SAMPLE LCAP SOW (API Design and Development).pdf

PDF 312 KB Posted Jul 30, 2024

Attached to: FAA LCAP Engineering and Integration Services
Solicitation number: 692M15-24-RFI-LCAP
Issued by: Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center

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Written by GovTribe AI · Jul 30, 2024

This document is a Sample Work Statement for the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Low Code Application Platform (LCAP) Engineering and Integration Services. The work statement outlines key tasks across six areas: Design, Development and Deployment, Operations and Maintenance, Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics, Citizen Developer Training, and Change Management. The tasks include designing functional requirements, developing user interfaces, defining technical architecture, integrating data and systems, deploying applications, providing ongoing support, implementing AI capabilities, and managing organizational change. The document serves as an example of the types of services the FAA may seek through a future solicitation for LCAP Engineering and Integration Services, as described in the related Pre-Solicitation document. The Pre-Solicitation indicates the FAA is seeking information from vendors capable of providing engineering and integration support services for LCAP platforms such as Pega, Appian, Salesforce, and Smartsheets Gov.

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SAMPLE Work Statement

Below are some sample task areas for LCAP:

Task Area 1: Design Functional Design The first step is to develop or refine a future-state business process flow that defines an ideal sequence of high-level activities, decision points, inputs, and outputs, and to then adjust based on the known dependencies and limitations. For example, for the end-to-end Part 135 certification process, the future state business process included an integration with the future-state “Scheduler” application to automatically identify employee availability during certification project team setup. Since this application does not exist yet, the process flow will need to be updated to reflect a staffing approach that uses the currently available tools and data.

Once the process flow is ready, the next step is to elicit and define detailed user needs associated with each activity and translate those into epics and user stories for future application development.

Activities

• Develop updated business process flow

− Identify known limitations and dependencies in the technical, regulatory, and business environment that require updates to the process flow

− Decompose subprocesses and activities into a lower level of detail where needed

• Elicit detailed user needs

− Prepare interview questions, surveys, and agendas for meeting with end users, policy teams, integration technical teams, and other stakeholders

− Catalog the existing data, document sources and integrations and upstream and downstream systems that might be affected and need to be supported

− Facilitate meetings to elicit and document detailed user needs, such as:

► Data elements (e.g., inspection checklist questions) ► Business logic (e.g., validating data format, identifying required fields, conditional logic based on user selections) ► Notifications ► Document management including populating large language libraries (e.g. identify document repository to store the documents and libraries to populate) ► Reporting and metrics ► Integrations ► Create Roles and Action Matrix

− Document meeting output and coordinate regular follow-up meetings and emails as needed to clarify user needs

• Define backlog of epics and user stories for initial operating capability − Translate user needs into the standard format for agile software development

• Identify required policy and process changes and coordinate to enable use of the new application

− Collaborate with FS stakeholders, such as legal, labor-employee relations, and policy divisions, to identify changes needed to procedures, policy, regulation, or other documentation

− Provide information about the new application as needed to support stakeholders in planning these changes

UX/UI Design Before starting any project, it is important to have a clear understanding of the users (internal and external to FAA), their needs, and their overall goals. UX/UI design involves conducting user research, defining the desired experience through user personas, journey maps, and mockups, and creating a UI design style guide to establish consistency in the visual elements, navigation patterns, and content throughout all future-state applications.

Activities

• Identify the application interfaces (screens/pages) that represent the project and key activities in the project (e.g., for Part 135 certification process, key activities include aircraft conformity inspection checklist, reporting dashboard for an office manager, and applicant messaging dashboard)

• Prepare interview questions and job shadowing plan to understand the behaviors, needs, and preferences of representative user personas that will interact with the selected interfaces

• Conduct interviews and job shadowing with stakeholders and users (internal, external, and industry users and other users) and gather information such as:

− What they are trying to achieve − How they mentally categorize/organize information − How they browse or search for information − Areas where they get confused or frustrated − What type of language or vocabulary they use

• Create representative user interface/user experience (UI/UX mockups for the selected interfaces, demonstrating the look and feel of the design system

• Review mockups with end users and refine them based on the feedback Technical Design When designing a new software application, a foundational step is to define the high-level data model, including the primary entities and their relationships. The data model is typically represented through an entity relationship diagram, which provides a visual representation of the data, making it easy to understand and communicate it to business stakeholders and developers.

