FINANCIAL CLOSE MODERNIZATION TOOL

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is seeking a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution to modernize and streamline its financial close processes. The goal is to accelerate financial close cycles, reduce reliance on manual procedures, minimize errors, and ensure compliance with regulatory and audit requirements. By integrating Corporate Performance Management (CPM) capabilities, CBP aims to further enhance strategic oversight, enable data-driven decision-making, and optimize overall financial operations.

The desired solution should automate routine tasks such as account reconciliations, transaction matching, and journal entries, while providing seamless integration with CBP’s existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, specifically SAP, and other data sources. Key features should include robust workflow management, real-time visibility through analytics dashboards, and advanced error detection mechanisms. The tool must also support comprehensive compliance controls, including role-based access and automated audit trails aligned with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123 and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) standards.

Additionally, the solution should leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for anomaly detection, variance analysis, and automated reporting, and offer CPM capabilities to streamline workflows and improve strategic planning. Usability and collaboration are critical, so an intuitive interface and built-in collaboration tools are essential to facilitate efficient teamwork and communication throughout the financial close process.
 

1. What is your pricing model (subscription, perpetual license, user-based, transaction-based)?
2. Are there additional costs for integrations, customizations, or premium support?
3. How does your solution integrate with SAP (specifically S/4HANA, ECC, or other relevant SAP modules)?
4. Are there pre-built connectors or APIs for SAP environments or would this require additional development/funding?
5. Is your solution compliant with Section 508 or other federal accessibility standards?
6. How would your solution automate the validation that all expenses are properly posted to cancelling year fund codes?
7. What features are available to automate or assist with adjusting journal entries?
8. How would your solution ensure all accounts are in the correct status for SAP pre-close and close steps?
9. How does your solution manage/automate the entire year-end close workflow, including notifications, approvals, and exception handling?
10. How are manual interventions minimized or eliminated?
11. What mechanisms are in place to ensure data accuracy and completeness during the year-end close process?
12. Does your solution provide automated reconciliation features or control checks?
13. What dynamic reporting capabilities are available for tracking year-end close activities and status at a point in time?
14. Does your solution support audit trails and compliance reporting?
15. What experience do you have producing audit documentation for OMB Circular A-123 internal audit reviews and external financial statement audits?
16. What collaboration features (e.g., shared workspaces, real-time commenting, task assignment) are available to support teamwork during close?
17. How does your solution leverage AI/ML for anomaly detection, variance analysis, and predictive analytics during the financial close process?
18. Can your solution provide automated suggestions or corrective actions based on detected anomalies or variances?
19. How does your solution scale to accommodate increased transaction volumes or additional business units?
20. Is your solution available as on-premises, cloud, or hybrid? If cloud, is it FEDRAMP authorized?
21. How is data backed up and restored in case of system failure?
22. What options exist for data retention, archiving, and purging in compliance with federal records management requirements?
23. How configurable is your solution to accommodate Federal Government specific year-end close requirements?
24. What user roles and permissions are supported for managing the year-end close process?
25. What is the typical implementation timeline for large federal organizations, such as CBP, that have budgets exceeding $50 billion?
26. What training and documentation do you provide for implementation and ongoing support?
27. What support options are available (e.g., help desk, dedicated account manager, 24/7 support)?
28. What security features are included to protect sensitive financial data?
29. How does your solution comply with federal security and privacy requirements?
30. Please provide references or case studies demonstrating the use of your year-end close automation solution by federal agencies or large organizations with budgets comparable to or exceeding $50 billion.

Responses:

Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with their Capability Statement and responses to all the listed questions.

RFI Capability Statement. The RFI Capability Statement should be in Microsoft Word for Office 2016 compatible format and due NLT 30 March 2026 at 10:30 AM EST. The Capability Statement response is limited to 15 single-sided pages and submitted via e-mail only to the Government Point of Contact (POC): CBP Contract Specialist, Denise V. Thompson at e-mail denise.v.thompson@cbp.dhs.gov.