PM PBUSE Newsletters

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View 27 Mar 09 edition (must have AKO account to access)

View 10 Apr 09 edition (must have AKO account to access)

When To Use PBUSE to Field and When Not To Use PBUSE

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Today, I want to discuss the flowchart and note page that we devised and will publish in our next PBUSE guide. The flowchart was designed to aid the PM in determining if an item needs to be fielded using PBUSE.

The PM is really held to the property accountability requirements that the gaining PBO is held to. If the PBO is required to account for an item, then it naturally follows that the PM must field that item using PBUSE. The policy the PBO must follow is found in AR 710-2, paragraph 2-5. What we don’t want is for the PBO to make the decision of whether an item must be fielded using PBUSE. We want the PM to have approved guidelines. Should the PBO decide to account for items fielded by the PM that do not qualify for PBUSE fielding, then the PBO will add these items to their property book after the fielding. The PM will not be the one that adds the item to PBUSE for the PBO if the item does not qualify for PBUSE fielding per this flowchart. We plan on getting approval from the Army G4 on these decision points with the result possibly being a change in established policy or procedures.

To read the chart, begin at the START connector following the arrows to each decision point, answer the questions with a “Yes” or “No”, and following the arrows until you get to an END connector. In this particular flow chart, if all the answers are no to the decision points on the left, then the item does not have to fielded using PBUSE. If any of the decisions are Yes, then follow the “1” connector to two more decision points which could lead to the item fielded using PBUSE or not fielded using PBUSE.

The first decision point asks the question “Is the item listed in SB 700-20?”. The SB 700-20 is a supply bulletin cataloging supplies and equipment of Army adopted reportable items. If an item is in SB 700-20 it means that the item has a Line Item Number (LIN) assigned and that the item is nonexpendable. LINs are only assigned to nonexpendable items. Following the chart then, if the item is in SB 700-20, the answer is yes and the arrow takes you to the “GOTO 1” connector and unto the links under the “1” connector on the right. We will follow the “1” sequence after we go through the rest of the flowchart on the left.

The next decision point asks “Is the item similar or a substitute for one listed in SB 700-20?” As we just stated, if an item is in SB 700-20, it is nonexpendable. If the item you have to field is similar to any items in the SB 700-20 or is a substitute for an item in SB 700-20, then the item is nonexpendable. That is because an item that is similar or a substitute for an item in the SB 700-20 is required to be accounted for by the PBO per AR 710-2, paragraph 2-5 subparagraphs a15 and a20.

The next decision point asks the question “Is the item authorized by an Army G3 document (MTOE, TDA, ONS)?” Again, we have to go back to the AR 710-2 paragraph 2-5 requirements that the PBO is held to, this time to subparagraph a1. Subparagraph a1 only identifies MTOE, TDA, or JTA authorization; ONS is not addressed. An item being authorized by an ONS does not automatically make it nonexpendable. We will filter out what ONS items are required to be on PBUSE and which ones are not in the flowchart on the right.

If the item NSN has been assigned an Accounting Requirements Code of “N” in the FEDLOG, then the item needs to be fielded using PBUSE, even if it is a component of the end item. The definitions of the three values of the ARC are found on the notes page of the flowchart (second page).

Is the item a non-consumable Class II or Class VII item? The note page, note 1, lists the ten classes of supply. Only nonexpendable Class II and Class VII items are accounted for on a unit property book. There are Class IV and Class VIII that also are placed unto a property book but they are a very small percentage. Most unit property books have no Class IV and very little Class VIII. The Class VIII they do have are MTOE items.

Is the item controlled? Note 2 defines what a controlled item is. Items that meet these criteria are nonexpendable, no matter the cost. There are exceptions to this and one of those are items that are not coded as ARC “N”. We filter out those exceptions on the decision column on the right. So don’t worry about those exceptions right now.

We are down to the final decision point, at least on the left hand side. Does the item cost $5,000 or more? This $5,000 limit is based upon guidance issued in DODI 5000.64, paragraph 6.2. This is the last and final determination. If for any reason any of the decision points above it are answered with a yes, you will never get to this point. But, if you do get to this point and can answer no, you are not required to field the equipment using PBUSE.

If however, you answered any of the questions on the left as yes, you are now required to go through the two decision points on the right.

The first asks if the item is going to be accounted for by the gaining command using PBUSE. The answer is no if SARSS, SAMS-E, CCSS, DPAS, or any other system is going to be used by the gaining command to account for this item. That is because no other system used by the gaining command but PBUSE will allow you to do a lateral transfer. And if you can’t do a PBUSE lateral transfer, there is no reason for you to use PBUSE to issue the item. Remember, we are using PBUSE to leverage our capability of ensuring that the gaining command accounts for fielded items. We do this through the management of the lateral transfers. If there is no lateral transfer to monitor, there is no reason to use PBUSE to field the item. If another system is to be used by the gaining command, the procedures in DA Pam 700-142 will be followed. There may be cases where you are issuing some items to a unit using PBUSE as well as others not using PBUSE. A good example of this would be a combat vehicle. The vehicles and all auxiliary equipment are issued to a unit are done so using PBUSE. But the vehicles that are being issued as floats, will not be. That is because floats are managed as ASL and therefore are accounted for using SARSS. There is not a PBUSE to SARSS transfer, so the floats are not fielded using PBUSE. If an item is Class IX, then the item is maintained in the maintenance systems. Central Issue Facility equipment is accounted for using CIF ISM. Again, there is no lateral transfer to the maintenance or CIF systems, and therefore, you cannot field them using PBUSE.

The last decision asks if the property is going to remain PM equipment. There are times when the PM is “temporarily” fielding an item and once the gaining command is through with it, then it goes back to the PM. Since the item is not permanently being issued, this PM asset is never added to PBUSE and laterally transferred. We are not using PBUSE to account for PM equipment; that is done through other means. Only equipment being permanently fielded need to be added to PBUSE. If the gaining unit wishes to add these PM assets to their property book for some reason, they are the ones that add them. They are not to be transferred by the PM using PBUSE.

I have gone over all of these decision points, over and over again. I don’t believe that I have missed any. However, if a situation comes up where you have an item that you believe should be fielded using PBUSE and it is not identified as such in any of the nine decision points, please email me at leslie.carroll@us.army.mil.

Thanks for your time.