The data model also includes a representation of how it will be integrated in the overall enterprise data architecture. Defining the data model and how it integrates in the enterprise data architecture prior to application development enables alignment with enterprise data models (such as the aircraft lifecycle model) and scalability to accommodate future expansion.

Another critical activity before development begins is defining the technical requirements for application performance, availability, and security. These requirements will guide the future application design and architecture so that applications are quick and responsive, available when users need them, and have the necessary data protections.

Activities

• Coordinate with Chief Data Officer Enterprise Information Management (EIM), AVS data champions, and Stewardship Communities of Practice (SCoPs) to define the data structure

• Create application data model − Identify primary entities (e.g., air operator, application, certificate) − Determine relationships between entities − Define cardinality of entity relationships (e.g., many-to-one, one-to-one) − Define primary key attributes for each entity − Identify high-level attributes that are known at this stage (additional detail would be added during application development)

• Elicit and document technical requirements

− Define metrics and requirements for application performance ► Identify the number of expected users during normal and peak times and define desired response time (e.g., 2 seconds for 95% of user interactions) ► Identify expected throughput (e.g., number of applications submitted per minute) ► Identify scalability needs (e.g., the application needs to support a potential 30% increase in concurrent users during peak times) − Define the browsers and user devices/operating system (OS) that the application needs to support (e.g. applications should be browser and OS agnostic) − Define performance metrics and requirements for applications, such as:

► Uptime percentage and times (e.g., application must be available 99.9% of the time from 7am-7pm)

► Requirements for recovery time and automated backups − Define metrics and requirements for application security, such as:

► Methods of user authentication (e.g., MyAccess, Okta) and authorization (how roles will be requested/assigned/managed)

► Classification of data that will be processed in the application into categories (e.g., public, sensitive, confidential) and define requirements for access control

► Identification where encryption is needed ► Data retention/disposal policies that align to privacy/FAA regulations and NARA requirements ► High level definition of high level which type of events and activities will be logged for auditing

• Coordination with FAA, AIT, AVS, CDO and platform OEMS to set up environments

− Configure development, testing, and staging environments

• Create database schema, necessary interfaces and integration

− Define high-level database schema that captures the core tables, columns, constraints, data types, etc. needed for the first set of user stories or features (will evolve throughout sprints)

• Create a comprehensive solution architecture, such as:

− Identifying technical components for front end, back end, data storage, integrations, reporting and analytics; create architecture diagram; design security approach (identity management, network, monitoring, data protection, device management, auditing)

Task Area 2: Develop and Deploy Once the technical design is complete, agile development will begin, including iterative user testing. In addition, data integration and/or migration will be needed from the legacy application(s). A deployment plan will be development in collaboration with AIT and executed to deploy to the development, test, and production environments as required. Lastly, the deployment will be supported and will include technical and security documentation. It is important that development follows an agile methodology as statutory, regulatory, legal, Executive Order, international impacts, cybersecurity could impact development and deployment activities.

Activities

• Develop application

− Includes detailed technical design, development, code reviews, unit testing, functional testing, and iterative user testing throughout sprints

− Includes agile ceremonies (sprint planning, sprint reviews, retrospectives, scrum) − Elicit and document technical requirements − Included the incorporation of the FAA standards for cybersecurity, identity and access management, single sign-on, interfaces, analytical system, digital signatures and all other required FAA and AIT requirements

• Testing − Test the application prior to deployment to make sure functionality tested in previous sprints is still working

• User acceptance testing (UAT)

− Perform continuous iterative testing by business users to verify that the application will meet the needs of the end-user and modify the technical design as necessary and approved

• Data integration and migration − Analyze source data and systems as necessary to identify necessary data and system interfaces, and data migration interfaces, applications or other mechanisms to extract, transform and load the data into the new application or back feed any legacy systems as necessary and approved

− Develop backup and rollback plan, necessary application and cyber security components in coordination with AIT

− Map data fields from source schema to target schema − Develop ETL scripts/tools − Test and validate migrated data − Coordinate with other application development teams, EIM as necessary to insure successful data integration, interfaces and migration as approved

• API Design and Development

− Creating robust, scalable, and secure APIs that meet business requirements.

