The successful implementation of an e-business solution within the Defence Materiel Organisation and the Joint Logistics Group of the Australian Defence Force marks a further significant milestone on the DMO's journey to improve industry relationships and performance.

"The adoption of best practice procurement initiatives, such as e-business, enables us to simplify our interactions with iindustry. The bottom line is, we want to make it easier for industry to work with us," says Kerry Clarke, the Head of Industry Division in DMO.

Brigadier David McGahey, Director General of Materiel Information Systems, notes that the e-business solution eliminates previous paper trails and allows industry systems to integrate seamlessly into the Standard Defence Supply System (SDSS).

"Benefits for industry include standardised contracts, integrated services, B2B interface, process efficiencies and an electronic document trail," Brigadier McGahey says.

The e-business solution caters for all levels of industry through a range of interface options. Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) may opt to utilise e-fax, E-mail or a WebView interface, while larger organisations can achieve full integration between their information system and the Defence SDSS system using the MINCOM Axis web-interface.

The benefits are not just for industry. Within Defence, e-business increases both efficiency and effectiveness by automating previously manual business processes.

Maritime Systems Division in DMO has seen improved accuracy via a reduction in keystroke errors and has allowed Defence procurement staff to concentrate on sourcing suppliers, competitive pricing, expediting deliveries and improving existing industry relationships.

Brigadier McGahey went on to say: "The industry response has been extremely positive, but as far as I am concerned this is just the tip of the iceberg. I am currently responsible for the upgrade of the e-business suite in SDSS, and then in late 2008 the Military Integrated Logistics Information System (MILIS) will go live."

"Within MILIS the plan is to drive e-business initiatives even further, and our aim is to automate industry interfaces wherever possible. I look forward to the day, in the not too distant future, when large multinationals as well as local vendors such as Blackwoods, Lockheed Martin and the Australian Submarine Corporation are integrated into MILIS using this B2B solution." Further information on the e-business solution is available by e-mailing JP2077@defence.gov.au

Making it easier for industry to work with Defence through a range of interface options.