USDA National Finance Center – NFC Forward Program RFI
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- 12314425R0009
- Agency
-
Assistant Secretary for Departmental Management
Department of Agriculture
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 541519 Other Computer Related Services
- Place of performance
- United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Finance Center (NFC) has issued a Special Notice to seek industry responses for its NFC Forward Program, a comprehensive modernization effort for human resource and payroll system solutions. Currently, NFC supports over 170 government agencies by processing payroll for 680,000 federal and quasi-federal employees using a legacy mainframe system built on COBOL programming. The existing Payroll/Personnel System (PPS) integrates with multiple applications including EmpowHR, a PeopleSoft-based front-end core HR system, and various time and attendance and reporting platforms. NFC's enterprise architecture comprises approximately 60 mainframe and web applications developed over the past 50 years. The agency is specifically looking to transition from its current complex legacy infrastructure to a modern Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution.
The primary objective of this Request for Information (RFI) is to identify qualified prime industry vendors capable of providing an integrated enterprise system solution for HR and payroll management. Contractors must demonstrate the ability to support a comprehensive modernization effort, with key requirements including FedRAMP authorization and proven experience processing HR/payroll for at least 250,000 employees. The procurement timeline indicates a multi-phase approach, with a draft RFP release in March 2025, final RFP in June 2025, prototype awards in September 2025, and final vendor selection in May 2026. The implementation will follow an eight-year phased approach, beginning with Title 5 prototypes and progressing through enterprise planning and incremental deployments. Eligible contractors should possess sophisticated system integration capabilities, be prepared to provide software licenses, ongoing operational support, and have experience with federal HR and payroll systems. The RFI specifically seeks vendors who can propose a configuration-based solution that meets federal security standards while avoiding extensive system customization.
Notice text
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
Introduction
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking industry responses to support the NFC Forward Program, an effort aimed at modernizing human resource and payroll system solutions for the National Finance Center (NFC) and its customers.
Purpose of Industry Announcement and Request for Information
USDA-NFC proposes to use the results of its rigorous NFC Forward Business Case Analysis conducted in conjunction with its customers and Government oversight agencies to inform industry of its intention and proposed associated timeline to procure a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) modernization partner. Additionally, USDA would like to identify qualified prime industry vendors (including small business, if any) that may have the capabilities and experience in performing the enterprise system integration and solutions support required for the NFC Forward Program.
NFC Operations and Current Enterprise Architecture Background
As a Federal shared service provider and component of the USDA Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), NFC assists over 170 USDA and other Government and quasi-Government agencies in delivering cost-effective, standardized, and interoperable solutions that provide the functionality to support these agencies’ strategic financial management and human resource management directions. This includes processing payroll for 680,000 Federal and quasi-Federal employees.
NFC maintains and enhances an intricate enterprise architecture containing approximately 60 mainframe and web applications built over the last 50 years. NFC operates on a mainframe platform known as the Payroll/Personnel System (PPS). PPS is a legacy system built using the COBOL programming language. PPS is designed to process large volumes of data and perform critical tasks such as payroll processing across 70 different Federal pay plans, 30 different retirement plan codes and various special employee group regulations such as law enforcement officers and firefighters. This mainframe supports a suite of highly customizable HR and payroll applications, including SaaS and web-based solutions, designed to meet specific customer needs. One of the key systems that PPS interfaces with is EmpowHR, NFC’s PeopleSoft-based front-end core HR system that handles HR administrative tasks such as personnel actions, payroll transactions, and benefits management. NFC also offers time and attendance (T&A) systems, which are integrated into its enterprise architecture, working alongside PPS and HR systems like EmpowHR. Additionally, NFC offers multiple reporting systems that provide insights from HR and payroll data, supporting decision-making across Federal agencies. Together, these systems create a robust environment for managing Federal HR processes with key components being payroll, HR, T&A, and reporting. NFC also offers additional services like Office of Personnel Management (OPM) insurance and retirement services operated through internally developed systems which work in conjunction with the mainframe. The insurance and retirement services are not in scope for the new integrated HR and payroll solution at this time, however, will need to be considered for upstream and downstream impacts as part of NFC’s overall enterprise architecture.
Please see attached documents for additional details.
---Update July, 24, 2024---
-The attachment "NFC Forward_January RFI Questions and Responses_02022025_Final" has been added to respond to the questions we recieved.
-An updated version of the RFI has been attached with the changes to the document in red text titled, "02.03.25_NFC Forward Request for Information_Updated Version".
Update #1 ·
Introduction
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking industry responses to support the NFC Forward Program, an effort aimed at modernizing human resource and payroll system solutions for the National Finance Center (NFC) and its customers.
Purpose of Industry Announcement and Request for Information
USDA-NFC proposes to use the results of its rigorous NFC Forward Business Case Analysis conducted in conjunction with its customers and Government oversight agencies to inform industry of its intention and proposed associated timeline to procure a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) modernization partner. Additionally, USDA would like to identify qualified prime industry vendors (including small business, if any) that may have the capabilities and experience in performing the enterprise system integration and solutions support required for the NFC Forward Program.
NFC Operations and Current Enterprise Architecture Background
As a Federal shared service provider and component of the USDA Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), NFC assists over 170 USDA and other Government and quasi-Government agencies in delivering cost-effective, standardized, and interoperable solutions that provide the functionality to support these agencies’ strategic financial management and human resource management directions. This includes processing payroll for 680,000 Federal and quasi-Federal employees.
NFC maintains and enhances an intricate enterprise architecture containing approximately 60 mainframe and web applications built over the last 50 years. NFC operates on a mainframe platform known as the Payroll/Personnel System (PPS). PPS is a legacy system built using the COBOL programming language. PPS is designed to process large volumes of data and perform critical tasks such as payroll processing across 70 different Federal pay plans, 30 different retirement plan codes and various special employee group regulations such as law enforcement officers and firefighters. This mainframe supports a suite of highly customizable HR and payroll applications, including SaaS and web-based solutions, designed to meet specific customer needs. One of the key systems that PPS interfaces with is EmpowHR, NFC’s PeopleSoft-based front-end core HR system that handles HR administrative tasks such as personnel actions, payroll transactions, and benefits management. NFC also offers time and attendance (T&A) systems, which are integrated into its enterprise architecture, working alongside PPS and HR systems like EmpowHR. Additionally, NFC offers multiple reporting systems that provide insights from HR and payroll data, supporting decision-making across Federal agencies. Together, these systems create a robust environment for managing Federal HR processes with key components being payroll, HR, T&A, and reporting. NFC also offers additional services like Office of Personnel Management (OPM) insurance and retirement services operated through internally developed systems which work in conjunction with the mainframe. The insurance and retirement services are not in scope for the new integrated HR and payroll solution at this time, however, will need to be considered for upstream and downstream impacts as part of NFC’s overall enterprise architecture.
Please see attached documents for additional details.
Files
Notice history
| Notice | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| This notice | Special Notice | |
| USDA National Finance Center – NFC Forward Program | Pre-Solicitation |
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