Inf 336 Week 3 Questions (Assignment)
Week 3 Questions
INF 336
Instructor: Lori Deere
From the end of Chapter 6, complete the following questions out of the section titled “Questions for Review and Discussion.” Each question should be thoroughly answered in a minimum of 150 words, using support from the text and examples when appropriate.
a. Why is it preferable to separate need identification and defining commercial equivalents into two separate stages?
Before the commercial equivalents, there’s the need and why it is needed. “Every acquisition is intended to fulfill a need. Therefore, the first step in the acquisition process is to determine what is needed and why” (Johnson, P. F., Leenders, M. R., & Flynn, A. E. 2010). Need identification depends on a number of things. The need is the start of the process. Once you have the need, then you can proceed with the commercial equivalents. The commercial equivalents are when the suppliers have an idea how to fulfill the need. For example, a person might say they have a leaky faucet. The need identified is a new faucet. With the need identified, the next step or stage is fulfilling that need. To fulfill that need, they go and bring the new faucet that won’t leak. Keeping the two separate helps to define the right needs and what to supply for them.
b. Why is early supply/supplier important?
Although the need identification and the commercial equivalents are to be kept in two separate stages, there is a need for an early supply/ supplier. “Given the high opportunity to affect value during the need identification and specification stages, it is essential that supply considerations are brought to bear on decisions during these two stages” (Johnson, P. F., Leenders, M. R., & Flynn, A. E. 2010). Once the need is in, the supply and supplier needs to be there to see who and where they can get what they need. With an early supply/ supplier involvement, it prevents problems with reverse design decision after it has been approved technically.
INF 336
Instructor: Lori Deere
From the end of Chapter 6, complete the following questions out of the section titled “Questions for Review and Discussion.” Each question should be thoroughly answered in a minimum of 150 words, using support from the text and examples when appropriate.
a. Why is it preferable to separate need identification and defining commercial equivalents into two separate stages?
Before the commercial equivalents, there’s the need and why it is needed. “Every acquisition is intended to fulfill a need. Therefore, the first step in the acquisition process is to determine what is needed and why” (Johnson, P. F., Leenders, M. R., & Flynn, A. E. 2010). Need identification depends on a number of things. The need is the start of the process. Once you have the need, then you can proceed with the commercial equivalents. The commercial equivalents are when the suppliers have an idea how to fulfill the need. For example, a person might say they have a leaky faucet. The need identified is a new faucet. With the need identified, the next step or stage is fulfilling that need. To fulfill that need, they go and bring the new faucet that won’t leak. Keeping the two separate helps to define the right needs and what to supply for them.
b. Why is early supply/supplier important?
Although the need identification and the commercial equivalents are to be kept in two separate stages, there is a need for an early supply/ supplier. “Given the high opportunity to affect value during the need identification and specification stages, it is essential that supply considerations are brought to bear on decisions during these two stages” (Johnson, P. F., Leenders, M. R., & Flynn, A. E. 2010). Once the need is in, the supply and supplier needs to be there to see who and where they can get what they need. With an early supply/ supplier involvement, it prevents problems with reverse design decision after it has been approved technically.