Do You Know Your Integrated Product Support (IPS) Elements?

Do you know each of the 12 Integrated Product Support (IPS) Elements? Could you list them if you were asked? This is something every one of us should be able and prepared to do anytime, anyplace, including both in the workplace and in the classroom. Let me challenge each of the members of the DoD Life Cycle Logistics workforce to memorize and be prepared to explain each of the foundational 12 Integrated Product Support (IPS) Elements. This is a key foundational tenet of our business.

There are plenty of others you could make up, but two helpful mnemonics several of our DAU faculty came up with to quickly and easily assist you in memorizing all 12 are:

1. "Product Support Must Trump. Product Support Must Trump. See CoP For Details!"

2. “Please See Me Today. Please See Me Today! Shoot, Call (the) Fire Department!” Or put another way:

· Product Support Management (PSM)

· Sustaining Engineering

· Maintenance Planning and Management

· Technical Data

· Packaging, Handling, Storage and Transportation (PHS&T)

· Supply Support

· Manpower and Personnel

· Training and Training Support

· Support Equipment

· Computer Resources

· Facilities and Infrastructure

· Design Interface

As a handy reference, four excellent sources of detailed information about the IPS Elements are:

• Product Support Manager (PSM) Guidebook (Appendix A)
• Integrated Product Support (IPS) Element Guidebook
• ACQuipedia (Individual Article on Each Element)
• DAU Logistics Community of Practice (LOG CoP) IPS Element Site