Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought (SS) Program and Budget Enterprise System (PBES)_2026

Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought (SS)

This RFI is issued by the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Business and Enterprise Systems Division (BES) Financial Systems Division (GBG) for market research. The government is seeking information on vendor capabilities for the support, operation, maintenance, and enhancement of the Program and Budget Enterprise System (PBES). This RFI is for planning purposes only and is not a solicitation for bids, quotations, or proposals.

PBES is a critical system for the Air Force, deployed in December 2021, which subsumed four legacy budget formulation systems. It provides comprehensive financial information for program budget and resource allocation decisions. The AFLCMC/BES Financial Systems Division is responsible for its acquisition, development, implementation, support, and life cycle management.

• Software configuration, capability support, and user support for PBES.

• Iterative approach to software configuration for quick feedback and responsive changes.

• Support for the Program Management Office (PMO) and Functional Management Office (FMO) in continuous improvement, business capability management, technical implementation, cybersecurity readiness, and upgrades.

• Utilization of Agile framework for development and sustainment activities.

• Enterprise-level strategy and planning, architectural and solution engineering, business systems compliance, agile team iteration planning, user interface, and training.

• Customer service focused on user experience and technical support.

• Subject Matter Expert (SME) support with extensive knowledge of the Planning, Programming, and Budgeting (PPB) process and PBES.

• Experience with Cloud One Amazon Web Service (AWS).

• Experience with Oracle products (Oracle Data Relationship Management, Oracle Hyperion Planning, Oracle Analytics Server).

• Experience transitioning from existing System Integrators while continuing Agile development.

• Experience generating the President's Budget (PB), Budget Estimate Submission (BES), and Program Objective Memorandum (POM).

• Interested sources are requested to submit Contractor Capability Statements.

• Responses are due by COB 13 May 2026.

• Submittals should not exceed 10 pages (excluding cover page, table of contents, and list of acronyms).

• Specific formatting requirements include Times New Roman 12pt font, 1-inch margins, and 8.5x11 inch page size.

• Responses should address experience, staffing, management, and processes.

• Include company information, NAICS code (541511: $34 Million), and relevant certifications (Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, etc.).

• A statement regarding domestic or foreign ownership and willingness to allow release of proprietary data is required.

• This RFI is for information gathering only and does not constitute a commitment to procure.

• No funds have been authorized or appropriated for this effort.

• Contractor personnel require appropriate security clearances and background checks.

• Potential Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) issues should be evaluated and identified.

• All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document contains responses to vendor questions regarding the Planning, Programming, and Budgeting Execution System (PBES) requirement. It clarifies aspects of the current system, future plans, and acquisition approach.

• Past Performance: Government is open to considering relevant commercial or public sector past performance.
• System Architecture: Government can provide OV1 and Network Topology diagrams, but currently there are no interfaces.
• Data Integration: Most data integration processes are currently manual.
• Cloud Migration: The PBES system has been fully migrated to Cloud One AWS as of August 2025. AWS Cloud One is the primary near-term deployment approach, and PBES currently operates in AWS Cloud One IL6.
• Security: Secret Clearance is required for personnel, including Help Desk Support, with all required certifications to be included in the official PWS.
• Future Evolution: The Government is looking to migrate to newer planning products/technology and is assessing the feasibility of leveraging Oracle EPM Cloud.
• AI/ML: The Government has an interest in utilizing Generative AI (GenAI).
• Acquisition: The effort is a recompete. The Government plans to conduct an industry day or release a draft RFP or PWS following this RFI.

This Q&A document provides significant clarification on technical requirements, security, cloud strategy, and the acquisition process, which will be critical for bidders preparing their proposals. Specifics on labor categories and staffing are also addressed, with the government offering feedback on submitted staffing plans.

Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought (SS)

This RFI is issued by the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Business and Enterprise Systems Directorate (BES) Financial Systems Division (GBG) for market research. The government is seeking information on vendor capabilities for the support, operation, maintenance, and enhancement of the Program and Budget Enterprise System (PBES). This RFI is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.

PBES is a system deployed in December 2021 that provides financial information for program budget and resource allocation. The Air Force Program Executive Office (AFPEO) BES Financial Systems Division (GBG) is responsible for its acquisition, development, implementation, support, and life cycle management.

• Software configuration, capability support, and user support for PBES.

• Support for the Program Management Office (PMO) and Functional Management Office (FMO) in continuous improvement, business capability management, technical implementation, cybersecurity readiness, and upgrades.

• Utilization of Agile framework for development and sustainment activities.

• Customer service focused on user experience and technical support.

• Subject Matter Expert (SME) support with extensive knowledge of the Planning, Programming, and Budgeting (PPB) process and PBES.

• Experience with DAF PPB process, Cloud One Amazon Web Service (AWS), specific Oracle products (DRM, HYP, OAS), transitioning System Integrators, and generating PB, BES, and POM.

• Responses are due by COB 29 April 2026.

