Instructor’s Comment to my vague problem statement: (noted in Your Topic in Section One) What is your issue or problem statement concerning the use of the Internet in the context of implementation of supply chain management? You can segment the issue or problem into technical and operational (system). Alternatively you can consider both. Nevertheless, you will have to compose an issue or problem statement. Please send me your statement and an abstract or brief outline. Criteria for paper: You must identify an issue or problem associated with Purchasing and Supply Management as the topic of your paper. Moreover, you should elaborate on your approach to mitigating or resolving this issue or problem. Length: 30 pages. No minimum number of references is required. Format: APA! Submit academic research paper in Word 2003. Please ensure paper’s title, abstract, introduction, body and conclusion reflect the topic of the paper. Please follow the guidelines in the APA manual for each section of the paper. I cannot overstress this point! Each semester I receive papers that do not conform to the APA manual and this non-conformance negatively impacts the student’s grade. Due Dates: Problem statement: 28 Oct 2008 Completed Research Paper: 3 November 2008 More information provided by instructor: For example, procurement, acquisition, and/or contracting professionals in the federal government public sector are confronted with legal, regulatory, procedural, and organization-specific policies that preclude or frustrate the reduction of the supply base for particular goods and services. Competition in Contracting Act, Truth in Negotiations Act, Economy Act, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) regulations, Government Accountability Office (GAO) rules, General Services Administration (GSA) and federal supply schedules, "full and open competition," Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) policies and procedures, minority business set-asides, small business preferences, contract bundling, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and electronic commerce, among others generally present restraints to the reduction of the supplier base. Yet the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and US Postal Service are making strides in adopting Supply Chain Management principles and practices in their operations. How do these organizations mitigate the restraints/constraints that make strategic supplier alliances possible? Private sector firms, to a greater extent, are not faced with these restraints or constraints, but they, too, must make the adjustment from legacy transaction-based procurement to current strategic purchasing. What measures are these firms taking to reduce their supplier base and how are they changing the cultural, procedural, and political traditions that delay the full implementation of Supply Chain Management? Of course, there are many other issues or problems that plague public and private sector organizations in the conduct of their procurement and logistics operations.