1. What criteria would you recommend USP use in selecting its projects this year?

The criteria I would recommend USP in selecting its projects this year would be the initial cost, how much would production increase, decrease lead-time, is the project a necessity (silk screen or inkjet printer).

2. Based on your recommended criteria, what projects would you recommend USP fund this year? Are there any types of projects you would recommend USP pursue that were not proposed?

If USP would invest $700,000, I would recommend USP to pursue the purchase of inkjet printers because they have a lower initial cost, the productivity will be the same as the new silk screen printer and it is a necessity. They will also be able to add more printers if needed to increase production in the future for $23,500. The payback will be less than one year compared to the silk screen. The four-color positives project would cut lead time to the process in place. With a cost of $175,000 and reoccurring cost of $375 each job. Pursue the ISO 9000 project in order to get processes standardized and then being able to go global. Then there are still some resources to get the ink mixing procedure less specialized.

Possible projects that were not proposed could be digital printing or what new processes are being used now in the industry.

3. What, if any, additional information would you want in making your recommendations? How would you go about obtaining this information?

How important is going global to the executives at USP and the ISO 9000 project? Is there something better than inkjet printers? How big are the orders that USP receives on average? Does USP want to stay with the silk screen printing or do they want to invest in a cheaper alternative in product quality in the inkjet printer. Would the four-color positive increase the jobs that could be done in the silk screen process?

I would go to the board or to any of the executives and managers that would want to give their opinion on the importance of each of the listed projects. Putting together a quick survey through Survey Money or paper document asking the questions above and some open ended questions.