Arkansas Manufacturing Supply Chain Cohort

Solve real supply chain problems in a hands‑on, six‑month cohort built for Arkansas manufacturers to reduce risk, improve flow, and boost RO
About this Event

Arkansas Manufacturing Supply Chain Cohort

Strengthening Resilience • Reducing Risk • Building Capability

Program Overview

The Arkansas Manufacturing Supply Chain Cohort is a six‑month, interactive improvement cohort designed for Arkansas manufacturers who want to solve real supply‑chain problems, reduce risk, diversify suppliers, improve flow, and strengthen operational decision‑making.

This is not traditional training. Participants complete the Supply Chain Assessment before the cohort begins, identify one real supply‑chain problem, arrive ready to discuss it, run experiments, collaborate with peers, and leave with a documented ROI solution ready for implementation.

Program Outcomes

Participants leave with:

• A completed or pilot‑ready solution to the specific problem they brought
• A documented ROI case demonstrating measurable value
• A repeatable improvement method for future problems
• A life‑long community of Arkansas supply‑chain peers

Who Should Attend

Leaders who manage daily operations, material flow, logistics, and supply‑chain execution — and who can implement change:

• Operations Managers
• Supply Chain Managers
• Procurement & Purchasing Leads
• Schedulers & Planners
• CI / Operations Supervisors
• Transportation & Shipping Coordinators
• Warehouse & Materials Managers

These roles directly feel the impact of supplier delays, inventory imbalance, material flow issues, logistics constraints, and shipping bottlenecks — making them ideal participants for a problem‑first, experiment‑driven cohort.

Cohort Launch

First Meeting: September 17, 2026

Location: ACOM – 1 Commerce Way, Little Rock, AR

Time: 9:00 am–12:00 pm (lunch provided)

Cohort Size: 6–20 participants

Cadence: Meets once per month for six months (3‑hour sessions)

Pre‑Cohort Requirements

Participants complete two steps before the first meeting:

1. Supply Chain Assessment: Provides a baseline view of vulnerabilities, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
2. Problem/Project Selection: Each company selects one real supply‑chain problem to bring into the cohort and arrives ready to discuss it on Day 1.

This ensures the cohort begins with clarity, focus, and immediate momentum.

Pricing & Funding

Program Cost

$4,500 per participant

OSD Training Grant – 50% Tuition Reimbursement

Eligible Arkansas manufacturers can receive 50% off through the Office of Skills Development (OSD) Training Grant, reducing cost to:

$2,250 per participant after OSD reimbursement

AMS will assist companies with the OSD application process.

Company Minimum

Minimum of 2 participants per company Two participants ensure shared ownership, cross‑functional alignment, faster implementation, and project continuity.

What Makes This Cohort Different

• Interactive, hands‑on cohort — not classroom training
• Problem‑first approach: bring one real supply‑chain challenge
• Supply Chain Assessment completed before launch
• Monthly peer meetings with accountability and shared learning
• Run experiments between sessions using SMAIC
• Apply Six Sigma tools directly to your operations
• Leave with a documented ROI solution
• Join a life‑long community of Arkansas supply‑chain peers

Program Structure

Monthly Cohort Meetings (6 total)

Each 3‑hour session includes:

• Peer collaboration
• Guided problem solving
• Experiment planning
• Progress reviews
• SMAIC phase advancement
• Optional virtual attendance

Between Sessions

Participants conduct experiments using the SMAIC cycle: Select → Measure → Analyze → Improve → Control

Included Support

6 Hours of AMS Coaching (Project / Solution Based)

AMS coaching is fully centered on the participant’s chosen problem and the solution they are building. Coaching focuses on:

• Clarifying the problem and scope
• Collecting and interpreting operational data
• Designing and running improvement experiments
• Evaluating results and ROI
• Building the final solution package
• Preparing sustainment and leadership communication

This is not generic training — it is direct support for the specific problem each company brings.

6 Hours of Steering Execution Meetings (STECO)

A leadership alignment session designed to eliminate barriers that participants cannot remove alone.

Who attends:

• Cohort participants
• Plant manager / operations leader
• Procurement lead
• Key internal stakeholders
• AMS facilitator

Purpose:

• KPI visibility (lead time, OTD, inventory turns, stockouts, supplier risk)
• Clear priority setting
• Accelerated decision‑making
• Leadership alignment
• Sustainment planning

STECO ensures projects move forward — not stall.

Plant Tours

Participants visit 2–3 Arkansas manufacturing facilities to:

• Observe real supply‑chain systems
• Learn from peer successes and failures
• Build a statewide network
• Gain practical insights impossible in classroom settings

Methodology: SMAIC + Six Sigma Tools

The cohort uses the SMAIC Six Sigma methodology, adapted for supply‑chain execution:

• Select — Define the supply‑chain problem
• Measure — Gather data on suppliers, inventory, lead times
• Analyze — Identify root causes
• Improve — Implement targeted experiments
• Control — Build sustainment systems

Tools include supplier risk mapping, inventory modeling, lead‑time analysis, process mapping, root‑cause analysis, and control plans.