CHAPTER 7 INVENTORY MANAGEMENT The  information  contained  in  this  chapter  has general application to all ships. Except for reactor or plant  support  material  in  nuclear  powered  ships, shipboard material inventories are divided into five areas for management purposes as follows: OPERATING   SPACE   ITEMS   (OSIs). Operating space items are in the custody and under the management of the department heads. Certain  operating  space  items  which  require special  inventory  control  are  designated  as “controlled equipage.”     REPAIR PARTS. Repair parts are in the custody of the supply officer when supply department stowage  space  permits.  They  are  always  under his  management. CONSUMABLES.   Consumables   are   in   the custody   of   the   supply   officer   when   supply department  stowage  space  permits.  Stocked consumables  (i.e.,  consumable  items  “carried as  supply  department  stock)  are  managed  by  the supply officer. This is the case if the items are stored in supply or other department spaces. Nonstocked    consumables    (i.e.,    consumable items  “not  carried  as  supply  department  stock) are in the custody and under the management of other  department  heads. MAINTENANCE   ASSISTANCE   MODULES (MAMs). Maintenance assistance modules are in the custody of the supply officer. They are located  in  the  appropriate  operating  and maintenance  spaces  under  the  subcustody  of operating  or  maintienance  personnel. READY   SERVICE   SPARES   (RSSs).   Ready service spares are repair parts in the custody of the  supply  officer. They  are  located  in  the appropriate  operating  and  maintenance  spaces under  the  subcustody  of  operating/maintenance personnel. INVENTORY  MANAGEMENT AFLOAT TERMS Throughout   this   chapter   you   probably   will encounter new terms referring to inventory control. When  you  encounter  a  new  term  refer  to  the  glossary for  an  explanation. FORMS AND PUBLICATIONS The  forms  and  publications  used  in  the  inventory management  of  general  stores  in  nonautomated  ships are found m the NAVSUP P-485. These publications contain the “how to” detailed information in the area of inventory   management   for   which   each   SK   is responsible.  Each  of  the  publications  listed  will  be  used many times in the course of an SK’s ctamer. Each of the forms  is  a  tool  for  you  to  document  the  inventory process. PHYSICAL INVENTORY Physical  inventory  is  a  prerequisite  to  efficient inventory  control.  The  primary  objective  of  a  physical inventory  is  to  make  sure  that  the  balances  reflected  in stock or custody records agree with the actual physical quantities  on  hand. TYPES  OF  INVENTORY The  type  of  inventory  to  be  performed  depends  on the  type  of  material  to  be  inventoried  and  the  type  of information  needed. Bulkhead  to  Bulkhead  Inventory A bulkhead to bulkhead inventory is a physical count of all stock material aboard the ship or within a specific  storeroom.  A  bulkhead  to  bulkhead  inventory of  the  ship’s  entire  stock  of  repair  parts  is  usually performed  during  a  Supply  Operating  Assistance Program/Integrated Logistics Overhaul. A bulkhead to bulkhead  inventory  of  a  specific  storeroom  is  performed when random sampling inventory of that storeroom fails to meet an inventory accuracy rate of 90%. It is also  performed  when  directed  by  the  TYCOM  incident to  a  supply  management  assist  (SMA),  when  directed by  the  commanding  officer,  or  when  circumstances indicate that it is needed to maintain effective inventory control. 7-1