control, and process efficiency and effectiveness are identified
and are factored into reviews and measurements (step six). Before
any major change to a hunger-reducing process is implemented,
specifications and expected outcomes are reviewed by
employees, volunteer leaders, the Program/Operations Committee,
and senior leaders. The assessment and implementation of
the RICE system in 2005 is a recent example of the power of a
PIT and the PDCA Process. Before 2003, only six inventory
turns of food were completed each year, and SF had a 13 percent
spoilage and waste rate of perishable products (see Figures
7.5-8 and 7.5-11). A PIT identified a Web-based inventory control
solution called RICE that was specifically designed and
marketed for nonprofits and had a special feature for food bank
inventory management. The system was being used successfully
by fellow FBLC member Food Reservoir of the Plains, which
shared the system with SF. Since the implementation of RICE,
inventory turns have increased to ten per year and are projected
to increase to 11 per year in 2007 (see Figure 7.5-8). Because of
this, perishable spoilage has been reduced to no greater than 5
percent. The Program Director/CFO is currently working on a
process with member agencies that would allow them to use
RICE to order food directly via the Internet, which would reduce
invoice paperwork and improve fill rates.
The PDCA Process ensures that each of the hunger-reducing
processes has IP and OM performance measures (see Figure
6.1-2a), which are used to track, manage, and meet process requirements.
IP measures are tracked daily, weekly, or monthly,
and they are updated on the Daily Harvest or Monthly Harvest
dashboards (Figure 4.1-2). In addition, a number of the measures
are part of the Balanced Plate Scorecard (Figure 4.1-1), and all
measures are regularly evaluated by senior leaders. Because many
of the measures reflect the contributions of SF’s volunteers and
corporate contributors, they are posted in work areas, are included