Protecting the Public From Supply Chain “Evils”

Mitigating risks and attacking vulnerabilities.

Protecting the Public From Supply Chain “Evils”

Traditionally, government agencies and private sector companies have recognized the need to make their supply chains more resilient. This increased resiliency helps prevent the risk of disruptions caused by unfortunate events, such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks. The aim of resilience is the continuity and effectiveness of a supply chain under adverse conditions.

More recently, government organizations have begun to understand the challenges presented by two very different supply chain scenarios. In both cases, the government aims to protect the public from adverse impacts (“evils”) created by or in a supply chain. The first case involves the illicit use of supply chains. By attacking these supply chains, the government can slow or stop the movement of illicit goods, such as drugs or weapons. The second case involves the introduction of contaminants—accidentally or deliberately—into otherwise beneficial supply chains. Examples include food-borne disease, lead, and cyber threats. To protect the public in the second case, the government must quickly identify and stop the source of the contaminant while simultaneously tracing the path of contaminated products to prevent further harm to the public.

Booz Allen Hamilton works with clients to address all three of these issues—building more resilient supply chains to withstand disruptions, disrupting harmful or dangerous supply chains, and protecting against harmful contamination entering supply chains. This paper provides an overview of client challenges and how our capabilities can help organizations achieve the mission of protecting the public from supply chain evils.

Booz Allen's Joe Martha and Ray Haeme are the authors of "Protecting the Public From Supply Chain “Evils” — Mitigating Risks and Attacking Vulnerabilities."

study posted November 24, 2009