Purchases of weapons systems and other goods and services now account for the majority of U.S. Army expenditures. This means the Army's ability to get the most out of its budget will depend on how well it manages its suppliers. This document examines current supplier relationship management (SRM) practices in the Army, identifies SRM best practices the Army may wish to consider, and focuses on how the Army can gain better performance and reduce total costs by improving its management of and partnering with large defense suppliers. .

Preface -- Summary -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- SRM best practices -- SRM stages at AMC -- Critical success factors at AMC -- Conclusions and recommendations -- Appendix A: Interview protocol and summary of responses -- Appendix B: a detailed description of Krause and Handfield's supplier development model -- Appendix C: blank PPIRS form -- Appendix D: organizational impediments to SRM.