Replacing Old With Modern, Scalable, Sustainable FMDS System

The FAA announced a Request for Information concerning a contract opportunity for an industry partner to develop a new system for managing air traffic flows smoothly and safely regardless of the situation. The new system is intended to replace the existing TFMS, or Traffic Flow Management System.

Currently, air traffic controllers use the TFMS to plan and implement traffic-flow initiatives in the NAS – National Airspace System – to minimize congestion and delays. Such delays could be due to a variety of causes like severe weather, airport volume, runway closures, or issues with controller staffing. In broader terms, the TFMS helps to mitigate imbalances in the demand and capacity of the system.

The agency wants to develop a modern Flow Management Data & Services or FMDS system, to be designed as a scalable and sustainable replacement for the TFMS. The system will incorporate the needs of today’s aviation industry and into the future to maintain efficiency and safety for all users.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, “The new FMDS program will replace current technology that is decades-old and struggling with performance and maintainability issues. If we want the gold-standard of air traffic control, we need to give air traffic controllers the tools they need to succeed. We look forward to partnering with a company who will help achieve our goals of safety and efficiency in the National Airspace System.”

The new system is one of the requirements contained in the 2024 FAA reauthorization to modernize the traffic flow management program and is but one element in Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy’s plan to build a brand new state-of-the-art air traffic control system.

The Prime Integrator who will manage the buildout of the new system is anticipated to be named by the end of October 2025. Details of the FMDS contract opportunity are available on the SAM.gov website.

FMI:  www.faa.gov/ , SAM.gov/