The CNA Supply Chain Operational Engagement (CNA SCOPE™) Method

In an era of increasing urbanization, automation, on-demand delivery, unpredictable weather, and capable nation-state adversaries, large urban areas are more vulnerable than ever to supply chain disruptions for lifeline commodities that can turn a disaster into a catastrophe. Recognizing that 1) public sector relief channels cannot match the scale of need for lifeline commodities in large, concentrated populations, 2) no one entity has a complete picture of commodity flow, and 3) actions taken by the public sector can both alleviate and exacerbate bottlenecks, CNA has developed a methodology to characterize lifeline commodity networks to inform both public and private sector decision-makers. The critical elements to this method are a focus on commodity flow, a view that encompasses the whole “ecosystem” of nodes, links, players, and interdependencies involved in that flow, and targeted assessment to meet the lifeline commodity needs of a dense, urban population.