Naval postgraduate school research summaries

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, May-June, 2003 by Philip J. Candreva

This thesis analyzed rulings and court cases from the General Accounting Office, Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and Federal Court of Claims with respect to contract protests and disputes involving Performance Specifications.

Performance Specifications generally leave the contractor open to decide the best means to accomplish the work of a contract and deliver the product called for in the contract. As compared with Design Specifications, which tell the contractor exactly the processes and materials that must be used to accomplish the task, Performance Specifications only specify the final product to be delivered and the parameters it will fulfill or operate within, and thus leave the contractor open to decide the best processes and procedures to accomplish the task.

The use of Performance Specifications in the Defense acquisition process has been mandated from the Secretary of Defense since 1994. The intent in using Performance Specifications was to provide incentive to the contractor to become innovative and resourceful in performing the contract and hopefully, result in cost avoidances and savings to the federal government. This thesis will examine protests and disputes from the above sources to evaluate the use of Performance Specifications to date and compile any patterns of success or failure that can then be passed on to today's acquisition work force.

An Analysis of the Effects of Environment and Career Longevity on the Sleep Patterns of Enlisted U.S. Navy Submariners

By LCDR Dionisio S. Gamboa, SC, USN Master of Science in Operations Research--September 2002

This thesis will examine the reported sleep patterns among a sample of U.S. Navy Submarine Force enlisted personnel, and make an initial assessment of their perception of their sleep allowances at sea and ashore. The goal of this research is to determine if a shift in working environment from shore duty (baseline) to the arduous environment of sea duty (underway) has an effect on the sleep patterns of enlisted submariners.

Additionally, any effects of career longevity and "optimal sleep duration (self-reported)" will also be investigated. This thesis will also include a review and discussion of studies in the area of sleep deprivation and cognitive dissonance reduction theory, and will attempt to address the idea that cognitions/attitudes change to accommodate behavior or the external environment, perhaps presenting an explanation for those sleep patterns.

A Comparison of the Operational Potential and Capability of Two Combat Logistics Force (CLF) Alternatives

By LCDR Ronaldo D. Givens, SC, USN Master of Science in Operations Research-September 2002

A recent study by the fleet suggests two feasible near-term CLF alternatives (one with 12 T-AKEs, 18 T-AOs, and four T-AOE#6s and the other with nine T-AKEs, 14 T-AOs, four T-AOE#6s and four T-AOE(X)s and recommends the latter as more flexible. We want to enable decision makers to determine if the latter, more expensive alternative is worth the additional cost.