The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acquisition Management System (AMS) establishes policy and guidance for all aspects of the acquisition lifecycle from the determination of mission needs to the procurement, installation, in-service management, and ultimate disposal of products and services that satisfy those needs. The AMS is the exclusive source for acquisition management and procurement policy and guidance within the FAA.

The AMS is under formal configuration control and is managed as a system to ensure:

• Every change strengthens and improves it, and makes it more useful to the acquisition workforce;

• Policy remains lean, streamlined, and effective;

• Information is consistent and compatible across all functional disciplines;

• Quality is maintained and improved;

• A "system view" is consistent and strengthened; and

• Applicable acquisition directives external to FAA are included and/or linked in FAST.

The AMS is documented in the FAA Acquisition System Toolset (FAST). FAST, an Internet-based information system, is the official record of the AMS and is the exclusive location of all AMS policy, guidance, and tools. The content and maintenance of FAST is the responsibility of the AMS Configuration Manager. FAST is accessible to employees via the Internet (http://fast.faa.gov).

2. AUTHORITY

The AMS defines all acquisition management and procurement policy and guidance within the FAA. AMS policy (section 1.9) identifies the Manager, Acquisition Management Division, ASU-100, as the Configuration Manager of the AMS, and establishes the Acquisition System Advisory Group (ASAG) to serve as the configuration control body. Offices of Primary Responsibility (OPR) for individual functional disciplines, within the Lines of Business (LOB), do not have authority to unilaterally create or make changes to acquisition management policy or guidance. Proposed changes, including additions and deletions, must be submitted to the AMS Configuration Manager, who will process them in accordance with the procedures described in this document.

3. APPROVAL

ASAG endorsed policy changes will be presented, via the Acquisition Executive, to the Administrator for approval. The Director, Office of Acquisitions is delegated authority to approve and issue all guidance changes endorsed by the ASAG.

Minor changes are those that do not alter the intent of existing policy or guidance and are supportive of it. Minor changes may be new policy and/or guidance. Minor changes do not require ASAG coordination and endorsement. Examples of such changes include: Executive Orders solely directed at specialized procurement matters that have a limited scope and must be complied with immediately upon issuance; editorial/clarification issues that enhance but do not amend the intent of the AMS policy or guidance; contract clauses that implement laws that must be complied with; or clauses that are the result of previous ASAG action regarding policy or guidance.

B. Significant Change

Significant changes are those that alter AMS policy or guidance substantively. These changes require ASAG coordination and endorsement. Examples of such changes include: Executive Orders that have a material affect on the agency; editorial/clarification issues that amend the intent of the AMS policy or guidance; new policy or guidance issues; and/or contract clauses related to new policy or guidance.

Figure 1 summarizes the AMS configuration management process.

A. Initiation

Anyone may initiate changes to the AMS: OPR within LOBs, the ASAG, and, both government and non-government individuals. Initiator’s may be requested to present/brief their change to the ASAG. Change proposals may include ideas and concepts which will enhance the AMS. Initiators should provide as much of the required change proposal information as possible when submitting an idea or concept. Initiators should ensure idea/concept change proposals are reviewed with all impacted organizations and their management groups before presentation to the ASAG, but this is not a mandatory requirement.

Requirements for change proposals:

Submit electronically to the ASAG mailbox: 9-AWA-ASU-ASAG

(The AMS Configuration Manager, ASU-100, will review all change proposals.)

Requirements for change proposals (continued):

Provide:
Initiator Name; Routing Symbol/Address; Phone
Identification of whether it’s a Policy and/or Guidance Change
Brief Description of Change
Brief Explanation of Reason for Change (including any external requirements for change i.e. mandated by Congress, Executive Order, etc.)
Text of Change*
Extent of Development and Review (internal and external to the FAA, as applicable)
Target Audience
Approval Levels Obtained
Budget Impact (not necessarily in dollars)
Potential links within FAST for the change

* A copy of the proposed text that should be added to, or replace, text in the AMS. If revising text, also provide a "red-line" copy showing changes made to existing text.

Questions about how to submit a change proposal, or to contact the AMS Configuration Manger, should be addressed as follows:

ASAG mailbox: 9-AWA-ASU-ASAG

cc:mail Subject Line: AMS Configuration Manager

The AMS Configuration Manager will screen all incoming change requests for clarity, completeness, and applicability. In addition, the AMS Configuration Manager may provide the ASAG with change proposals to determine whether to recommend to the initiator that the proposal is a viable one and that they should pursue the change. The AMS Configuration Manger will assess the impact of the change to the AMS, and determine whether to process the change as "minor" or "significant."

Minor change proposals will be processed by the AMS Configuration Manager and sent directly to the approving official with notification to the ASAG of such action.

Significant change proposals will be forwarded to the ASAG by the AMS Configuration Manager. The ASAG will evaluate and, if necessary, fully develop the change, establish and direct working groups where necessary, and coordinate with impacted organizations and managers to resolve issues and achieve consensus. When consensus is reached, the AMS Configuration Manager will forward the change to the proper approval authority.

The AMS Configuration Manager will present the fully developed change to either the Administrator, for policy, or the Director, Office of Acquisitions, for guidance.

Changes will be incorporated into FAST by the 5^th of month following approval by the Administrator or the Director, Office of Acquisitions.