• Submittals should be 10 pages or less (excluding cover page, table of contents, and list of acronyms).

• Specific formatting requirements include Times New Roman 12pt font, 1-inch margins, and 8.5 x 11-inch page size.

• Include responses to Contractor Capability Statements (Attachment 1).

• Provide company information, including NAICS code, business size, certifications, and ownership.

• Address any Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) concerns.

• Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate.

• Contractors must be registered in SAM to be eligible for award.

• The government may consider a small business set-aside based on responses.

• Responses are for information only and do not guarantee future solicitations.

• No entitlement to payment for costs incurred in responding.

• Contractor personnel require appropriate security clearances and background checks.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document contains questions and requests for information (RFI) related to the Planning, Programming, and Budgeting Execution System (PBES) opportunity, seeking detailed responses from potential vendors on their experience, capabilities, and proposed approaches.

• Experience with DAF PPB Processes: Vendors are asked to detail their experience supporting the Department of Air Force (DAF) Planning, Programming, and Budgeting (PPB) processes at both MAJCOM and Air Staff levels, providing specific examples.
• System Training Materials: Questions focus on experience and internal processes for creating system training materials, with a request for recommendations on improving current PBES training.
• Technical Expertise: Vendors must describe their experience and certifications with various Oracle technologies (EPM, OAS, Oracle DB Server, ODI, DRM, Hyperion Planning, Essbase, etc.), RHEL, and Windows Server, and how this expertise applies to PBES functions like generating Program Objective Memorandum (POM), Budget Estimate Submission (BES), Rapid Allocation Process (RAP), and President's Budget (PB).
• Data Management & Interfaces: Specific experience with Oracle DRM or similar Master Data Management (MDM) tools in a federal financial context is requested, along with experience in developing, maintaining, and troubleshooting automated data interfaces between systems like PBES and external data sources.
• Staffing & Security: Questions address recommended staff certifications/qualifications (software development, cybersecurity, database administration, project management), current personnel qualifications, and the ability to provide a support team with appropriate security clearances (SIPR network) and IA Workforce Certifications (IAT II or higher) for a classified system.
• Functional Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): Vendors are asked about the availability of Functional SMEs with expertise in POM, BES, and PB processes from Major Command to Office of Secretary of Defense levels, including familiarity with the entire PPB&E process and integration with the 30-year Plan and FYDP.
• Team Structure & Collaboration: Vendors should describe recommended team structures, roles, and collaboration strategies with the Functional Management Office (FMO) and Program Management Office (PMO) for seamless POM, BES, PB development.
• Resource Allocation & Contingency Planning: Details on staff resource allocation, staffing levels (FTEs), subcontractors, and contingency plans for staff shortages or turnover are requested.
• Data Validation & Updates: The process for handling data validation for budget cycles (rounds) and updating financial or performance data, including change management and data consistency, is queried.
• Cybersecurity & Upgrades: Management approaches for supporting cybersecurity readiness, software upgrades, and delivering new capabilities while maintaining PBES operational status with minimal downtime are sought.
• Project Management & Timelines: Questions cover managing project timelines, milestones, deliverables, communication channels, risk management, change management processes, quality assurance, testing methodologies, and project management tools for timely and within-budget delivery under stringent timelines.
• Development Environments: Experience with standing up development environments, including critical milestones, resource allocation, and timelines, as well as experience working within Government-Furnished Environments (DevLab), is requested.
• Training & Knowledge Transfer: The approach to providing training to government personnel, knowledge transfer, and documentation for long-term sustainability is asked.
• Technology Alignment & Transformation: How vendors would align domain expertise with leading technologies to drive transformation for DAF financial planning systems, leveraging commercial software and best practices, is a key question.
• Data Integrity & Automation: Procedures for ensuring accurate and reliable data within the annual PPB process, including validation rules, tools, and the potential leverage of bots or automation, are explored.
• Risk Management: Examples of encountered risks and their management in similar projects are requested.
• Agile & Cloud One Delivery: The approach to delivering new capabilities and reducing technical debt in a Cloud One environment using Agile, CI/CD, or DevSecOps processes is queried.
• End-User Support: The process for providing "over the shoulder" support to PBES end users in the Pentagon, including data loading and validation, is requested.
• Requirements Management: The process for supporting the PBES PMO/FMO with requirements development, prioritization, backlog refinement, and Agile ceremonies is detailed.
• PPBE Experience: Vendors are asked to expand on their PPBE experience and experience with supporting systems, including validating accuracy and supporting system workflow processes.
• Financial & Program Structures: The processes used to support financial and program structures (e.g., PE numbers, appropriation codes) within PBES are requested.
• Performance & Load Testing: Specific approaches to performance and load testing, tools, and metrics for ensuring system stability during peak usage are sought.

Responses to these RFI questions will likely inform the final requirements, evaluation criteria, and overall structure of any subsequent solicitation for the PBES opportunity. Vendors should use this information to tailor their understanding and potential proposals.