Original Date: 01/23/1995
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

In partnership with Lockheed Missiles and Space Company and Stanford University, Sandia-CA is assisting in the development and deployment of an Agile Cable Acquisition and Production System (ACaPS). ACaPS allows a cable purchaser to submit design specifications, obtain price quotations, and negotiate the procurement of cable systems electronically via the Internet's World Wide Web. The goal of ACaPS is to reduce cable procurement and production time by conducting these processes in an agile environment.

An ACaPS transaction begins with a prospective cable purchaser submitting a Request for Rough Quote on a standardized form via the Internet to a cable manufacturer. The purchaser may post additional design information and specifications to a file transfer protocol site. After review of the design information, the cable manufacturer electronically submits a rough quote to the purchaser including approximate cost, production start date, and production time. The prospective purchaser reviews the rough quote and, if acceptable, electronically requests a final quote from the manufacturer. Upon receipt of the final quote, the purchaser electronically submits a purchase order on a standardized form.

In a controlled test exercise using ACaPS, Sandia was able to negotiate the procurement of a typical cable harness from Lockheed in two days. This was a significant reduction in procurement time from the two to nine months typically required. Sandia estimates that an actual ACaPS transaction, similar to the test exercise, could be completed in thirty days.

Sandia is actively working to expand the application of ACaPS to procure machined parts and other components. As manufacturing becomes increasingly agile, rapid procurement systems such as ACaPS will set the standards for electronic commerce.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.