FLITES is a Government developed, web-based, software application providing a foundational baseline to satisfy complex item cataloging and provisioning requirements and position the Air Force to generate and manage comprehensive, accurate and reliable item specific data within the USAF logistics enterprise. It will provide enterprise users with the breadth and depth of accurate item data necessary to support and enable dependent processes, initiatives, programs and transformational concepts. The integration and implementation of existing Air Force Item Management Systems capability builds upon the current FLITES baseline and will provide a holistic solution for integrated item management.
BACKGROUND AND REQUIREMENTS FOR IMCLI (PREVIOUS TITLE OF FLITES)
USAF is looking for COTS software to replace many decades-old core logistics enterprise systems. To accelerate this change, the AF has split the Enterprise Logistics business area into separate capability initiatives (CIs), and has worked solution exploration of each CI separately. It has been recognized that Item data is a core underlying need for each CI, and as such will integrate with many logistics enterprise systems.
The IMLCI is targeted to provide comprehensive Item Catalog and Provisioning functions for the Logistics business systems, and will replace the Item Management Control System (IMCS) suite of legacy systems, at a minimum. IMLCI will be the central repository for the Item core business objects, providing standardization of Item cataloging processes, structure, attributes, propagation, and standardized views for all applicable Item types. Additionally, IMLCI will receive product structure input from an engineering PLM type system.
The Item Management Control System (IMCS) suite of systems is the official authoritative source of all AF-used and/or managed items of supply. The suite of systems provide the following major functions: maintains and distributes logistics management information on all Air Force-used and Air Force-managed items of supply, acts as the central repository of Federal and Air Force logistics data for all Air Force-used and Air Force-managed items of supply, performs as the entry point for new items of supply and is the Air Force interface to the Federal Catalog System.
The United States Air Force (USAF) Item Master (IM) Integrated Program Office (IPO) plans to obtain a Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product software licenses, software maintenance, and Technical Services necessary to enable cloud hosting and the configuration of the overall IM solution. The IPO seeks a low code/no code COTS software product that will allow the Government to create the Item Master Solution, utilizing Agile methodologies to configure the COTS tool. The USAF will be responsible for the management of the system in the future. This technology is anticipated to directly support the suite of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)/A4N portfolio to include Capability Initiatives, and related legacy systems, and is expected to enable the Government to configure and maintain the solution.
The IMLCI provides the Air Force (AF) enterprise with a capability to generate and manage comprehensive, accurate, and reliable item specific data within the AF Logistics enterprise. It will provide enterprise users with the breadth and depth of accurate item data necessary to support and enable dependent processes, initiatives, programs and transformational concepts. The IMLCI is a Business System Category II program and follows all phases of the Business Capability Acquisition Cycle (BCAC) using an Agile approach for acquisition, development and deployment as discussed in DoD 5000.75 Business Systems Requirements and Acquisition. The list below outlines the high level rationale for IMLCI:
- The management and accuracy of Item Master data required attention. Specifically, problems centered around the following:
- No single source for Item – various definitions of the truth across legacy systems
- No clearly defined Item structure and Item definition
- Inability to provide a complete Item record to stakeholders
- Lack of stakeholder coordination for Item record changes
- Absence of Item record configuration management
- The IMLCI has been developed to create a single authoritative source of item data for use by all AF logistics systems. IMLCI will:
- Standardize data attribute formats and definitions
- Provide configuration management to AF item data
- Deliver a flexible technical solution, readily adaptable to the changing business needs of the logistics enterprise
- Specific capabilities of IMLCI include:
- Receipt of engineering technical data from Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
- Adding Logistics Management Information to the engineering content
- Providing standardized item data to other logistics business areas supported by Logistics Capability Initiatives (LCI) and legacy applications throughout the logistics enterprise, including:
- Enterprise Supply Chain Analysis, Planning & Execution (ESCAPE)
- Supply Chain Management
- Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul initiative (MROi)
- Field Maintenance
- Munitions
- AF Working Capital Fund
Air Force Logistics Information systems are aging and disparate. Prior efforts to upgrade the full array of logistics capabilities all at once were unsuccessful. To address these issues, HQ AFMC/A4 launched the A4 LCIs to enhance logistics capabilities and associated information systems in a standard incremental approach.
IMLCI establishes a standardized AF Item Master structure which includes metadata requirements, data architecture and flow, cognizant authorities and standardized reporting. It supports Bill of Material (BOM) management, maintenance programs, and item supply chain data by enabling Item Unique Identification (IUID), congressionally mandated Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) readiness and compliance, and In-Transit and Total Asset Visibility (ITV/TAV).
The Air Force wants to rapidly modernize its enterprise logistics systems, most of which require Item data. The new IMLCI should provide essential functionality of the legacy IMCS more efficiently and effectively in addition to implementing new functionality as described below
The Air Force desires to employ industry leading existing COTS capabilities, configured to provide the needed functionality with minimal development to achieve an acceptable initial capability in the very near term. Air Force intends to perform sustainment with organic and/or contractor resources modifying configuration and/or adding development in compliance with future upgrades, patches, and/or pushes
The response should describe an Item Master Logistics Capability Initiative (IMLCI) system solution architecture, supporting all logistics enterprise systems, including legacy and future state of CIs using COTS software. Potential design must emphasize COTS tools (i.e. software), and depict modern data management practices for capturing and implementing the business rules of an authoritative repository of Item data.
Potential design must also address the need to provide this data to other logistics systems, including the conversion or transformation of Item data between record formats.
