Advoco Helps NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Launch Infor EAM for Managing Loan Pool and Calibration Equipment
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has selected Advoco, a global consulting firm based in San Francisco, CA, to help it implement a special configuration of Infor EAM (Enterprise Asset Management). Advoco’s Infor-based solution will streamline JPL’s calibration and equipment loan pool processes, as well as optimize utilization for JPL’s mission critical laboratory equipment, as the lab’s scientists and engineers push the outer edge of exploration.
A research center managed by the California Institute of Technology for NASA, JPL conducts robotic space missions exploring Earth, other planets and bodies in the solar system, and the universe beyond. “We are excited to be helping JPL in its mission to promote scientific and technical excellence, and provide the best value to the American public,” said Marty Osborn, Vice President of Advoco’s technology practice. “Having the right tools to effectively track equipment throughout its lifecycle is core to managing cost, and insuring the highest level of quality.”
JPL’s missions require equipment that operates at the very limits of technology and must be calibrated within precise tolerances. To reduce cost and maximize the utilization of equipment, JPL employs a centralized equipment management center so that the resources can be shared across multiple missions and line organizations. The centralized organization managed equipment throughout its lifecycle, provides service of that equipment, and uses a fee structure (“rental” or “usage”) as a cost recovery and reinvestment model. Until recently, JPL has relied on an in-house system to manage the complex process, but as missions and equipment continue to grow in sophistication, the need for a new system became acute.
Advoco will replace JPL’s in-house lease management system with an integrated, Web-based solution that will simplify the rental and calibration process and lower costs, by reducing manual labor and enabling tighter tracking of projects. Once in place, the Advoco solution will provide a host of benefits, including a user-friendly browser-based interface; improved information capture; and integration with Oracle Fixed Assets, HR and Locations to provide consistent data across all systems.
“Our customers are operating under tighter regulations and need to do more with fewer resources,” said Ken Jillson President and CEO of Advoco. “By providing a tailored configuration to meet the needs of the JPL engineers, Infor EAM now provides a key advantage in this environment, because customers can leverage complementary equipment across the enterprise to drive asset performance and productivity. Ultimately this promotes resource optimization while reducing operating expenses.”
About Advoco
Advoco Inc. is a global consulting firm dedicated to maximizing the value of business processes by enabling clients to generate real-time, accurate data on operational performance across the enterprise and improve integration among systems. The San Francisco-based company was founded in 2001 and has additional offices in Greenville, SC, and Dubai United Arab Emirates. www.advocoinc.com
