This is the second post in a series on standardizing your company's AGV/AMR fleet manager software. Read the first post about the benefits of standardizing this technology or download our free Fleet Manager RFI/P/Q templates.
What is an RFI?
RFI is an abbreviation for Request For Information, a type of procurement document that a company distributes to gather relevant information from product and service vendors.
Think of an RFI as a fact-finding document. Its goal is to collect relatively high-level information about the solutions currently available on the market.
In an RFI, a company will generally outline the business challenges it is facing, leaving potential suppliers to customize the information they send back in response to those challenges. The level of detail expected however is low.
Unlike more detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quote (RFQ) documents, an RFI is commonly sent to a large list of potential vendors, sometimes as many as 10 or 20.
Download: AGV/AMR Fleet Manager RFI Template
Why write a fleet manager RFI
Large companies that have, or are looking to deploy, several fleets of automated vehicles such as AGVs and AMRs – often in operation at multiple sites – are increasingly looking to standardize the fleet management software they use to manage these installations, by partnering with a single supplier.
There are several potential benefits to this approach:
- Just one fleet management software for local sites and/or global automation teams to learn and manage.
- One set of virtual vehicle paths per site – saving space, reducing complexity, and increasing on-site efficiency.
- One global point of contact for high-level fleet manager support.
- Improved knowledge retention and lower training costs: with just one fleet management software on-site there are fewer systems to learn and a lower risk of losing vital operational knowledge due to staff turnover.
- Simplified installation management and maintenance: allowing regional or global automation teams to better manage risk.
- Reduced space demands: just one set of virtual vehicle paths per site.
- Higher throughput: due to smoother handling of traffic control and different mission types.
- Reduced cyber security risk: just one fleet management platform to monitor and maintain.
- Interoperability made easy: operate different types and brands of vehicle, seamlessly in the same fleet, without needing high levels of custom programming.
- Lower short- and long-term costs: fewer interfaces and communication protocols mean simpler integration and improved operational reliability.
Issuing a Request for Information, or RFI, that is sent to potential fleet management (also called fleet ‘supervisor’) suppliers, is therefore a common first step in the procurement process.
Important to note: it may not be necessary for your company to go through the full process of issuing RFIs, RFPs, and then RFQs. Instead, the more advanced your team’s fleet manager knowledge and research, the further along in the process of RFI, RFP, RFQ you can probably begin.
As such, starting with an RFI is a good approach if you and your team have limited fleet manager experience and are truly at the learning stage with this technology.
Download: AGV/AMR Fleet Manager RFI Template
What to include in a fleet manager RFI
A vendor will want to know about your organization and the fleet manager project you are embarking upon. They will also need to know what specific information you require from them, including what level of detail, and by when.
A solid RFI will therefore include the following sections:
1. Project goal
A clear overview of what your RFI is aiming to achieve and what decision the information that companies provide will inform.
2. Overview of your company
A basic description of your company, the industry in which you work, and any additional market context that is relevant. It is also helpful to include an overview of your firm’s automated vehicle (AGV/AMR) and fleet manager set-up as it stands today, if it exists.
Sidebar: Make sure your RFI’s title is ultra-clear, so that only relevant vendors submit information. A good example might be: RFI - Global AGV/AMR Fleet Manager.
3. Business challenges
What challenges is your company facing that are driving this RFI process? What problems are you looking to overcome by partnering with a fleet manager company? This information can spark some valuable vendor input – especially alongside section 4 below – as there may be ways of addressing your existing challenges that your team has maybe not considered.
4. Project overview
Give an overview of your planned fleet manager project, including a scope of work if possible. For example:
- What is the objective of your project?
- For any solution to be considered, what key functions must it offer?
- What will a supplier be responsible for in terms of product support, maintenance, and updates?
- Provide a simple version of a typical site’s system architecture.
- What type of additional third-party suppliers or partners, if any, would be acceptable?
- Who will the supplier work with inside your company?
- Provide a basic organizational chart, or a section of this, to explain who does what inside your company.
- If possible, it can also be helpful to also give details of what you consider ‘Out of Scope’. In the case of a fleet manager RFI, this might include the technologies, systems, and business processes, which you are currently unwilling, or unable, to change or significantly adapt (e.g. existing I.T. infrastructure such as your ERP, MES, or WMS system, the replacement of recently purchased AGVs/AMRs, changing manufacturing processes or machine integrations etc.).
Providing potential partners this level of detail will vastly reduce the number of questions vendors might ask and enable them to share only relevant data.
5. Selection process
Give an overview of your preferred procurement process, including any key phases (e.g., RFI/P/Q) and dates if possible.
6. Vendor & solution details
Ask vendors to first provide company information, such as their company name, size, and structure, areas of expertise, contact info, and a lead contact for the RFI process. You can also request product- and service-related information here, covering:
- A full overview of their fleet manager solution, including a list of key functions
- An overview of their pricing/license model
- An overview of their support models
- Relevant customer references
- Details of the teams you would potentially work with, including their locations and languages spoken.
7. Submission requirements
Define exactly what type of information you will accept, in what format, to whom this should be sent, and by what deadline. Using a standard RFI Template that all vendors fill out can help simplify any future vendor comparisons. Add any additional documentation, such as schematics, site maps etc. as appendices.Key drivers for selecting suppliers at RFI stage
To advance to the RFP (Request for Proposal) or RFQ (Request for Quotation) stage, suppliers should provide positive responses and corresponding proof for at least four of the five criteria listed below:
1. Sustainability
Can this partner support your operations for the next 10-20 years?
2. Industry expertise
How many people in the company have successfully deployed AGV/AMR fleet management projects, and how many of these projects have they completed?
3. Current ecosystem
How many vehicle brands are currently compatible with – meaning they can be controlled by - the supplier's fleet management system?
4. Innovation
Is the company capable of innovating and adding new functions or features? How many new software versions are released yearly?
5. References
Can the supplier introduce you to several current users of their fleet supervisor software?
Meet ANT server
ANT server is BlueBotics' powerful AGV & AMR mission and fleet management software. This proven tool is used to control and manage interoperable fleets of ‘ANT driven’ and/or VDA 5050-based vehicles.