− Integrating APIs with existing systems, third-party services, and databases.

− Conducting unit, integration, and performance testing of APIs.

− Writing and maintaining clear, comprehensive documentation for the developed APIs.

− Implementing security best practices to protect API endpoints and data.

− Monitoring API performance and health and performing necessary updates and maintenance.

− Working with other developers, product managers, and stakeholders to ensure API aligns with project needs.

− Diagnosing and resolving issues related to API functionality and performance

• Cybersecurity, Privacy and Authority to Operate

− Includes necessary support to ensure process and approval necessary to obtain an FAA Authority to Operate is secured and may include such things as privacy assessment, privacy threshold assessment, paperwork reduction act, security scans and other requirement necessary to obtain a complete Authority to Operate.

• Deploy − Create deployment plans, packages, submissions and other AIT requirements for the deployment of application, data and analytical systems to development, test and production

− Deploy to staging environment with all required plans, packages, submissions and other AIT requirements for the deployment of application, data and analytical systems necessary for staging

− Conduct Smoke Testing of the overall application by doing broad functional testing of the main application functionalities to assess proper functioning of the application’s fundamental features after the deployment to higher environments.

− Deploy to production environment with all required plans, packages, submissions and other AIT requirements for the deployment of application, data and analytical systems necessary for production.

• Documentation − Develop security, privacy, paper reduction act and any documentation (SSP, PIA, etc.)

required for authority to operate and a successful production deployment − Develop technical documentation (user guides, SOPs, knowledge base articles, etc.)

− Provide necessary support for, including possible development of user training programs

Task Area 3: Operations, Maintenance and Sustainment Proper software operations and maintenance (O&M) is the cornerstone for the successful application adoption and sustainment. Once the application is released to production the O&M team will engage in routine maintenance, debugging, and implementing updates to keep the application running smoothly. This includes identifying and addressing bugs, enhancing features, and ensuring compatibility with evolving technologies. It also includes as necessary all reoccurring assessments such as security, privacy, etc. By proactively managing application health, the O&M team will contribute to reduced downtime, improved user experience, and enhanced security.

Activities

• Establish a help desk system or inform and support existing help desk systems as required and approved.

• Work collaboratively with all stakeholders to address system issues and user queries.

• Provide O&M summary and detail reports using quantifiable metrics.

• Provide hyper care or surge support following production deployments and into the O&M and sustainment as necessary and approved.

• Develop Standard Operating Procedures for Helpdesk support request as required and approved.

• Configure and maintain appropriate system permissions and other system settings as required and approved in coordination with AIT and security standards, requirements, and procedures.

• Create and maintain system manuals and other system-related documentation in an organized manner and store documentation in official Government document management systems.

• Co-ordinate with the development teams for zero to minimal impact to the production systems

Task Area 4: Citizen Developer Training A benefit of low code application platforms (LCAP) is the potential for citizen development, meaning that employees without traditional programming expertise can maintain and/or develop applications. The FS employee survey and interviews conducted as part of the FS technology strategy project revealed that while most employees are somewhat or slightly familiar with emerging technologies, more than 60% are concerned with the associated learning curve. To reduce the learning curve, FAA, AVS, FS and the SOs can bring employees directly into the application development process to build technical skills while collaboratively developing the applications. Research has shown that experiential learning promotes deeper understanding and skill development. FAA, AVS, FS and the SOs employees can be embedded into the development team, working with a dedicated coach that guides them through hands-on development alongside the development team. This experiential learning will enable the FAA, AVS, FS and the SOs employees to maintain the future applications with less reliance on contractor support and help employees build critical technical skillsets.

