Securing and managing Australia’s PPE supply chain

Freighter airplane being loaded with cargo.

In early March 2020, Vaxa Analytics and Vaxa Bureau were contracted by Aspen Medical to provide procurement and logistics advisory support to fulfil their obligations in restocking the National Medical Stockpile with vital Medical PPE.

The mission was clear – to secure supply chains and facilitate the procurement and safe passage of vital medical PPE offshore to Australia in a very short timeframe.

Upon receiving an initial briefing, including an overview of the extent of existing systems, tools and processes, the task and context of the requirement changed rapidly, requiring additional skill sets and personnel, namely data analysis and software design to support the effort.

Our compact, nimble team of data analysts, software developers, procurement, supply chain and logistics personnel worked closely with the Aspen team to develop a robust plan which included the need to build bespoke software to manage the entire process, ensuring goods were Delivered In Full and On Time.

We undertook tasks including modelling, logistics management, contract negotiations, data analysis and management reporting, supplier vetting, supplier management, facilitation of quality control mechanisms, communications to the Commonwealth and more.

Underpinning the overall success of the program were Vaxa Analytics’s data and software capabilities. Our team of specialists evaluated and strategised the software and data required to support project outcomes.

We built a bespoke ERP system to manage and report on logistics and business intelligence to enhance data capture capability which enabled the executive team to make accurate and informed decisions. The system need was analysed, developed, tested and deployed in less than two days to meet ambitious targets set by the Government, and was a vital component in managing the successful program.

The system managed the collection and stewardship of data and, via integration, fed live reporting through to the preferred reporting suite.

In doing so, the program enabled the management of critical components including manufacturing timelines, essential compliance certifications and quality programs, and freight management components to allow for efficient load mastering, air charters, contract management, and delivery of goods into the NMSP across hundreds of stock movements by ground, sea and air from dozens of suppliers. It also served a historical record, demonstrating value-for-money delivered for the National Medical Stockpile.

The outcome

Whilst other governments and commercial organisations were facing challenges to analyse and deliver their critical goods, working in conjunction with the various actors in the program, we delivered all items in full and on time, providing the Commonwealth with confidence in the systems to procure further items through this supply chain.

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