WHAT IS 'PRODUCT SUPPORT'?

Product Support is: “The package of support functions required to field and maintain the readiness and operational capability of covered systems, subsystems, and components, including all functions related to covered system readiness.” 10 U.S.C. § 2337

The support functions are those activities associated with the product support elements, collectively referred to as the Integrated Product Support (IPS) Elements. The 12 IPS Elements are:

       

BEST VALUE SOLUTIONS

The ODASD(PS)’s strategic planning is pursued across four pillars: policy, program oversight, workforce, and international collaboration. Activities in each of these areas work in concert to ensure weapon systems are available to the warfighter.

The ODASD(PS)’s goals are to provide the DoD with policy, processes, and guidance that foster effective product support planning and execution; provide DoD leadership with comprehensive, timely, and actionable program assessments for product support; lead logistics workforce policy, training, and recognition; and foster cooperation and initiatives for product support with international allies.

KEY POINTS

• The ODASD(PS) provides the DOD with policy, processes, and guidance that foster effective product support planning and execution
• The ODASD(PS) focuses on policy, program oversight, workforce, and international collaboration
• PMs/PSMs have a life cycle management perspective to ensure weapon system supportability and affordability
• Designing for sustainment and planning for product support solutions must begin as early as possible

       

SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

Product support and sustainment planning occur throughout a weapon system’s life cycle. Cost savings, typically realized in sustainment, are greatly impacted by decisions made early in development. It is therefore critically important to have a life cycle management perspective when assessing design decisions that take place during development and the return on investment when considering product support solutions. Designing for sustainment and planning for product support solutions must begin as early as possible to shape sustainment costs over the life cycle. Collaboration between the PM, PSM, product support providers, industry partners, and the customer for product support/sustainment is key to designing for sustainment and enabling reliability, maintainability, supportability, and affordability.