For Procurement VPs, Cost Engineers, Platform Integrators & Operating Teams
Sole-source and sub-tier suppliers routinely hide behind qualification moats and outdated raw-material surcharges to inflate renewal quotes. We decompose your priority hardware into raw alloy indices, machining cycle times, special-process steps and tariff pass-throughs so your buyers negotiate from hard cost evidence without switching qualified vendors.
Typical gap exposed between sole-source renewal quotes and bottom-up cost models
Renegotiate commercial terms with your incumbent qualified vendor first
Expose when two competing Tier-1 bidders rely on the exact same upstream forge
Fact packs delivered in time for contract renewal or repricing windows
Should-Cost & Readiness Audit Scope
Tell us the component category, sub-assembly family or renewal deadline you are preparing for.
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Can be scoped from HS codes, part families or public specifications first. Mutual NDA available for BOMs and vendor quotes.
Prefer direct email or a mutual NDA first? Email hello@15rock.com
The outcomes we enable
We do not sell generic industry overviews or software seats. Every engagement delivers the verified evidence, cost models and company shortlists needed to execute.
Outcome 01 · Margin Recovery
Replacing a certified defence supplier can take 18 months of engineering sign-offs. Instead, we give your buyers a bottom-up parametric cost model showing where mill indices fell while vendor quotes stayed elevated.
Delivered artifact
Editable Excel should-cost model per SKU with alloy, labour, scrap and overhead drivers.
Outcome 02 · Readiness Protection
Two approved Tier-1 suppliers often buy castings, forgings or sterile electronics from the same congested Tier-3 shop. We trace upstream dependencies so you can secure capacity before delivery penalties hit.
Delivered artifact
Multi-tier dependency map flagging shared upstream chokepoints and lead-time risks.
Outcome 03 · Dual-Source Optionality
Walk into sole-source negotiations with a screened shortlist of alternative shops that already hold the required aerospace, defence or heavy-industrial certifications for that exact process family.
Delivered artifact
Screened alternative supplier matrix with documented certifications and open validation items.
Quantify the impact & inspect a sample
Adjust the slider below to model an illustrative scenario for your mandate, then inspect a sample table from the unlocked Excel workbook.
Interactive Outcome Value Model · Illustrative
Illustrative model: estimate addressable quote variance across a priority hardware or sub-assembly spend cohort.
Modeled annual supplier quote variance to negotiate
$13M
Engineering recertification delay required for commercial repricing
0 months (incumbent renegotiation fact pack)
Illustrative calculation using a 16% modeled variance benchmark across specialized machining, casting and actuation categories. Actual savings depend on contract structure and negotiation.
| Production stage | Modeled cost share% of unit cost | Quote vs. modelVariance to test | Upstream supply depth | Negotiation & readiness action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 · Final assembly & pressure test | 24% | +19% above model | 4 qualified integrators | Challenge assembly burden rate and pass-through markup |
| Stage 2 · 5-axis CNC housing machining | 31% | +4% above model | 9 regional certified shops | Within normal tolerance; benchmark setup amortization |
| Stage 3 · Specialty alloy closed-die forging | 29% | +18% surcharge | Chokepoint · 2 domestic forges | Both Tier-1 vendors share one forge; reserve slot capacity |
| Stage 4 · Nickel-chromium bar & melt index | 16% | -11% mill index drop | Allied mill index | Remove expired raw-material surcharge at renewal |
| Fictional assembly and figures. Demonstrates how parametric cost modelling separates raw-material movements from supplier margin expansion. | ||||
How the engagement works
01Your procurement team + 15Rock
Select the priority 25 to 50 hardware SKUs, sub-assemblies or sole-source renewal contracts to audit.
02AI research agents
Trace upstream alloy indices, customs shipments, special-process certifications and sub-tier supplier links.
0315Rock analysts
Build the bottom-up parametric cost stack for each SKU and flag shared Tier-2/3 capacity bottlenecks.
04Your buyers & cost engineers
Take the unlocked Excel cost models and negotiation fact packs into vendor repricing talks.
Should-Cost & Readiness Audit Scope
Tell us the component category, sub-assembly family or renewal deadline you are preparing for.
Loading inquiry form…
Can be scoped from HS codes, part families or public specifications first. Mutual NDA available for BOMs and vendor quotes.
Prefer direct email or a mutual NDA first? Email hello@15rock.com
How to start
We can provide regular research updates after the first project.
No. The primary use of a should-cost fact pack is to renegotiate commercial pricing and remove outdated material or energy surcharges with your existing, already-qualified supplier.
No. We can scope the engagement from part categories, material grades and approximate weight/tolerance envelopes, then review detailed drawings or quotes under a mutual NDA.
We triangulate sub-tier links using customs and bill-of-lading records, special-process certification registries, environmental permits and regional capability scans, clearly labelling confirmed versus candidate links.
A focused component category or renewal cohort is typically scoped in a 15-minute call and delivered within a two-to-three-week sprint.
Other defence outcome programs
01 · Capital & Credit Underwriting
03 · Offset & Tender Capture
04 · Pre-LOI Diligence & Roll-Ups
05 · Commercial-to-Defence Entry
Discuss your defence scope
Request a scoped BOM should-cost and sub-tier bottleneck audit before locking in multi-year supplier pricing.