Abstract: A computer-implemented method for satisfying a purchase requisition includes receiving, from each of a plurality of candidate suppliers, a corresponding plurality of bids. At least one candidate supplier includes, with its bids, an offer of a business-volume discount that is triggered when an aggregate purchase of at least one unit of a first item and at least one unit of a second item is within a defined volume interval. An optimal award schedule for satisfaction of the purchase requisition is then determined.

Abstract: A system and method for visualizing the trade-off between overall production and/or sales of a portfolio of products and a resulting aggregate contribution margin (ACM). The method includes solving an optimization model, or other suitable operation, that has an objective function that describes the ACM across a portfolio of products to determine the price, sales and production levels of the products that maximize the ACM for a particular set of constraints. The optimization model is solved for increasing aggregate sales levels for those constraints. The relationship between the aggregate sales level and the aggregate ACM is then graphed, and the optimization model is solved for different sets of constraints and increasing sales. The resulting graphs are analyzed to determine which constraints maintain sales volume while maximizing ACM, maintain ACM while maximizing sales volume, maximize ACM and maximize sales volume regardless of impact on ACM.

Abstract: A parallel flash programming system for use in motor vehicle assembly includes an input receptive of information relating to a predetermined number of processors connected to a system bus, processor flash programming attributes, and system bus attributes. An incremental flash programming times determination module is adapted, based on the information, to determine incremental flash programming times of a processor in relation to multiple interframe wait times respective of multiple parallel flash programming schema in accordance with the predetermined number of processors. A global flash programming time resolution module is adapted to determine, based on incremental flash programming times respective of multiple processors of the predetermined number, an assignment of the multiple processors to a number of parallel programming tracks yielding a global flash programming time in accordance with predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining an optimal award schedule for at least partial satisfaction of a requisition includes receiving from a buyer over a computer network, public buyer constraints representative of the requisition. These public buyer constraints are made available to prospective suppliers over the computer network. Candidate suppliers from the set of prospective suppliers then submit bids for analysis by the buyer. This is followed by the determination of an optimal award schedule for at least partial satisfaction of the buyer's requisition.