This report presents a preliminary analysis of the overseas shipment documents process. The defense transportation freight movement process includes four major areas: tender submission, planning, movement, and payment. The overseas shipment documents process is a part of the movement process.
This report examines the Department of Defense (DoD) overseas shipment Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) operating concept with respect to overseas shipment documents. DoD document processes are addressed, and projected EDI operating concepts are explained. A model of the overseas shipment documents process has been developed as part of this report. This As-Is Movement Activity Model is a representation of the activities associated within the movement process of the defense transportation freight movement system. This base model can be used to develop a preliminary business case for adopting a standard electronic interface among the countries of interest and the U.S. The model can also serve as an assessment tool for determining the feasibility of developing a generic foreign customs interface.
With respect to developing a foreign customs interface, it would be difficult to include all customs requirements from every country in the world. However, initially the task was to look specifically at the following nine countries:
1. The United Kingdom,
2. The Netherlands,
3. Germany,
4. Saudi Arabia,
5. Hungary,
6. Spain,
7. Italy,
8. South Korea, and
9. Japan.
After meeting with the customer, it was decided that two additional countries, Panama and Turkey, should be included in the review.
In order to ascertain DoD's interaction with each of the aforementioned countries for overseas shipments, status of forces agreements with the countries were compiled and reviewed for relevant information. Further, DoD transportation components were identified, and their roles within the defense transportation freight movement process were delineated.
This report is a summation of the discovery process results ascertaining current "DoD" and "EDI" overseas shipment documents concepts, and foreign customs requirements. The preliminary report was prepared to provide information. This revised report contains an initial assessment of the DoD overseas shipment EDI operating concept with respect to the implementation of an electronic foreign customs interface. The assessment is included in Section 2.3.
