Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

Ports Authority, Georgia Tech, and Center for Innovation sign MOU to tap into advanced logistics planning

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The Georgia Ports Authority, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 31 at the Port of Savannah that creates a new relationship aimed at supporting the state’s logistics industry in economic development, research, and education.

“For years, Georgia Tech has been honored to work together with the Ports Authority, Governor Nathan Deal’s office, and business and government throughout the state in logistics, transportation, manufacturing, and education to strengthen our State economy and create jobs,” said Georgia Tech President G.P. “Bud” Peterson. “We are pleased to further solidify this partnership to benefit Georgia’s transportation and logistics industry.”

The Georgia Ports Authority, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday (July 31) at the Port of Savannah that creates a new relationship aimed at supporting the state’s logistics industry in economic development, research and education. Pictured are from left, Griff Lynch, executive director, Georgia Ports Authority; U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Georgia; G.P. “Bud” Peterson, Georgia Tech president; Jimmy Allgood, Georgia Ports Authority chairman; and Matt Markham, director of the Center of Innovation for Logistics.

The goal of the MOU is to bring advanced research, evolving global logistics trends, and analysis from the world to Savannah. By tapping into the hands-on expertise at GPA and the Center of Innovation for Logistics — as well as the high-tech analysis and research at Georgia Tech’s Supply Chain and Logistics Institute — cargo owners and third-party logistics providers will gain superior insight into everything from when and where to build infrastructure to improved efficiency in cargo routing.

“Georgia Tech’s Supply Chain & Logistics Institute has established logistics improvement partnerships in global trade hubs such as Rotterdam, Singapore, Shenzhen, and Panama,” said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood.   “I am delighted to announce that for their first such agreement with a port authority in the Western Hemisphere, they have chosen an organization that is in their own state of Georgia.”

Georgia Tech’s Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering has been ranked No. 1 in the country for the past 28 years, and Georgia Tech is recognized as one of the leading research universities in the world.

Matt Markham, director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics, said the collaborative effort further strengthens the state’s position as an economic development leader.

“Most companies that choose Georgia as their home depend on its world-class logistics for their success,” Markham said. “Our new relationship builds on our center’s goal of providing company-specific analyses and facilitating connections between logistics providers and potential clients.”

The multi-modal network is designed to combine ocean, truck, rail, and air transportation to create optimal conditions for an easier and faster network. GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch said the initiative will allow the Georgia Ports Authority to continue growing its service area across the U.S. Southeast and beyond.

“We are excited to enter into this agreement between our organizations,” Lynch said. “The MOU leverages the Institute’s predictive analytics and supply chain optimization, the Center of Innovation for Logistics’ network of connections, and the GPA’s experience in the field as an industry leader.”

ABOUT THE GEORIA PORTS AUTHORITY:

Since 1945, Georgia’s ports have served as magnets for international trade and investment, enriching the state’s economy to benefit all Georgians. The Georgia Ports Authority is dedicated to providing customers with the most efficient, productive port facilities in the nation, and to creating jobs and business opportunities to benefit more than 9.7 million Georgians. The GPA is committed to maintaining its competitive edge through development of leading-edge technology, marketing and operations to move cargo faster. And, the Authority is working hard to identify what must be done today to sustain growth, performance and security for tomorrow.

ABOUT THE GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY:

The Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech, is one of the nation’s leading research universities — a university that embraces change while continually creating the next. The next generation of leaders. The next breakthrough startup company. The next life-saving medical treatment. Georgia Tech provides a focused, technologically based education to more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Georgia Tech has many nationally recognized programs, all top-ranked by peers and publications alike, and is ranked in the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News and World Report. It offers degrees through the Colleges of Computing, Design, Engineering, Sciences, the Scheller College of Business, and the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. As a leading technological university, Georgia Tech has more than 100 centers focused on interdisciplinary research that consistently contribute vital research and innovation to American government, industry, and business.

ABOUT THE CENTER OF INNOVATION FOR LOGISTICS:

The Center of Innovation for Logistics facilitates innovative logistics solutions that leverage Georgia’s superior business climate and enhance cargo-owing companies’ competitiveness. Exclusive to Georgia, the Center collaborates with companies that currently ship to or from Georgia, as well as those looking to locate in Georgia to deploy the world’s best multi-modal logistics for supply chain success. With targeted efforts to engage its unique position in state government with partnerships in the logistics industry, the Center provides impactful forums for companies to network, address industry issues, and share knowledge.

Source: http://www.news.gatech.edu/2018/07/31/gpa-georgia-tech-center-innovation-sign-mou 

From concept to closeout: What contractors need to know about the manufacturing sector

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While some construction industry research and information providers like JLL have predicted an overall slowdown in the rate of construction growth in the coming years, one sector within the construction industry has emerged as a star — the industrial segment.

The industrial sector has experienced the lowest vacancy rates in 16 years, according to JLL. The company also found that 18% of Q3 2016 leases were for newly built space, an encouraging metric for the construction industry.

E-commerce has driven a significant portion of the warehouse/distribution component of the market, a phenomenon that is part of the “Amazon effect,” which refers to the internet giant’s impact on pretty much everything to do with warehousing, ordering and shipping merchandise in the age of the internet, according to Kent Newsom, executive vice president of Ridge Development at Transwestern.

“Retailers are trying to figure out how to adjust to it,” Newsom said. In the Dallas metro area, he said, Amazon alone has approximately 4 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.constructiondive.com/news/from-concept-to-closeout-what-contractors-need-to-know-about-the-manufactu/445325/

Georgia Tech Savannah hosts logistics seminar Aug. 18

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Georgia TechJoin Georgia Tech faculty members Martin Savelsbergh and Natashia Boland to learn how Savannah’s multimodal supply chain can enable optimal use of resources while being more efficient and cost effective.

