MTMC CONSIDERS COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE TO REPLACE IN-HOUSE SYSTEMS

MTMC CONSIDERS COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE TO REPLACE IN-HOUSE SYSTEMS    The U.S. Military Traffic Management Command, the overland and ocean transportation logistics unit of the armed forces, said it’s reviewing its internal computer systems to see if part or all could be replaced by more efficient commercial software.
   The in-house systems under review are the Integrated Booking System, Global Freight Management, Worldwide Port System, Transportation Operational Personal Property Standard System, Asset Management System, and Group Operational Passenger System.
   “Over the years we have developed stovepiped systems to fit separate transportation business processes,” said John Smith, MTMC’s director for the deputy chief of staff information management. “We need to better leverage technology to keep pace with our business partners.”
   The review group at MTMC includes in-house staff and consultants from the Logistics Management Institute of McLean, Va. “From early reports, there are some automated commercial products out there we can use,” Smith said.
   MTMC realizes that there won’t be a system to meet 100-percent of its needs. “We’re looking at something that will give us an acceptable solution — say between 70 and 85 percent,” Smith said. “We will have to look at our business practices and see if we can live with the missing 15 percent.”
   “Whatever commercial systems we select, they must comply with U.S. Transportation Command’s Corporate Data Environment, and the Department of Defense Joint Technical Architecture,” Smith said. “Ultimately, we want all of our customers and industry partners to be able to access MTMC transportation services via the Web through a single Internet portal.”