra care is required in the early planning stages for anyone responsible for implementing UDI on behalf of the FDA rule. There won’t be much guidance or direction. The FDA expects industry to “figure it out.” This will require an extraordinary amount of sharing by way of working groups, standards organizations such as AIM North America and GS1, and conferences such as this most recent one.

After the running jokes from the conference died away, the concerned looks on the faces in the audience were very telling as to how seriously they were going to need to take Unique Device Identification (UDI) for many years to come.

Honoring Veterans this Veteran's Day

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:26:00 GMT

Over the past two years veterans have played a key role in A2B’s success. All of us at A2B Tracking Solutions send a sincere thank you those veterans along with the 1.5 million men and women who are actively serving our country in every corner of the globe. Your sacrifice, like our gratitude, is beyond words. To all veterans and reservists who down through the decades have protected the freedoms we take for granted, thank you.

To show our appreciation on this Veterans Day 2011, A2B Tracking has become a corporate sponsor of the Wounded Warrior Project™. We invite you to join us by considering a contribution of your own.

About Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and service to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.

Congress and Property Accountability

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:07:00 GMT

If you have ever doubted that accounting for personal property and equipment within the military is a hot topic, then take some time to watch this video from the House Armed Service Committee.

http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/2011/9/organizational-challenges-in-achieving-sound-financial-management-and-audit-readiness

The need for Item Unique Identification or IUID has never been greater. Achieving a clean audit is critical to our country’s ability to manage the current financial situation. The foundation for highly efficient property accountability will be built by identifying military legacy equipment, marking that equipment with UIDs and capturing the actual item pedigree data. Clearly, a plan for sustaining IUID will answer the need for a clean audit for generations to come.

AIM Expo Update – Post Las Vegas

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:03:00 GMT

When speaking to Rick Morgan from SCAN: The Data Capture Report a few days ago, he asked me about AIM Expo, among other topics. I had barely enough time to digest the question when I heard myself saying that the entrepreneur in me wanted to start about ten new companies based on new developments in the industry. It was an unfiltered response, but that’s when I recognized it was genuine.

AIM Expo, being a new show in a time of tight travel and marketing budgets, is still taking steps to build a strong foundation of “followers.” However, the number of technology companies who recognize the potential in this community continues to grow.

There are ground-breaking developments in a number of industries that are planning the rollout of important automatic ID policies and deployments. These include healthcare (numerous areas), US government such as Department of Defense with IUID, and manufacturing, to name a few.

AIM Expo will continue to be a great event for years to come.

AIM North America and AIM Expo

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 17:18:00 GMT

I am heading out to Las Vegas this weekend to participate in the AIM Expo Conference and Exhibition, where AIT vendors will demonstrate their latest solutions and five learning tracks - government, retail, healthcare, manufacturing and the internet of things will provide comprehensive coverage of the latest in automatic ID and mobile IT.

AIM North America has made tremendous strides over the past two or three years, the result of a lot of hard work by many industry professionals. AIM Expo, which is only in its second year, is on its way to becoming a world-class event since it showcases ID and mobility experts and solutions for major vertical markets.

AIM North America also supports subsidiary groups including the UID Suppliers Alliance, the RFID Experts Group and the Internet of Things. Each of these groups is utilizing interesting technology in working toward solutions to unique problems. Those solutions will have far-reaching impact on the way we conduct business in the future.

Construct 1 vs. Construct 2

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:48:00 GMT

Since the inception of IUID policy back in 2003, the debate over encoding syntax with UID has raged on. Early in the adoption, what I’ll call the “engineering mindset” won the debate, which prompted many to choose construct 2 as their format of choice. Now that almost 8 years have passed, the practicality and direct experience involved in part marking has pushed construct 1 directly into the planning psyche. Both constructs are viable options for encoding the UID however this post will act as a recap of the two approaches to MIL STD 130 and UID encoding.

Construct #1 - Items are serialized within the enterprise and contain the following data:

Issuing agency CAGE code
Enterprise ID
Serial Number

Example: Using a familiar analogy, the license plate number on an automobile is that car’s unique serial number, and the enterprise ID is the state that ha1s issued the plate. The data describing the vehicle, such as the VIN, color and any other information, is then associated with the unique serial number. Note that license plates are created in bulk, prior to assignment to individual vehicles.

The principle advantages of using Construct #1 are the minimization of marking and application errors and the ability to purchase labels in bulk, ready for use on any item.

Construct # 2 – Items are serialized within the part number and contain the following data:

Issuing agency CAGE code
Enterprise ID
Original part number
Serial number

Example: Using the same license plate analogy, consider that license plates are made in bulk, and when a car is registered the clerk simply hands one out, after inputting registration data. In Construct #2, however, each plate would have to be made individually, because all detail concerning the automobile, including original part numbers and serial or lot numbers, would need to be properly communicated and then built into the plate number. This creates an opportunity for error as well as a delay in label availability.

Death of the Spreadsheet – Part 1

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:33:00 GMT

Last week I talked about spreadsheets and how woefully inadequate they are for property management. I’ve actually come across large organizations that are managed by spreadsheet, and I have to say it’s like stepping back in time. The 1983 movie title “Risky Business” comes to mind. The first problem such companies face is the challenge of correct data entry, with the greatest impediment being an inability to fully incorporate auto ID.

First, however, let’s imagine a world in which you can walk up to an item with a mobile computer, scan it, update pedigree information and seamlessly flow that data back to an original system of record that supports the entire enterprise. With spreadsheets, this elegant process becomes an impossible task.

Scanning of linear bar codes into a spreadsheet runs a huge risk of capturing data into the wrong cell or of having the spreadsheet try to interpret the data string into a formatted cell. This results in low quality and error-prone data. Scanning a UID barcode becomes infinitely more challenging because of the particular formatting and interpretation required by an “intelligent” scanner, one that can handle and output the UII. Even if specialized scanners properly interpret the UID data string, the cell formatting issue above will persist, creating additional risk to the data entry.

Another risky aspect of spreadsheet use for data capture is the lack of business rules for capturing item pedigree. Spreadsheets do not manage data entry rules well. One might ask, for example, when an enterprise ID or CAGE code is being captured into a spreadsheet, whether the CAGE data entry rules are being followed to the exact number or alpha-numeric, and in the correct order. Additional, specialized programming would be required to enable a spreadsheet for this level of control, and remember the rules are constantly changing.

Lack of data entry controls and the inability to leverage auto ID (i.e. barcode and UID scanning and data capture) are two key reasons for moving beyond the spreadsheet. Precise property management simply cannot happen otherwise.

NPMA Conference Update from Las Vegas

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:06:00 GMT

Last week I attended the National Property Management Associations’ national conference in Las Vegas. As typical, I presented to a broad audience of property professionals on the topic of UID and what the policy and technology means to the property manager. In preparation for the meeting, I found myself cramming in updates on UID and FAR policy as it applies to the property administrator. (I often get the cliff notes from Doug Goetz who is one of the most knowledgeable property professionals that I’ve ever met). During my session, I provided a brief policy update and then dove into best business practices for property identification and accountability. I focused on users preparing for auto ID technology or UID but don’t know where to start. More often than not, they’re managing property by spreadsheets and sometimes trying to manage property with spreadsheets at an enterprise level!

My conclusion: understanding bad habits (e.g. managing property using spreadsheets) is the first step in transitioning to best business practices of auto ID or IUID for property accountability.

The next few entries I’ll dedicate to what I call “death of the spreadsheet”. This explores why spreadsheet are inadequate to manage property and comply with IUID policy obligations.