Material Inventory Report System

Prepared by:
AV Systems

Prepared for:
Public purchase

Application:
Financial analysis:
Environmental impact analysis: ---
Waste management/P2:
Environmental cost listing/database: ---
Cost estimation: ---
Alternative product/process comparison: ---

Environmental, materials and waste management. The primary function is compliance with different environmental regulations. The system has some fields where hidden cost information can be entered. No other cost information can be entered (other than in text portions), and users cannot modify the system to enable this. The environmental costs entered cannot be detailed. There is no feature for maintaining historical cost records. As yet, the system has no components for project management.

Elements of control:
Cost control ---
Resource control ---
Estimating control ---
Schedule control ---
Scope control ---
Risk control ---

Development date and updates:
The system was developed in 1988. Updates are provided twice a year. The current version is, version 3.31, released in April, 1995.

Public availability:
Available

Purpose and current use:
The system is intended to have cross-industry applications. It has most commonly been used by manufacturing companies (although also used in other industries).

Cost information:
The approximate price of each module (based on conversation with AV Systems representative in April 1995) is $1,500. The purchase price will vary with options chosen.

System requirements:
Designed for IBM PCs and PC networks (supports various networks, includingNovell). Concurrent user options are provided.

Software summary

Size and complexity of projects:
Not applicable; the system is not designed for project management. It is meant to manage and control regular company activities in different areas. The modular format allows companies to size the system as required.

Other compatible systems offered:
Package is modular in design with options for EPA-approved Form R, SARA Title III, Hazcom, MSDS, permit, air, water, waste, inventory, and State and local reporting. Modules can be used alone or in integrated forms.

Nonquantifiable information:
Not applicable; the system is not designed for project management. No annotation capability.

The company brings out packages that address specific areas of environmental management such as MSDS, NPDES, Permit, etc. The Material Inventory Report System (MIRS) contains all the features of the various modules offered.

The MIRS module tracks hazardous and toxic chemical information for compliance with EPA SARA Title III and includes a regulated chemical database. The MSDS modules are designed for OSHA HAZCOM compliance and allow users to enter, track, update, and archive MSDS information. The Netview module facilitates company-wide access to MSDS information. The Form R and Easy-R modules cover compliance with SARA Title III Section 313 toxic release reporting. Easy-R contains multiyear comparison reporting for pollution prevention. The VOC module tracks emissions data and air permits using several methods of VOC computation. The WASTE container and manifest module handles cradle-to-grave waste tracking. RCRA biennial and other reports can be generated using this module. Other modules include INVENTORY for chemical inventory transactions recording, PERMIT for organizing a facility's environmental permits, NPDES for Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance; and LOCAL to cover reporting variations from the EPA.

Life-cycle stages covered

Raw material acquisition ---
Manufacturing stage ---
Use/reuse/maintenance
Recycle/waste management

Life-cycle stages covered may vary by module. The waste tracking module tracks only waste materials from the point of generation to final disposal. The INVENTORY and MSDS account for chemical and hazardous material use in a facility. The raw material acquisition stage and the manufacturing of these materials are not covered. Thus, although using different chemicals is covered in a different module, the actual link between quantity of chemical usage or production and waste generation cannot be made. Users cannot simulate changes in waste quantities and costs as a result of process changes or source reduction. However, the WASTE module can link wastes to the process, chemical, or department responsible for creation. The air emissions module does function to link type and quantities of particular chemicals to VOC emissions.

Type of costs considered

Conventional ---
Potentially hidden
Contingent ---
External ---

Only the WASTE module has actual cost fields. It can include hidden costs such as manifest costs, transportation, and disposal costs. These costs can be linked back to the process or department responsible for their creation. There is a field called "other costs" where other costs can be specified. There is no function in the program to maintain historical hidden cost records as related to types and quantities of chemicals used. However, cost data could be exported to Excel or other spreadsheets and database packages, where users could develop cost trends that could be used for estimating purposes.

Also, all conventional, hidden costs, and contingent costs are not tracked and entered into the system. Capital, labor, material, and other costs associated with environmental management in a facility cannot be detailed. Thus, the full costs of using a material or product in a facility, including all these cost categories, cannot be estimated using the system.

Method of cost estimation

The system is not designed for cost estimation.

Generation of financial indicators

Net present value (NPV) ---
Payback period ---
Internal rate of return (IRR) ---
Benefits cost ratio ---
Other ---

Ability to include environmental costs

User friendliness and flexibility

The program is menu driven with an optional Windows format. Field and context-specific help is available. Since the program is built in a dBase compatible format, information in the modules can be exported to other software packages such as Excel.

User support

AV Systems offers consulting, training, and maintenance support. On-site training is also available. The maintenance support includes unlimited telephone support and program updates. Slide-show demonstration disks are provided.

Limitations

Life-cycle information entered will vary according to the type of material and compliance requirements. The system currently has fields for only limited types of costs. Dynamics outside the company such as social costs cannot be estimated or considered. There is no feature for maintaining historical cost records, as related to different activities and quantities and types of materials managed. The system cannot integrate with company accounting systems, which can result in managing these costs separately, rather than integrating them other company costs. The system is not designed for, and has no modules for, project management. Like most other waste management and tracking tools, the primary objective is to facilitate compliance, not to manage and minimize costs. However, if this area were developed, pollution prevention and other environmental initiatives would be encouraged as a result of better cost information.

Basis for evaluation:
Based on telephone communication and information received from AV Systems in March 1995. Additional information obtained from Rich (1995).

Contact information:
Commercially available

AV Systems
4657 Platt Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-9795

Karen Wilson
313-973-3000
313-677-4480 (FAX)

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