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Performance Based Logistics, or PBL, is a growing logistics support vehicle for a wide variety of programs and products. Sperry Marine's PBL contracts specifically support U.S. Government shipboard navigation systems.
In its most simplistic form a PBL contract enables a government contractor to provide the customer with replacement parts in response to shipboard system requirements. While the customer's response time varies according to each situation's specific need, usually parts are delivered to the customer within 24-hours of a request.
PBLs can also be structured to utilize the customer's parts inventory, or depend exclusively upon the contractor's inventory. Either way, by forecasting usage for the future a PBL program receives the benefits of reduced part cost, and minimizing obsolescence exposure by procuring parts in advance.
Due to industry budget constraints and reductions in manpower, PBL programs have grown in popularity to keep pace with the growing fleet requirements. PBL programs transfer a majority of the risk associated with program support from the government agencies, and directly upon the contractor. In addition to parts support most PBLs also include part obsolescence management, storage, transportation, reliability analysis, price reduction, quality improvements, training, configuration management and even the responsibility to enter data updates into the government's inventory database.
Sperry Marine's most recent PBL award includes support for two distinct navigation systems, and a work-share agreement with a Navy organic repair depot. By addressing both of these issues Sperry Marine has positioned itself as a leader of the type of forward thinking required to develop and grow advance logistics support programs.
