Transforming Global Inventory Management for Marine Corps Secondary Repairables
Introduction
Aminad partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps to reimagine the Secondary Repairables (SECREP) supply chain, improving how critical weapon-system subassemblies valued at nearly $800M are managed, repaired, and delivered across the enterprise. The goal of the effort was to strengthen readiness, improve supply availability, and lower the cost of carrying and managing inventory. Improving the SECREP supply chain directly affects Marine Corps readiness, with an estimated jump from a 40% to an 85% SECREP fill rate resulting in greater weapon system uptime. In addition, centralizing inventory ownership reduces enterprise-wide safety stock and can reduce SECREP storage and sustainment costs by ~$6M annually.
Figure 1.—A graphical representation of the SECREP supply chain
At the same time, the organization was carrying the burden of outdated processes, a new ERP environment, and fragmented inventory ownership across wholesale and retail operations. This created duplicated effort, excess safety stock, longer repair cycles, and limited visibility into where inventory should be positioned to best support the fleet.
Figure 2.—The Marine Corps SECREP fill rate had a two-year average of less than 48% and a quarterly low of less than 25%
Approach Aminad worked with the Logistics Command and the Supply Chain Management Center (SCMC) to redesign the SECREP operating model from the ground up. The team focused on three interconnected levers: organizational development to align wholesale and retail functions and build workforce capability, process optimization to improve planning and repair lead-time tracking, and inventory ownership redesign to support a centralized model validated through a virtual pilot. On the organizational side, Aminad helped integrate the wholesale and retail SECREP functions and align staff around supply chain capabilities such as attainment and channel management, rather than by inventory segment. It also introduced workforce tools and a development program to strengthen day-to-day performance and support the rollout of a new ERP system.
Figure 3.— Under the Marine Corps model, LOGCOM owned wholesale SECREPs, while each RIP owned its own inventory
On the process side, Aminad improved planning, attainment, and backorder management by adding automated tracking for commercial repair administrative lead time in addition to repair cycle time, which gave SCMC a more accurate view of total repair lead time. On the inventory side, Aminad helped build the case for centralized inventory ownership and design a virtual pilot to test the model under real-world conditions. This model replaced the decentralized structure which at times let inventory needed by one site sitting unused at another rather than cross-leveling/sharing needed inventory. The approach was intentionally practical and implementation-oriented. Rather than simply documenting gaps, Aminad helped the Marine Corps move toward a more disciplined supply chain structure. This structure enabled SCMC to better match inventory placement, repair activity, and demand signals to operational need.Aminad’s Unique Value to the Marine Corps
Rigorous fact base creates case and momentum for enterprise change
Integration of process changes and IT transformation creates lasting impact
Close collaboration front-line workforce increases performance through skills development
Impact
The transformation established a clear path toward the Department of Defense’s 85% fill-rate target and improved readiness by increasing the likelihood that mission-critical parts being available when and where units need them.
It also set the foundation for a projected 3x increase in inventory turns and an estimated $6M in annual savings through lower storage, procurement, and repair costs associated with a reduced inventory footprint.
