Questions and Answers-RFI 11.04.25.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 21 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 6973GH-25-R-00TBD
About this file
This document is a Questions and Answers spreadsheet for a Request for Information (RFI) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding their Supply Chain Management-Enterprise Resource Planning (SCM-ERP) Solution Support. The RFI seeks expert services to advise the FAA on industry best practices for implementing and enhancing their IFS ERP system within their supply chain context. Key insights include the FAA's current IFS ERP implementation status, with various modules partially implemented or expected to be enhanced, such as Business Intelligence, Enterprise Operational Intelligence, and Quality Management.
The FAA is open to innovative solutions including AI-driven technologies, predictive analytics, and modern training approaches like AI-driven bots and embedded performance support aids. The agency is specifically targeting vendors with direct IFS ERP experience to support their upgrade from IFS App 10 to IFS vCloud. The RFI indicates this will likely be a labor-hour contract with multiple labor categories and performance locations across the United States, including remote work. The RFI is not seeking proposals but gathering market research to inform future acquisition strategies, with responses due by November 5, 2025.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Questions and Answers-RFI 10.23.25.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Questions and Answers-RFI.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Questions and Answers-RFI.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| PWS -- CLMRS SCM-ERP Services Acqusition 2025 -- DRAFT.pdf | ||
| PWS -- IFS Services Acqusition 2025- DRAFT.pdf |
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Sheet1
| SCM-ERP Services - RFI/MS | ||
| Questions | Answers | |
| 1 | It is unclear if you'd like additonal information on the company responding (e.g. Who we are, short summary of our organziation)…. | The FAA does not want a 'company brochure' reply to the RFI. The FAA prefers vendors make their best effort in answering the questions. If there is additional company information the vendor thinks is pertinent to the scope of the RFI, you are welcome to include it, but the intention is to keep the total response in Section V within the 18-page limit while answering the questions as completely as possible. |
| 2 | In Section 1. Introduction/Purpose we are instructed to review the Draft PWS and propose appropriate Labor Categories for the requested services. It is unclear if we are to add that in addition to the items requested in section V; and if that needs to fall under the 18 page limit as well? | The 18-page limit is intended for the answers in Section V. Proposing the appropriate Labor Categories can be separate and incremental to the 18-page answers to the questions in Section V. |
| 3 | Is this an opportunity for new vendors (such as SAP) to win a replacement ERP award? Or is this related to Oracle and/or IFS related IT services? | At this time the FAA is not considering an ERP replacement but we are open to receiving information on other ERPs in the market. This specific RFI is targeted for companies that IFS ERP expertise and can the FAA with integrating it into our business processes. |
| 4 | Will the FAA conduct a Proof of Concept, pilot, or challenge session as part of any future solicitation to validate technical approaches or configurations? If so, could you share any anticipated timeframe or evaluation framework for that phase? | The FAA does not intend to conduct a "Proof of Concept, pilot, or challenge session" within the scope of this RFI and follow on acquisition process. The FAA does utilize Challenge Based Acquistion, but does not intend to do so for this acquisition. |
| 5 | Of the modules listed in Appendix A, which are fully deployed and operational versus configured but not yet in use? | The following represents the state of FAA implementation for the various modules: |
Accounting Rules - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Sustainability Management - Not Implemented. Not on Roadmap Lifecycle Management - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Document Management - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Business Intelligence - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Enterprise Operational Intelligence - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Quality Management and Assurance - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Process Models - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Configuration and Extensibility - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance
| 6 | Are additional modules such as IFS Planning and Scheduling Optimization (PSO) or Asset Performance Management (APM) under consideration for inclusion in the IFS Cloud transition? | The FAA is not implementing new functionality as part of the upgrade from IFS App 10 to IFS vCloud. Beyond completion of the IFS vCloud upgrade, the FAA expects the vendor who is awarded this contract will help assess the FAA current state of processes (such as PSO, APM, forecasting, and inventory optimization), and provide recommendations for future state ehancements. |
| 7 | Is the FAA planning to enable or evaluate AI-supported forecasting and inventory optimization features within IFS Cloud or through third-party integrations? | AI can be a powerful tool, and the FAA is open to this and other modern solutions which will further optimize FAA's Supply Chain Management and align with industry best practices. It is important to understand the FAA application before jumping to a specific solution. The FAA expects the vendor who is awarded this contract will help assess the FAA current state of processes (such as PSO, APM, forecasting, and inventory optimization), and provide recommendations for future state ehancements. |
| 8 | Will predictive analytics play a role in the next phase of supply chain modernization? | Yes. |
| 9 | Does the FAA currently use constraint-based scheduling primarily for material planning, or does it also support workforce and technician deployment, such as TechOps Airway Transportation Systems Specialists? | The FAA may integrate systems and processes for planning both materials (parts) and the deployment of technicians. |
| 10 | If this functionality is planned, how will the FAA address workforce management and labor agreement considerations during system design? | Workforce management and labor agreements may be addressed outside the scope of this RFI. |
