FAST - A Computer Network Broker for Standard Electronic Parts _A_d_d_r_e_s_s: The FAST Project - USC/ISI P.O. Box 10907 Marina del Rey, CA 90295-8831 _E-_m_a_i_l: FAST@ISI.EDU _P_h_o_n_e: (310) 822-1511 FAX: (310) 823-1482 _D_e_s_c_r_i_p_t_i_o_n FAST is a prototype, automated broker for standard, off- the-shelf items. Electronic and optical parts and com- ponents and laboratory and test equipment are readily pur- chased through the FAST service. FAST is ONEstop shopping. It is a complete value-added ser- vice that handles quoting, ordering, expediting and returns. One purchase order with FAST allows customers to acquire items easily and quickly from a very large vendor base. The FAST broker currently serves more than 100 university, commercial and government customers. As of June 1992, it had acquired items from over 1,500 suppliers. FAST's customers request quotes and place orders from FAST via EDI (Electronic Data Interchange - standard email or EDI X12). FAST sources (often in a fully automated fashion) incoming rfqs and redistributes them to vendors who carry the requested items. FAST communicates with its vendors using EDI (standard email or EDI X12) or fax. All vendor responses are collected by FAST and sent back to the customers via EDI. The customers pick the best quote/item and place the order from FAST via EDI. FAST sends EDI orders for the items to the vendors. The vendors invoice FAST and customers reimburse FAST. _________________________ The information in this section is provided in accor- dance with the copyright notice appearing at the front of this guide. July 17, 1992 NNSC Section M.7, Page 1 FAST also offers a one-step quote-and-order option, where the customer specifies what selection criteria FAST should use when evaluating incoming vendor quotes. The "best" quote is then automatically turned into an order by FAST. Customers are charged an 8% service fee (8% of the cost of the merchandise acquired through FAST) for the service. _N_e_t_w_o_r_k _A_c_c_e_s_s FAST can be accessed via email over the Internet (FAST@ISI.EDU) or via EDI X12 over any commercial VAN (Value Added Network). _W_h_o _C_a_n _U_s_e _F_A_S_T The service is open to anybody who can establish a blanket purchase order with FAST. Under certain circumstances FAST requires the blanket purchase order to be accompanied by prepayment. Please send a message to FAST@ISI.EDU contain- ing the lines REQUEST: INFORMATION TOPIC: INTRODUCTION REQUEST: END for further information about how to use the service and on how to establish a FAST account. _M_i_s_c_e_l_l_a_n_e_o_u_s For further information about FAST, please contact: Anna-Lena Neches or Robert Wormuth The FAST Project - USC/ISI P.O. Box 10907 Marina del Rey, CA 90292-8831 Phone: (310) 822-1511 Email: FAST@ISI.EDU, ALNeches@ISI.EDU, Wormuth@ISI.EDU July 17, 1992 NNSC Section M.7, Page 2