The objective of this task is to define the process for selecting, onboarding, and training citizen developers and to provide coaching support for cohorts that would participate in development.

Activities

• Develop process for selecting employees to participate in the citizen development training program

• Develop process for onboarding employees and providing the necessary foundational learning

• Develop process for providing hands-on training through coaches and embedding trainees within development teams

• Provide foundational learning through virtual classes

• Provide coaching support for cohorts of citizen development trainees throughout the duration of the roadmap project development

Task Area 5: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Advanced Analytics Modern technical capabilities available by default in LCAPs would enhance the usability and reduce the development time of the proposed future applications. These capabilities include advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI, natural language processing and other advanced AI capabilities to support user interactions, user experience, services delivery, document and image review, intelligent automation, robotic process automation, etc.

This also includes traditional advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, which uncover patterns and identify risks, predict outcomes, and evaluate effectiveness of our safety policies. Most of the applications in the FAA, AVS, FS and the SOs roadmaps includes artificial intelligence features that will be part of the application development. This could include the integration and interfaces into FAA standards such as Palantir, Microsoft Azure, LCAP, Tableau, Python, R, Alteryx or other capability, AI and analytical capabilities.

For example, the portal homepage would provide a global, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search that would find the most relevant information based on a user’s role, recent activity, and trends. The surveillance application would use advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to predict risk, providing employees with meaningful insights for decision-making. The certification application would receive decisional support like recommended approval or rejection of industry requests based on analysis of submitted data against historic data, regulatory guidance, and risk assessments.

Activities

• Refine existing DevOps and MLOps procedures to facilitate the deployment of AI at scale.

− This involves streamlining code management strategies, integrating automated workflows, overseeing version control, and establishing a robust regime for continuous integration, testing, and deployment.

• Develop and deploy AI applications in accordance with governance frameworks and policies.

− This entails rigorous software design and development, followed by testing, validation, and deployment, focusing on scalability and reliability, as well as cost and maintenance efficiency.

• Prepare training materials and conduct environment and model walkthroughs scaled for appropriate audiences.

• Develop and deploy AI, ML and other algorithmic databases and libraries as necessary, required and approved

• Develop a comprehensive documentation protocol, covering key aspects such as system architecture, user guides, troubleshooting handbooks, and more.

− In parallel, a shared code management architecture will be introduced to promote collaborative development efforts and facilitate rapid enhancements. This strategy aims to foster a conducive environment for efficient code review, change tracing, and synergetic coding practices, thereby ensuring swift action on updates or issues.

− Change management processes will be refined to support these initiatives.

Task Area 6: Change Management Business processes will need to adapt to best take advantage of new technical capabilities.

During the course of design and development, business and process changes will be identified and documented. Based on these changes, training materials will be developed to familiarize relevant stakeholders and users with the processes and capabilities of the new applications.

Communications will be developed and disseminated to promote awareness of new processes and capabilities, and functional training will be conducted to encourage hands-on experience and build confidence with the new processes.

Activities

• Identify business/process changes

• Develop and execute functional training material and activities (classes, videos, etc.) as required and approved

• Implement change management activities (including communications)

• Deliver functional training

Deliverables ID Deliverable Due Date Format 1 Current and future state business process diagram(s) As required by process timeline, end of task order

Image, PDF, Visio and executive summaries and/or explanations as required by FAA.

2 Interview questions, surveys, and agendas As required by process timeline, end of task order

Word or Excel, PowerPoint and/or explanations as required by FAA.

Executive summaries and/or explanations as required by FAA.

3 Meeting documentation and notes As required by process timeline, end of task order

Word or Excel, PowerPoint and/or explanations as required by FAA.

Executive summaries and/or explanations as required by FAA.

4 Epics and user stories As required by process timeline, end of task order

Word or Excel, PowerPoint and/or explanations as required by FAA.

Executive summaries and/or explanations as required by FAA.

5 Documentation for needed changes to processes, policy, regulation or other documentation or guidance and needed information about application changes