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Calculate its own requirements
procure its own material
Manage its own stocks (termed retail stocks)
Initiate research and development
Maintain technical and management control over
use of the commodity within its service
There are two parts of the Navy’s supply support
system: (1) The military commands that retain direct control
over certain major equipment and components known as
major end items, and (2) the Navy Supply System
(NAVSUP). We’ll discuss each in the following paragraphs.
MATERIAL CONTROLLED BY MILITARY
COMMANDS
One part of the supply support system consists of
the material commands of the Navy Department who
retain direct control over certain major equipments and
components known as major end items. These
commands are responsible for the design, development,
procurement, maintenance, and control of ships,
aircraft, and missiles, and the major equipment installed
in them or used in their support.
The Navy procures many of these major components
and furnishes them to shipbuilders or aircraft
manufacturers for installation. This retention of control by
a particular command or bureau permits better analysis of
the effect of design changes on requirements and makes
sure that contract delivery schedules and shipments are
adjusted to meet current needs.
Each individual command determines its
requirements for major items of equipment where need
is based on planned requirements rather than past issue.
For example, NAVSEA controls major end items such
as deck winches and major electronic equipment.
Because the mission of each material command is
distinctive, there is little duplication of function. The
Navy conducts frequent analysis of the major end items
to be sure this type of control contributes to overall
effectiveness and economy.
THE NAVY SUPPLY SYSTEM
The other part of the supply support system,
NAVSUP, is concerned with over a million items
assigned to inventory control points (ICPs). These items
include such categories of material as repair parts and
consumable supplies. NAVSUP is responsible for the
purchase, cataloging, receipt, storage, and distribution
of all required materials. To meet its responsibility,
NAVSUP must have the data needed to predict answers
to the following questions:
WHAT will be required?
HOW MUCH will be required?
WHEN will specific items be required?
WHERE will items be needed?
HOW will they be transported?
The answers to the preceding questions help
NAVSUP personnel control the hundreds of thousands
of items at all stages. Those personnel must give the
items specific identification codes; coordinate supply
information to avoid duplication of authority,
responsibility, and functions; and prevent pockets that
do not clarify authority, responsibility, and functions.
The NAVSUP system works at four levels:
department, bureau or command, SCDPs, and
individual activities.
The department chiefly determines broad policy
and reviews overall operation and performance.
The Navy Supply System Command has
management control over most kinds of materials. (The
most notable exception is a limited number of material
command-controlled items.) In other words, the bureau
or individual command formulates policy for, and
exercises general supervision over, cataloging,
procurement, stock control, storage, transportation,
accounting, issue, and disposal of various categories of
supplies, equipment, and repair parts.
In addition to management control, NAVSUP has
technical direction over certain categories of materials.
In general, however, technical direction is vested in
some other command or office. Technical direction
involves the technical functions of research, design,
inspection, and installation. For example, NAVSEA has
technical direction of hull, mechanical, electrical, and
ordnance supplies; NAVELEX of electronic supplies;
NAVAIR of aviation supplies; and BUMED of medical
and dental supplies and equipment.
NAVSUP has delegated to the supply departments
established at Navy field activities the general
responsibility to procure, receive, store, distribute, and
control the materials that are required by the particular
activity. These activity supply departments must also
maintain the necessary accounts for materials,
there is a separate fiscal department to do that.
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