RFID Business Intelligence Implementation by US Army

US Army's Product Manager, Joint - Automatic Identification Technology (PM J-AIT) implements MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform to provide analytics for logistics data from radio frequency identification (RFID) solution created by Unisys Corp. ...

... "The Radio Frequency In-Transit Visibility (RF-ITV) program provides government and contractor personnel across four continents with instant access to critical information on military cargo, equipment, and supplies. MicroStrategy software was selected to improve the ability to access and analyze data, and provide better decisions to enhance the Department of Defense's worldwide logistics tracking system. Timely access to mission-critical information will enable decision makers throughout the logistics pipeline to plan, prioritize, and redirect logistics operations to improve warfighter readiness. " ...

Via MicroStrategy: US Army's PM J-AIT Implements MicroStrategy Software

DOD RFID Contract Continues With Unisys

U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards Unisys its follow-on contract to enhance supply chain visibility for military logistics. ...

... "The contract, which includes firm fixed-price and time and materials work, is worth approximately $28 million in the first year, if the government continues to order time and materials work at the current level. The total value of the contract could be approximately $112 million if the government exercises all options and continues to order time and materials work at the current level. In addition, the contract provides for the award of additional fees if performance metrics are exceeded and the imposition of penalties if the metrics are not met. Award of this contract allows Unisys to continue its efforts on the RFID program that began 13 years ago. Unisys has been working with DoD to develop, maintain and enhance an in-transit visibility system utilizing radio frequency identification technology. Providing visibility almost instantaneously into the location of supplies and shipments enables the military to increase its agility to supply units and soldiers with critical supplies in a timely manner, focus on mission-critical activities and respond quickly to mission changes.

Unisys tracks approximately 125,000 shipments of supplies each week, including ammunition, food/rations and water, medical supplies, vehicles, vehicle parts and aircraft. Attached to these shipments are RFID tags that store information vital to the soldier. Unisys tracks shipments across all modes of transportation - truck, rail, ship and air - to their final destinations in combatant commands worldwide. Fixed and handheld readers send and receive radio signals to and from the tags. Because data written to each tag are replicated among five servers, users worldwide have access to the same information on each item. Consequently, decision-makers at all levels of command and throughout the logistics supply chain can plan, prioritize and redirect shipments accordingly and collaboratively. " ...

Via Unisys: Unisys Wins Bid to Continue Operating and Maintaining One of World's Largest RFID Networks for Department of Defense

Defense RFID Shipment Tracking Network

Australia uses defense tracking network with RFID-tagged shipments. The Australian Defense Force (ADF) sends the RFID-enabled shipments from Australia into the Middle East. ...

... "The shipments aboard an air freighter launched Australia's full-scale deployment of active RFID-tagged pallets and containers into the Middle East that can leverage wireless tracking networks operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, NATO, the United Kingdom and other coalition forces.

Savi Technology has enabled interoperability among each of the allies' RFID networks through the company's SmartChain(R) Consignment Management (CMA) application, which is network software that leverages Savi's family of active RFID products. RFID In-Transit Visibility networks deployed for defense forces worldwide encompass more than 2,500 locations in more than 50 countries. " ...

Via Savi Tech: Australia Defense Launches First RFID-Tagged Shipments into the Mideast Using Tracking Networks by Savi Technology

DOD RFID Programs: New At Summit

Universal Guardian introduces new TAGeasy and TAGstation DoD RFID programs at the United States Department of Defense RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Summit. ...

... "Universal's revolutionary TAGeasy and TAGstation systems provide DoD suppliers with immediate and cost-effective DoD RFID compliant labels for use on items, cases and pallets, and other packaging, at the source anywhere in the world ... all with little or no capital investment. TAGeasy(TM) is a secure, online e-Commerce RFID label fulfillment system that generates DoD approved RFID labels, including a Certificate of Compliance, shipped overnight to DoD suppliers and generates a government approved receiving report (ASN) ... all for only $29.95 per month and $.19 per RFID label with a one-year subscription.

TAGstation(TM) is a secure, online dedicated web-based portal with an on- site RFID printer that produces DoD compliant RFID labels on demand, generates a government approved receiving report (ASN) and a Certificate of Compliance. TAGstation(TM) provides end-to-end order tracking and asset visibility from shipping to receiving ... worldwide. TAGstation(TM) delivers the Department of Defense and its suppliers the complete system including the RFID encoding label printer and Gen 2 RFID labels for only $299 per month and $.17 per label. " ...

Via Universal Guardian: New RFID Programs at Department of Defense (DoD)

Integrated RFID: UID and Workflow

EPCSolutions introduces an integrated solution that enables DoD suppliers to manage all aspects of UID creation, registration, validation and UID labeling requirements. The data is seamlessly integrated into RFID labeling and Wide Area Workflow (WAWF). ...

... "The integrated solution provides MIL-STD-129P compliant RFID labels and MIL-STD-130M compliant UID marks/labels. The solution also provides a combined RFID/UID WAWF remittance and material handling document to the DoD, as well as hard copy generation of the DD250. The solution supports all major brands of RFID and bar code printers, as well as, several popular direct part mark etching devices. " ...

Via ePCSolutions: DoD RFID, UID and WAWF Integrated Solution Now Available ...

DOD RFID Final Rule Adopted

DOD adopts final RFID rule and will require the use of Gen-2 RFID tags. ...

... "DoD has adopted as final, with changes, an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to include additional commodities and locations that require package marking with passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The rule requires contractors to affix passive RFID tags at the case and palletized unit load levels when shipping packaged petroleum, lubricants, oils, preservatives, chemicals, additives, construction and barrier materials, and medical materials to specified DoD locations.

RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (FEB 2007)

(a) Passive RFID tag means a tag that reflects energy from the reader / interrogator or that receives and temporarily stores a small amount of energy from the reader/interrogator signal in order to generate the tag response.
(1) Until February 28, 2007, the acceptable tags are --

(i) EPC Class 0 passive RFID tags that meet the EPCglobal Class 0 specification; and (ii) EPC Class 1 passive RFID tags that meet the EPCglobal Class 1 specification. This includes both the Generation 1 and Generation 2 Class 1 specifications.

(2) Beginning March 1, 2007, the only acceptable tags are EPC Class 1 passive RFID tags that meet the EPCglobal Class 1 Generation 2 specification. Class 0 and Class 1 Generation 1 tags will no longer be accepted after February 28, 2007. " ...

Via Federal Register: Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Radio Frequency Identification (DFARS Case 2006-D002)