What Is Product Support Data Management (PSDM) — and Why It Matters to the U.S. DoD

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is entering a new era of digital sustainment. Digital engineering, digital twins, model‑based systems engineering (MBSE), and AI‑enabled analytics are rapidly changing how weapon systems are designed and maintained.

Yet one critical piece of the lifecycle is still holding many programs back: Product support data.

Maintenance planning, provisioning, spare parts forecasting, and sustainment decisions all depend on structured logistics data. Unfortunately, that data is often:

• Stored in disconnected spreadsheets

• Generated too late in the lifecycle

• Poorly aligned with engineering designs

• Difficult to trace or reuse

This is where Product Support Data Management (PSDM) comes in.

PSDM is the discipline—and increasingly the platform capability—that allows the DoD to treat logistics product data as a first‑class digital asset, integrated directly with engineering definitions and operational systems.

In this article, we will explain:

• What PSDM is

• Why it matters across the DoD

• How standards like GEIA‑STD‑0007 enable it

• How the U.S. Department of Defense can using PLM platforms like Teamcenter to operationalize PSDM

• And why PSDM is foundational to the future of digital sustainment

What Is Product Support Data Management (PSDM)?

Product Support Data Management (PSDM) is the structured, governed, and traceable management of logistics product data across the lifecycle of a system.

It focuses on the data that answers questions like:

• What parts does this system require to be supported?

• How often do those parts fail?

• What maintenance actions are required?

• What support equipment, manpower, and spares are needed?

• How does this data change as the system evolves?

PSDM is not just a database.

It is:

• A data architecture

• A governance framework

• A digital thread that connects engineering, sustainment, and operations

At its core, PSDM manages the data produced by Product Support Analysis (PSA)—the modern evolution of Logistics Support Analysis (LSA). It is incredibly valuable data, but is currently underutilized, disconnected from other product data, and stored in its own data silo.

Why PSDM Matters to the DoD

Every DoD weapon system lives far longer in sustainment than in development. For aircraft, ships, and ground systems, 70–80% of lifecycle cost occurs after fielding.

Yet programs tend to still treat product support data as:

• A contractual deliverable

• A compliance artifact

• A static handoff at IOC

Instead of a living, operational data set.

This creates real problems:

• Poor sparing forecasts

• Obsolete parts with no digital traceability

• Maintenance plans that no longer match the configuration

• Long cycle times to assess changes

• Manual re‑work between systems

The result is lower readiness, higher cost, and slower modernization.

PSDM fixes this by making logistics data part of the digital backbone of the program.

The Role of GEIA‑STD‑0007

To manage product support data at scale, you must standardize it.

That is the role of GEIA‑STD‑0007: Logistics Product Data.

This standard defines:

• A common data model for logistics product data

• Relationships between systems, parts, maintenance tasks, and support resources

• A machine‑readable structure (XML) that can be exchanged between tools

GEIA‑STD‑0007 replaced the legacy MIL‑STD‑1388‑2B LSAR and modernized it for the digital era.

Instead of flat tables, it provides a relational, object‑based schema that supports:

• Configuration traceability

• Versioning

• Automation

• Interoperability

In practical terms, GEIA‑STD‑0007 defines how the DoD should digitally represent:

• LCN structures

• Part breakdowns

• SMR codes

• Maintenance tasks

• Support equipment

• Manpower requirements

• Failure modes

• Provisioning data

Without this structure, PSDM cannot scale.

Why Policy Now Demands PSDM

PSDM is no longer optional.

Across the DoD—and especially within the U.S. Air Force—policy is pushing logistics data into the same digital ecosystem as engineering.

Key drivers include:

• DoDI 5000.91 – Requires integrated product support planning and data management

• AFI 63‑101 / 20‑101 – Mandates digital lifecycle management in the Air Force

• AFI 23‑101 – Governs materiel and provisioning processes in the Air Force

• AFMCMAN 20‑106 – Directs how provisioning and product support data is generated in the Air Force

Together, these policies require programs to:

• Digitally manage product support data

• Ensure traceability to the technical baseline

• Enable reuse across sustainment systems

• Support analytics and decision‑making

PSDM is the operational response to those requirements, and is the solution that can enable a powerful integration between the product engineering definition and the logistics analysis needed to sustain it.

What DoD and Air Force Policy Requires GEIA‑STD‑0007 Logistics Product Data?

GEIA‑STD‑0007 is not just a “best practice” standard—it is the de facto logistics product data model required across DoD acquisition and sustainment through a chain of policy, guidance, and contractual data requirements.

While no single DoD Instruction says “you must use GEIA‑STD‑0007,” multiple binding policies require standardized, digital, and exchangeable logistics product data—and GEIA‑STD‑0007 is the only DoD‑recognized standard that fulfills those requirements.

Here’s how the mandate works.

1. DoDI 5000.91 – Product Support Management

DoDI 5000.91 requires that programs:

• Develop and maintain product support strategies

• Digitally manage sustainment data

• Enable life‑cycle configuration traceability

• Support data reuse across the lifecycle

It explicitly requires that product support data:

“Be structured, traceable, and managed in a manner that enables life cycle analysis, sustainment planning, and operational readiness.”

