Acquisition Planning Forecast Systemhttp://apfs.dhs.gov

Contracting Users GuideGeneral Overview

FINAL 05-26-2016

This guide will walk through the major processes that are most often encountered in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acquisition Planning Forecast System (APFS) for the Contracting User role.

Overview:

The Contracting Users Guide will address the following questions:

1. How do I navigate to the APFS?2. How do I obtain a username and password for the APFS?3. How do I login to the APFS?4. What if I forget my password?5. How do I check my messages?6. How do I edit an APFS Record?7. How do I save an APFS Record?8. How do I print the work I have completed in an APFS Record?9. How do I release an APFS Record to my office?10. How do I claim an APFS Record out of the Office Queue?11. How do I disapprove an APFS Record?12. How do I approve an APFS Record?

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1. How do I navigate to the APFS?

A. Open your web browser on your local machine that is connected to the World Wide Web.

B. Enter the following address into your web browser: http://apfs.dhs.gov.

2. How do I obtain a username and password for the APFS?

A. From the APFS Welcome Page navigate to the Login screen by clicking on the green “Government Users” button located at the top right of the page.

Figure 1: Public Welcome Screen

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B. Click on the “Request account” button.

Figure 2: Government User Sign-In Screen

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C. Fill out the Request Government Access to APFS form and after providing the necessary information click on the green “Send your request” button.

Figure 3: Government User Account Request Screen

D. You will be provided a username for the APFS Dashboard via the email address you provided (note your request may take up to 5 business days).

E. You can obtain a password by using the “reset password” process explained in question 3 of this user guide.

3. How do I login to the APFS?

A. From the APFS Welcome Page navigate to the Login screen by clicking on the green “Government Users” button located at the top right of the page. (See Figure 1)

B. Provide a Username and Password. After entering the correct information in the appropriate field click the green “Sign in” button to enter the APFS Dashboard. (See Figure 2)

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4. What if I forget my password?

A. From the APFS Welcome Page navigate to the Login screen by clicking on the green “Government Users” button located at the top right of the page. (See Figure 1)

B. Click on the “Reset password” button. (See Figure 2)C. Provide a valid email address in the field provided and click the green

“Send new password” button.

Figure 4: Government User Reset Password Screen

D. Check your email client for the email from APFS that contains a temporary password.

E. You can now use the provided temporary password to sign-in to the APFS.

F. After signing-in you will be required to fill out the reset password form and submit. The system will then log you in to the APFS Dashboard.

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5. How do I check my messages?

A. After logging in if any new messages are available to be viewed a green message box will display the number of new messages in the header of the APFS Dashboard.

Figure 5: APFS Dashboard

B. By clicking on the green message box you will open your message box containing your correspondence.

C. To return to the APFS Dashboard main page click the blue “Back” button in the Header.

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6. How do I edit APFS Record?

A. Under the heading of “Your Records” on the main page of the APFS click on the APFS Number to open a record. (See Figure 5) You will have to claim APFS Records from the Office Queue to move records to “Your Records” – to read an explanation of that process see question 9.

B. This will open the selected APFS Record and allow you to begin the process of modifying the following fields:a. NAICS : use the drop down menu to select the NAICS Code that

pertains to the anticipated opportunity.b. Contract Vehicle : use the drop down menu to select the

appropriate contract vehicle that applies to the anticipated opportunity.

c. Competitive : use the drop down menu to select competitive or non-competitive.

d. Estimated Period of Performance Start : enter the anticipated performance start date in mm/dd/yyyy format.

e. Estimated Period of Performance End : enter the anticipated performance end date in mm/dd/yyyy format

f. Anticipated Award Date : enter the anticipated Contract Award date in mm/dd/yyyy format.

g. Estimated Solicitation Release Date : enter the estimated solicitation release date in mm/dd/yyyy format.

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7. How do I save an APFS Record?

A. After entering or modifying information you can save the changes you have made by navigating to the bottom of the APFS Record.

B. At the bottom of the record click on the blue “Save Record” button. (See Figure 6)

8. How do I print the work I have completed in an APFS Record?

A. Open the APFS record (from the Office Queue or Your records) you want to print a hard copy of by clicking on the correct APFS number. (See Figure 5)

B. Just under the APFS Record Header click on the “Printable View” button and this will open the APFS Record in a new window for optimal printing. (See Figure 6)

C. To print the record click on the blue “Print” button in the top right corner of the window.

Figure 6: APFS Record Screen

9. How do I release an APFS Record to my office?

A. Open the APFS record you want to release to the office from Your Records. (See Figure 5)

B. Navigate to the bottom of the APFS Record and click the “Release to Office” button. (See Figure 6)

C. This will move the APFS Record from Your Records to the Office Queue.

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10. How do I claim an APFS Record out of the Office Queue?

A. From the APFS Dashboard homepage select the APFS Record you want to work on under the Office Queue Heading on the left side of the page. (See Figure 5)

B. You can ensure the record is the correct one by clicking on the APFS Number and verifying it is the record you want.

C. You can move the record from Office Queue to Your Records by clicking on the “Claim” button next to your desired APFS Record.

11. How do I disapprove an APFS Record?

A. While editing a record if you discover a mistake, question or matter that needs to be reviewed or amended by Requirements you can send the record back to them.

B. You send it back to Requirements by disapproving the APFS Record. Click on the “Reject & Send Back” button under the heading Finalize Record on the APFS Record Screen. (See Figure 6)

C. This will send the record and a notification to the Requirements Office allowing them to review and amend the record.

12. How do I approve an APFS Record?

A. When an APFS Record is complete and you are ready to send the record to the APFS Coordinator you must open the record in “Your Records” to finalize it for the next step in the authorization chain.

B. To Finalize/Approve the Record click on the orange “Approve & Send” button on the right side of the APFS Record Screen under the heading Finalize Record. (See Figure 6)

C. This will send the record and a notification to the APFS Coordinator Office, allowing them to edit and publish the Forecast.

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