This thesis evaluates the current United States Navy (U.S.N.) Contract Logistics Support (CLS) arrangement on the T - 45TS program and compares it to commercial best practices. The objective was accomplished by evaluating the existing system and using technical functional and operational analyses to determine the feasibility of improving USN practice in contract methodology and language for future CLS implementations in general and on the T - 45TS program in particular. Using archival research, interviews, and site visits, this study identifies the current system and state of the art commercial best practices in service contracts and contracting/quality control oversight applicable to USN CLS implementation. Broad findings include: competitively bidding a contract without owning the engineering data rights may be costly in the long runthat infusion of best commercial practices and international quality standards vice strict compliance with government practices provides an opportunity to decrease life cycle costs through reduced oversight and state of the art management techniques and processes. Further findings and recommendations on specifically improving the T - 45TS program are included in the areas ofImproving Contract Practices Personnel Qualifications, and Training.http://archive.org/details/contractlogistic1094532641NAU.S. Navy (U.S.N.) author.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
