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.
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
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:
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
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:
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:
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.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?
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.