From rail, ship, storage, and truck, Georgia Tech’s professors will make innovative freight logistics ideas relatable to industry in Southeast Georgia.  Attendees will hear how trends in freight logistics optimization affect local supply chains.

This latest “Learners & Leaders” session will take place on August 18, 2016 at the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus.

Breakfast and networking begin at 7:30 a.m.  The program will run from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.  The cost of the session is  just $15.

To register go to: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/learning-series-collaborative-logistics-leveraging-savannah’s-assets-changing-environment

Here are descriptions of other upcoming “Leaders & Learners” sessions:

Making the Most of Coaching and Mentoring  –  September 15, 2016

Effective coaching and mentoring doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all strategy. Each person has different skills, experiences, motivations, and professional and organizational circumstances, so perceptiveness and adaptability are paramount. In this session, you will learn about these guidelines as well as common considerations and roadblocks. Kevin Jackson, founder and president of EnviroVac Holdings, LLC, will share coaching stories and tips. David Paddison, president of Seacrest Partners, Inc., will discuss the power of mentoring. Those who are middle and upper management professionals who work for mid- to large-size companies, as well as those who are about to transition to management roles, will benefit from this session.

Innovation in Savannah – October 13, 2016

As an entrepreneur or business owner, you know the key to success is innovation. But moving from beyond the buzzword to actually implementing creative and successful ideas involves more than creative minds and good luck. This session will teach you about this iterative process and the history, and you’ll hear three local entrepreneurs talk about their visions, struggles and recommendations. Presenters will include Howard Morrison, advisor to entrepreneurs and catalyst for community development; Blake Ellis, CEO and founding partner of CommerceV3; and Yvonne Jouffrault, founder and chief product nerd at Tour Buddy Apps and entrepreneur-in-residence for the Advanced Technology Development Center, a technology incubator at Georgia Tech. Entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, middle and upper-management professionals who work for mid- to large-size companies, as well as those who are about to transition to management roles, will benefit from attending.

Internet of Things – What It Is, Why You Should Care, and How It can Boost Your Business – November 10, 2016

The Internet of Things (IoT) — such as connected devices, vehicles, buildings, appliances, and wearables — is a network of physical objects that is discussed constantly in the technical community. However, most business leaders know little about it. During this session, presenters Russ Clark, co-director of the Georgia Tech Research Network Operations Center, and Bill Eason, research scientist at Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology, will demystify IoT for you. They’ll describe the incredibly rich, real-time customer and business operations data you can gather, as well as highlight fundamentals of IoT that organizations must think through. Professionals from small to mid-size businesses interested in how mobility and the Internet of Things can transform their business operations will benefit from this session.

Visit pe.gatech.edu/savannah-campus/courses/learning-series to register for any of these sessions.

OASIS under protest

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Anyone who was waiting for the General Services Administration’s requests for proposal for its one-stop consulting, professional engineering, logistics, and finance services contract will have to wait just a bit longer before acting. Although GSA has issued the documents, two protests have already been filed.

The One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) contracts has an estimated total value of up to $60 billion. OASIS is divided into two contracts, one unrestricted and one for small businesses.

USFalcon, of Morrisville, N.C., has filed a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office, said Ralph White, managing associate general counsel for Procurement Law at GAO, in an Aug. 9 emailed statement.

Keep reading this article at: http://fcw.com/articles/2013/08/09/oasis-protest.aspx 

Related article: Is OASIS too complex: http://fcw.com/articles/2013/08/01/oasis-industry-reaction-complexity.aspx 

Background on OASIS: http://fcw.com/articles/2013/08/01/oasis-details.aspx 

Supply chain innovations conference scheduled for Feb. 22-23 in Savannah

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The Center for Advance Logistics Management is pleased to host a two-day conference on Supply Chain Innovations on Feb. 22 and 23, 2012 in Savannah, GA.   The conference is an outgrowth of on-going research and education efforts by Albany State University,  partnered with Albany Technical College.

The conference will be held at the Marriott Savannah Riverfront.  The conference theme is “Leveraging technology for security, resilience and optimization in Defense supply chains.”

Information technology is being leveraged to provide enormous competitive advantage in globally connected supply chains.  Technology is a source of innovation and competitive advantage, but it also makes supply chains vulnerable to cyber threats.

Advanced supply chains recognize and manage risk, and build security and resilience while they optimize performance.

IT underpins all of the elements of supply chain management.  Sharing of information across processes in the supply chain affect everything from materials extraction and sourcing through manufacturing, transportation, distribution, finance, payments, security and customer relations.

The Department of Defense relies heavily on private-sector infrastructure for its supply chains.

While supply chains move materials through normal distribution channels (air, sea and land-based shipping), supply chain information travels on the Internet.  Today we know that security and resiliency in information and communications infrastructures is insufficient, resulting in serious vulnerabilities for supply chains.

The risks and vulnerabilities in an improperly managed supply chain, from counterfeit equipment to malware to other avenues of attack, are real and growing.   The Defense Department, through efforts such as the Trusted Foundry program and use of standards like Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408) is working to reduce its supply chain vulnerability footprint.  This is not a small problem.  Some have recommended government measures that mandate significant consequences for having inadequate cyber protections and requirements for reporting breaches and penetrations.
DoD programs that are mission critical or essential to national security or national defense have stepped up the requirements for compliance with DoD directives and Public Law requiring trusted components in the most important defense systems.

Agencies and departments are developing policies to keep a more watchful eye on vendors, partners, and others in their cyber supply chains and adopt best practices for mitigating risks across their systems and processes to protect your system against backdoor access or other deliberate mischief.

Complete confeence information, including registration details, may be found at http://www.afei.org/events/2A08/Pages/default.aspx.

 

 

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