ALCOAST 059/22 - FEB 2022 FINANCIAL SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION SOLUTION (FSMS) STATUS

R 171711Z FEB 22
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 059/22
SSIC 7000
SUBJ: FINANCIAL SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION SOLUTION (FSMS) STATUS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 171920Z DEC 21/ALCOAST 460/21
1. This ALCOAST provides a Financial Systems Modernization Solution
(FSMS) update following go-live as announced in REF (A). FSMS
is now available for all approved Coast Guard users as of
17 December 2021. Over the past few weeks, more Coast Guard users
have logged into FSMS to perform financial, contracting, and
property 4duties. Recently, we have averaged around 4,000 Coast Guard
users each day with more than 1,000 concurrent users. A number of
challenges with system performance have been observed with the
increased load, and we recognize that FSMS has not yet met the
Coast Guard's expectations for functionality and reliability.
We also acknowledge that failure to make timely payments negatively
impacts individuals across all facets of our workforce as well as
the vendors we rely upon to provide goods and services that support
mission execution. Transaction processing has been much slower than
expected across the portfolio of lines of business due to remaining
system defects, which prevent certain categories of transactions
from being approved, data issues that often prevent the correct
funding to be applied to the right document, and user familiarity
with new processes and system functionality. The transition has been
complicated by the Coast Guard implementing a new financial system,
a new contract writing system, new travel system, and new
appropriation structure at the same time. The stress on the
workforce is significant, and we acknowledge the impacts to our
people and Coast Guard operations.
2. System Latency and Defects: End users are intermittently
experiencing system slowness and performance defects. System
performance over the past few weeks has not met defined service
level agreement standards. DHS and Coast Guard technical staff are
working hard to troubleshoot issues, identify and test solutions,
and push code fixes into production. Issues with forms loading and
gateway errors appear to be resolved. System reliability
troubleshooting continues.
3. Payments:
a. From October 1, 2021 through December 17, 2021, when the new
system came online, the Coast Guard did not have a system to process
more than 6,000 monthly invoices. While a small quantity of payments
were made manually through a U.S. Treasury system, there is now a
significant backlog of invoices as a result of the 78-day period
without a standard payment system. The Coast Guard has begun to
process invoice payments in the new system but it will take several
weeks until we are processing payments at a full rate of production.
b. Before a payment can be made, whether for members or vendors,
a valid legal reservation of funds or obligation must be recorded in
FSMS. A valid obligation requires sufficient funding and each of the
required data fields must be populated correctly. Many invoices and
member claims currently cannot be paid due to missing required data
elements or invalid obligations. Program managers and units are
requested to be responsive when requests for new obligations or
modifications to existing obligations are made.
c. The Coast Guard Finance Center (FINCEN) is prioritizing
utility payments, small business payments, lease payments, and
member payments. Like the rest of the Coast Guard, FINCEN staff are
experiencing system defects, data issues, and inefficiencies in
learning new business processes and system functionality. Because
payments are so far behind, the Coast Guard is surging additional
staff to FINCEN to perform account technician roles and account
certifying roles to increase payment capacity. Our current
estimates for clearing the backlog are not acceptable and we
continue to work to speed up payment and clear the backlog as
rapidly as possible.
d. Receipting. Most obligations entered in FSMS after 17 December
2021 require a receipt and acceptance to be entered in the
iProcurement module. Invoices designated as three-way match will be
held by the system until the receipt and acceptance is recorded in
FSMS which will prevent timely payment. Units are required to record
receipts and acceptance in a timely manner when goods or services
have been received and accepted.
4. System Functionality:
a. Contracting Lifecycle Management. While users are still
experiencing errors, this module is mostly functioning as designed.
When procurement requests (PR) are completed correctly, contracting
officers and obligation approvers have consistently been able to
make awards. The ability to successfully create a PR requires proper
system access for the preparer, supervisor, and funds certifier, as
well as sufficient funds in projects and tasks.
b. Budget Execution Module. System defects are causing
intermittent issues with funds transfer capabilities. This impacts
the ability to properly fund projects and tasks in the Projects
Module. This defect has been escalated and technical experts at DHS
and Coast Guard have escalated related defects to Oracle for
software fixes.
c. MILSTRIP. This interface is reported to be working properly.
All backlog transactions have been transmitted and are reported as
complete. A defect between MILSTRIP and NESSS for free-issue items
is pending resolution.
d. ETS2 Interface (TDY Travel). This interface appears to be
fully functional. Users entering travel requests with valid funding
available on the FSMS project and task have consistently been able
to execute travel reservations and travel claims in ETS2. These
travel claim payments do not require approval by FINCEN. There have
been data issues with some orders migrated from legacy financial
systems (CAS and CFS) as well as member profile information in ETS2
not matching FSMS information. There are also interface issues for
some PCS orders, reserve travel orders, and training travel orders.
These issues prevent travel claim payments for those orders, and
are being addressed by DHS and Coast Guard technical staff.
e. ETS2 Interface (PCS Travel). There is an issue that prevents
TPAX PCS travel claims from being processed in FSMS. A temporary
process is being developed to use ETS to make PCS payments. PPC
will release guidance via SEPCOR prior to 28 February.
f. IPP Interface. Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) is a Treasury
system that allows vendors to submit invoices electronically. All
new contract awards in FY22 and beyond are required to be designated
as IPP awards, with limited exceptions. Most awards are now
successfully being pushed from FSMS to IPP. Some awards executed
during the cutover period require FINCEN to change to the vendor's
IPP status, delaying the vendor's ability to submit invoices. Coast
Guard staff are working to prioritize these changes.
g. Citibank. This functionality appears to be mostly working as
designed. Purchase cardholders have consistently been able to enter
obligations when PRs are completed correctly. Purchase cardholders
have also been consistently been able to match Citibank charges to
the obligation during the reconciliation process. There is a defect
preventing the matching of the obligation due to vendor
discrepancies for transactions migrated from CAS and CFS, as well as
for miscellaneous obligations paid by purchase card. DHS and
Coast Guard technical experts are working to resolve the issue.
h. Direct Access (DA) Interface. Due to the backlog of processing
payroll files in FSMS, data for new employees has not yet been
loaded (into FSMS). The interface between DA and FSMS enforces new
business requirements for Orders with travel, which requires
employee data to be synchronized between the systems. Data
discrepancies between the two systems will prevent orders from
fulling processing and could impact members from receiving new zip
code based pay entitlements. Coast Guard technical staff are
continuing to troubleshoot this issue and we hope to have resolution
in the coming weeks.
i. FSMS Member Payments. FINCEN is responsible for personally
procured move (PPM) payments, temporary lodging allowance (TLA) for
OCONUS travel, and civilian PCS claims, in addition to a number of
small volume miscellaneous type payments. There is an FSMS defect
fix preventing payment of PPM and civilian PCS claims. The defect is
in testing and functionality is expected to be available this month.
PPM claims filed in October have not yet been processed. Our
objective is to clear these member payments within 60 days of system
functionality.
j. A large number of other interfaces and system functionality
are not included in this message.
k. Intergovernmental activity with the Navy. FSMS requires a
greater level of precision in setting up intergovernmental activity
than with CAS. In the case of the Navy, incorrect Trading Partner
Treasury Account Symbol (TPTAS) information in FSMS is preventing
actions where the CG is the supplier, and the NAVY is using other
agency funds. Similarly, errors are generated within FSMS when the
CG is the customer. DHS and Coast Guard technical experts are
working to resolve the issue.
5. FSMS Assistance Support Team (FAST):
a. The FAST MS Teams Channels have remained active following
Go-Live and the collaborative effort by FSMS users and stakeholders
at all levels to share information and experiences has been
phenomenal. There is a teams 'size limit' which has caused some
issues but a CGFixit Ticket has been submitted requesting a limit
increase. The Teams Channels remain a resource for "Coasties helping
Coasties", but questions asked should be primarily "quick hitters".
For more in depth questions, or if your question is not answered
within the chat, please leverage the resources described in the
FSMS support page.
b. The FAST Help Desk has resolved hundreds of tickets since
commencing operations in October and remains a valuable resource for
users to request assistance with intermediate level knowledge and
procedural issues regarding FSMS.
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/communities/cgcc/SitePages/
FSMS%20Support%20SOP.aspx