| 11 | The PWS references integrations with Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, and multiple business intelligence cubes. Is the FAA seeking modernization support to migrate these analytics components to IFS Cloud Analytics or Power BI? | The FAA is open to modern solutions which will further optimize FAA's Supply Chain Management, and align with industry best practices. It is important to understand the details of the FAA application before jumping to a specific solution. The FAA expects the vendor who is awarded this contract will help assess the FAA current state of processes (such as analytics and business intelligence), and provide recommendations for future state ehancements. |
| 12 | Are there plans to consolidate data from external systems such as financial, maintenance, or warehouse systems into a unified analytics layer? | Finance, Maintenance, and Warehouse / Inventory Management enhancements are all within the scope of FAA plans for enhancement. The FAA is open to modern solutions which will further optimize FAA's Supply Chain Management, and align us with industry best practices. It is important to understand the details of the FAA application before determining solutions. The FAA expects the vendor who is awarded this contract will help assess the FAA current state of processes (such as finance, maintenance, and warehouse management), and provide recommendations for future state ehancements. |
| 13 | Does FAA Tech Ops currently track outages or downtime attributable to component or parts failures, and will those metrics be available for vendors to inform forecasting or Asset Performance Management recommendations? | The FAA has downtime and repair data in systems outside of the IFS ERP which could be leveraged to support a collaborative analysis within the bounds of appropriate security protocols, etc. |
| 14 | What is the Government's estimated level of effort (LOE) by labor category or total staff-years anticipated for the base year? | The level of effort may vary depending on the specific solutions and the vendor's ability to contibute to those solutions. Vendors are to gain knowledge of the FAA IFS application and build a strategy to consistently retain and apply the knowledge gained. |
| 15 | Is there an incumbent contractor currently performing any portion of this work? If so, could FAA identify the incumbenet and contract number for context? | IFS is currently fulfilling this role. |
| 16 | Will the FAA consider comparable ERP expereince (other commercial implementations with similar supply-chain and financial integration complexity) as acceptable in lieu of, or parallel to, direct IFS ERP experience when evaluating industry feedback and future capability? | The FAA may prioritize direct experience with the IFS ERP over experience with other ERP systems. Understandably, Supply Chain Management and various ERP's have common priciples and processes, but the FAA would prefer experience with the specific IFS ERP solution and industry best practices. |
| 17 | Will the FAA provide development, test, and quality-assurance environments for IFS Cloud, or should be contractor propose and price those environments? | Access to the FAA environments directly may not be permissible due to security protocols. Vendor will support the FAA in an advisory capacity. |
| 18 | What is the current FedRAMP authorization boundary for the FAA's IFS Cloud instance, and at what authorization level (e.g., Moderate or High) is it certified? | The FAA's IFS Cloud is not FedRAMP authorized. |
| 19 | Can the FAA confirm which IFS Cloud modules are currently licensed and which additional modules are planned for activation within the SCM-ERP portfolio? | The following represents the state of FAA implementation for the various modules: |
Accounting Rules - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Sustainability Management - Not Implemented. Not on Roadmap Lifecycle Management - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Document Management - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Business Intelligence - Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Enterprise Operational Intelligence - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Quality Management and Assurance - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Process Models - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance Configuration and Extensibility - Partially Implemented and FAA expects to Enhance The FAA is open to recommendations once the chosen vendor has conducted discovery and understands the FAA context and application.
| 20 | Since the PWS references "no-source-code modifications," will FAA permit configuration scripts, event triggers, or APIs as part of non-custom integrations? | The FAA will make it's own Configuration, Reports, and interface changes with the technical advice of the vendor. |
| 21 | Does FAA anticipate data clensing or migration activities as part of the IFS Cloud upgrade, or will these remain internal functions? | This portion of the IFS Cloud is already complete. |
| 22 | Is the FAA open to blended learning approaches, such as AI-driven BOTs, simulation-based "show/teach/test" modules, or microleaning, for end-user enablement instead of traditional classroom sessions? | The FAA is open to industry best practices and modern solutions. |
| 23 | Does FAA follow an established Organizational Change Management (OCM) framework (e.g., Prosci ADKAR, Kotter, or FAA-specific), or should the contractor propose its own? | The FAA is open to vendor-prooposed methodologies and industry best practices for OCM. |
| 24 | Would FAA consider embedded performance-support aids (e.g., context-sensitive help or guided workflows) as acceptable deliverables under "training enablement"? | Yes. However, the FAA should have the ability to manage these aids and also use business specific aids (current capability). |
| 25 | Is the FAA seeking innovative applications of AI or analytics within IFS Cloud to improve predictive maintenance, supply-chain forecasting, or workflow automation? | AI can be a powerful tool, and the FAA is open to this and other modern solutions which will further optimize FAA's Supply Chain Management and align with industry best practices. It is important to understand the FAA application before jumping to a specific solution. Also, the solution must be dependent upon meeting all FAA security requirements. |
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