Obsolescence Management Decision Making and Planning Tool Navy SBIR FY2005.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2005.3 Topic No.: N05-162 Topic Title: Obsolescence Management Decision Making and Planning Tool Proposal No.: N053-162-0088 Firm: Galorath Incorporated 100 North Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 1801 El Segundo, California 90245 Contact: Lee Fischman Phone: (310) 414-3222 Web Site: www.galorath.com Abstract: Large capital systems, particularly military hardware, are expected to last many years longer than the refresh cycle of their component technologies. Weapons systems will be fielded containing relatively obsolescent components, perhaps even before initial deployment. The question is, to what extent should obsolescence be allowed to impact mission requirements, and how can obsolescence costs best be mitigated? In today's cost estimating models, obsolescence is not even directly accounted for, despite its impact. As the pace of technological change quickens and technologies obsolesce more rapidly, the need to plan for and mitigate its effects will grow. Galorath will develop a complete obsolescence planning system and fully integrate this into its SEER-H hardware cost prediction tool. This will enable seamless integration of obsolescence awareness and planning with a complete development, production, operations and support cost analysis tool. SEER-H is among the most widely used, commercially available hardware costing solutions. The addition of obsolescence planning would translate into instant customer success and leverage DoD goals as an already large and growing user base gains access to it. These users are largely Defense contractors who would thus be able to engage in more sophisticated obsolescence planning for Government systems. Benefits:  Government and contractors have the potential to save money, maximize readiness, reduce failure, etc. via a more complete lifecycle analysis framework, including automatic optimization.  Acquisition professionals will be given a more strategic view of the obsolescence challenge, and an analysis tool to deal with it.  Complex scenarios, practically a given with today's multifaceted systems and intricate maintenance scenarios, will be modeled within a unified framework encompassing not just obsolescence but also development, production, operations and support, and failure modes.  A robust tradeoff capability will improve analysts' ability to decide among alternate obsolescence mitigation strategies.  Optimal levels of funding will be estimated, to better inform budgetary requests Return