c. In order to protect the finite resources devoted to
troubleshooting and correcting the myriad system errors and
malfunctions in FSMS, the official FSMS Helpdesk (managed by DHS)
should be used only for issues that are clearly technical defects
with FSMS, requiring the attention of skilled technicians.
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://dhs.servicenowservices.com/fsms

6. Training: FSMS users can access training to prepare for FSMS on
the Common Core Learning Platform:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/communities/cgcc/LP/Index2.html

7. Reporting Capabilities: FSMS has some reporting through the BI
Inquiry (Business Intelligence) role in ALM. Based on data
conversation and system logic, a number of key reports do not appear
to produce the expected results. DHS and Coast Guard technical staff
are troubleshooting reports discrepancies. Additional reporting
capability will be available when the Financial Management and
Procurement Data Repository (FMPDR) is available before June 2022.
8. Thank you for your continued professionalism and flexibility
during this complicated transition period.
9. POCs:
a. Craig Bennett, COMDT (CG-8D), (202) 372-3476, Email:
Craig.A.Bennett@uscg.mil
b. Keith O'Neill, USCG Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA),
(202) 475-3750, Email: Keith.O'Neill@uscg.mil
c. CAPT William Arritt, FMPS Deputy Director, (202) 372-4674,
Email: William.L.Arritt@uscg.mil
d. CAPT Adam Kerr, COMDT (CG-9336) FMSII Team Lead,
(202) 475-3039, Email: Adam.L.Kerr@uscg.mil
e. CAPT Erich Klein, Deputy Director of Financial System
Transformation, (202) 372-3652, Email: Erich.F.Klein@uscg.mil
f. Mr. Stephen J. Weagraff, COMDT (CG-86) Office of Financial
Systems, (202) 372-3675, Email:
Stephen.J.Weagraff@uscg.mil
10. RDML M. J. Fedor, Assistant Commandant for Resources (CG-8),
sends.
11. Internet release is authorized.