GEIA‑STD‑0007 is the only DoD‑recognized standard that defines this data structure.

2. DoDI 5000.85 – Major Capability Acquisition

This instruction requires:

• Digital engineering

• Model‑based analysis

• Data-driven decision support

It further requires that sustainment data be:

• Digitally managed

• Linked to the system baseline

• Structured for reuse and analytics

GEIA‑STD‑0007 provides the data model that allows logistics data to exist in a digital engineering ecosystem.

3. AFI 63‑101 / 20‑101 – Integrated Life Cycle Management

This Air Force instruction mandates that:

• Programs implement digital lifecycle data strategies

• Sustainment planning data must be traceable to configuration

• Logistics data must support readiness analytics

The only logistics data structure that supports this level of traceability is GEIA‑STD‑0007.

4. AFI 23‑101 – Materiel Management

AFI 23‑101 governs provisioning and materiel management in the Air Force and requires:

• Standardized product support data

• Digital provisioning records

• Configuration‑controlled parts data

The Air Force provisioning community uses GEIA‑STD‑0007 data structures as the authoritative source for provisioning and SMR codes.

5. AFMCMAN 20‑106 – Provisioning Planning and Implementation

This manual explicitly requires:

• Structured provisioning and maintenance data

• Machine‑readable deliverables

• Traceability to the technical baseline

The Air Force provisioning community implements this through GEIA‑STD‑0007‑compliant data sets.

This policy is consistent and there is an accepted standard for creating this structured data. That is huge and a great advantage that can be leveraged for even more benefit in this age of digital engineering, digital sustainment and the emergence of artificial intelligence.

Where PSDM Lives: The Role of PLM

In the past, product support data lived in:

• Standalone provisioning tools

• Depot spreadsheets

• Contractor databases

Today, PSDM is moving into Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems. For the U.S. Air Force, that system is increasingly Teamcenter.

Teamcenter acts as the digital backbone connecting:

• Engineering BOMs

• Manufacturing structures

• Configuration baselines

• Technical publications

• and soon, service records (with Service Lifecycle Management)

When PSDM is implemented in PLM:

• Logistics data is no longer isolated

• It is linked directly to the digital definition of the system

• Changes propagate across the lifecycle

This is what enables a true digital thread for sustainment. Read that again. A true digital thread for sustainment.

Teamcenter Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) + PSDM

Teamcenter’s Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) module extends PLM into sustainment.

When combined with PSDM capabilities, it allows programs to:

• Import GEIA‑STD‑0007 logistics data

• Map it to Service BOMs

• Associate it with serialized assets

• Track configuration and maintenance history

• Support maintenance planning and analytics

In other words: It connects what the system is to how it is supported. This is a major shift from static LSARs to living logistics models.

How the U.S. Air Force Could Use PSDM, as an Example

Across multiple Air Force programs (including aircraft and ISR platforms), Teamcenter is now the system of record for:

• Engineering configuration

• Digital manufacturing

• Service planning

• Sustainment baselines

By integrating GEIA‑STD‑0007 data into Teamcenter using the Service Lifecycle Management module:

• Provisioning data becomes part of the configuration

• LCNs map to real part numbers

• Maintenance tasks link to real hardware

• Changes to design trigger supportability analysis

This closes the gap between: Design → Support → Operations

The Challenges Programs Face

PSDM is powerful—but not simple. Common challenges include:

• Incomplete provisioning data

• Inconsistent part identifiers

• Poor configuration discipline

• XML schema errors

• Manual mapping between systems

Most programs discover that:

Their biggest problem is not tools—it is data readiness.

PSDM exposes weaknesses that already exist.

Why PSDM Is the Foundation for Digital Sustainment

Digital twins, AI maintenance, predictive logistics, and readiness analytics all depend on structured product support data.

Without PSDM:

• Your digital twin is blind to sustainment

• Your analytics are disconnected from configuration

• Your readiness forecasts are guesses

With PSDM:

• You can simulate sustainment impacts

• Predict spare demand

• Optimize maintenance intervals

• Identify failure drivers

PSDM is not just compliance—it is a strategic advantage. A true digital thread for sustainment would be structured and AI ready. The technology exists right now to start implementing this functionality to integrate logistics data into digital engineering definitions. Yes, it will require time and effort, but the sooner we start, the sooner DoD can leverage this capability into increased readiness and lower costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does PSDM stand for?
Product Support Data Management.

What standard defines PSDM data?
GEIA‑STD‑0007: Logistics Product Data.

Is PSDM required by the DoD?
Yes, through acquisition, logistics, and data policy, principally DoDI 5000.91, which requires integrated product support planning and data management.

How does PSDM connect to Teamcenter?
Through the Teamcenter Service Lifecycle Management module and PSDM import/mapping capabilities in TC2512.

What’s Next in This Series

In the next post, we will break down GEIA‑STD‑0007 in detail—what data it contains, how it is structured, and how logistics analysts actually use it.

If your program is serious about digital sustainment, PSDM can take it to the next level.

Need PSDM Training? We can help.

We can provide PSDM training for Teamcenter SLM. Contact us to learn more!