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Peter Collins, President of A2B

There’s an old saying that says: “Once you’re over the hill, you pick up speed.” UID and RFID are over the hills of doubt and resistance, and indeed they are picking up speed. Compliance has evolved enormously since the concept of tracking serialized assets was first introduced by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics back in 2003. We have seen the DoD and its suppliers go from doubt and resistance, to vague interest, to an understanding of the benefits, to willing participants and co-creators of this methodology for realizing unheard of efficiencies in the military and beyond.

Needless to say there is plenty of expertise to go around here at A2B. So from time to time you will be hearing from me or one of our experts who will keep you posted on relevant UID, RFID and AIT topics.

Our intention is to help you stay abreast of unfolding requirements and understand what they mean to you. We also want you to count on us for data management education. And we also want to assist you in sorting through compliance options, including marking choices and software system considerations.

Peter Collins, President of A2B


Peter Collins

President of A2B Tracking Solutions, Inc.


Smartphone APP Supports IUID

A2B Tracking - Thursday, May 17, 2012

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. (Read More)

GAO Report Released – IUID Improvements Needed

A2B Tracking - Monday, May 07, 2012

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: (Read More)

UID Forum Update

A2B Tracking - Friday, May 04, 2012

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. (Read More)

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

A2B Tracking - Friday, March 16, 2012

A2B will be hosting an Executive Briefing Breakfast again this year at the UID Forum in Atlanta on Thursday, April 12th.  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.  (Read More)

FIAR Guidance 2011

A2B Tracking - Tuesday, February 21, 2012

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.  (Read More)

Property accountability – as IUID priority #1

A2B Tracking - Thursday, January 19, 2012

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. (Read More)

Back to Basics with IUID

A2B Tracking - Tuesday, January 03, 2012

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.  (Read More)

FDA Rules and Unique Device Identification (UDI) Updates

A2B Tracking - Thursday, December 15, 2011

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. (Read More)

Honoring Veterans this Veteran's Day

A2B Tracking - Thursday, November 10, 2011

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.    (Read More)

Congress and Property Accountability

A2B Tracking - Thursday, October 20, 2011

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. (Read More)

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