SD-5 Market ResearchThe purpose of this document is to provide DoD and other Federal personnel involved in the acquisition process with practical guidance on using market research to ensure the acquisition of products and services that will best serve the government??s needs. Specifically, this document is designed for personnel involved with establishing requirements for products or services, such as engineers, technical specialists, project officers, and customers; personnel involved with purchasing products or services, such as contracting officers, contract specialists, and cost analysts; and personnel who support the acquisition process, such as logisticians, testing and quality assurance specialists, and legal counsel.

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Appendix  A.  Types  of  Information  Available on  the  Internet

This appendix identifies some of the types of information available on the Internet. Some types are useful for strategic market research, some for tactical market research, and some for both.

Product and Service Information

The following are examples of product and service information available on the Internet:

•  Available products and services, and the companies that provide them

•  Part manufacturers

•  Salient characteristics (shape, size, performance specifications)

•  Part identification (such as the national stock number)

•  Parts that meet government specifications

•  Ordering information

•  Procurement histories with unit prices.

Product or service catalogs-or databases-from commercial suppliers are a valuable source of information. Government parts databases, although limited to items that the government has already bought, are helpful in locating items that fall within the broad definition of nondevel- opmental items-items that are available in the market and do not require additional develop- ment. Cross-referencing within product databases enables you to search for a specific part by using any known piece of information about that part. Some product databases provide the ability to cross-reference between commercial parts and similar government parts.You can also search for products or services that meet a particular set of characteristics.

Another method of locating a particular product or service is to query a Usenet site, such as those available from Usenet.com.These sites are used by individuals with similar interests that may be oriented around a particular product or service (e.g., computers). A Usenet site is simi- lar to a public bulletin board.You can read information, post information and questions, and re- spond to information and questions.You should validate information received from this type of site.

Source:  https://assist.dla.mil  --  Downloaded: 

36                                 Check  the  source  to  verify  that  this  is  the  current  version  before  use.