Accenture wins USMC logistics pact

Accenture is gearing up for the first phase of an initiative to build a global supply-chain and maintenance system for the Marine Corps.

The company will implement the project in two segments. The first phase is a $4.5 million contract for planning, analysis and conceptual design, said Eric Stange, managing partner of Accenture’s Defense and Homeland Security practice. If Accenture’s design wins Marine approval, the integrator will embark on the second phase of the project, which covers designing, building, testing and deploying the system.

The new system falls within the Global Combat Support System-Marine Corps program, a logistics modernization effort.

The global supply and maintenance system will use Oracle’s E-Business Suite applications. The Marine Corps selected Oracle in its evaluation of enterprise resource planning products and Accenture consequently included the software in its bid.

Accenture’s use of Oracle in the Marine project involves taking a horizontal slice of the E-Business Suite modules rather than using the entirety of each module, Stange said. In addition, Accenture will put multiple instances of the Oracle software into production to support Marine units that are in garrison or deployed.

Stange said one technical challenge will be providing network support and synchronization capability so when a deployed unit re-establishes a connection to the Marines’ network “it can rapidly sync back up with the rest of the enterprise.”

Oracle Consulting, a subcontractor to Accenture, will help with the synchronization piece of the project. Oracle Consulting is Oracle’s professional services arm.

Stanley Associates, another Accenture subcontractor, will provide its domain expertise in Marine logistics operations, Stange said.

Work will be performed at a Stanley-leased facility in Dumfries, Va., near Quantico. Sixty people will work on the project including 15 Marine employees.