Unitrans_Worldwide_TMS_RFP_2025_Nexus_Platform.pdf

UNITRANS WORLDWIDE INC.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Enterprise Transportation Management System Platform
Project Unitrans Nexus - Global TMS Implementation

Date: October 20, 2025 | Document Reference: RFP-2025-NEXUS-TMS-001

1. Introduction

Unitrans Worldwide Inc. ("Unitrans" or "the Company"), a premier full-service domestic and international freight forwarding organization with over 40 years of excellence delivering comprehensive end-to-end transportation solutions across all segments of the global supply chain including air freight, ocean freight, ground transportation, customs brokerage, warehousing, and logistics consulting services throughout North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and emerging markets, is seeking qualified technology solution providers, enterprise software development firms, transportation management system specialists, and systems integration consultants for the design, development, implementation, and ongoing support of a next-generation Transportation Management System (TMS) platform to revolutionize operations and enhance competitive positioning.

This strategic technology initiative represents a transformative, mission-critical enterprise software implementation demanding sophisticated capabilities across multiple domains including multi-modal transportation management (air, ocean, ground, rail, intermodal), global shipment visibility and tracking, automated rate management and dynamic pricing engines, customs compliance and trade documentation, warehouse management system integration, carrier and partner EDI/API connectivity, customer self-service portals, mobile applications for drivers and agents, real-time analytics and business intelligence, financial integration with accounting systems, and comprehensive supply chain orchestration while adhering to ISO 9001:2015, C-TPAT Certification, IATA Standards, IMO Regulations, and CBP AES/ACE Compliance.

2. Project Overview

Project Unitrans Nexus is a comprehensive enterprise Transportation Management System implementation requiring integrated technology solutions across all operational functions from quotation through delivery and invoicing. The engagement represents a technology investment of approximately $8.5 Million USD over a 24-month implementation period with ongoing annual support and enhancement budgets, and will encompass:

  • Enterprise TMS Core Platform & Multi-Modal Operations Management: Comprehensive transportation management system enabling sophisticated coordination and optimization encompassing air freight operations management supporting international and domestic air cargo with IATA dangerous goods compliance, airline partner integrations (API connections to major carriers including Emirates SkyCargo, Lufthansa Cargo, Air Canada Cargo, FedEx, UPS, DHL), automated MAWB/HAWB generation and documentation, flight schedule optimization and routing algorithms, consolidation management maximizing container utilization, temperature-controlled shipment tracking for pharmaceuticals and perishables, ocean freight and container management featuring full container load (FCL) and less-than-container load (LCL) capabilities, carrier booking integrations with major steamship lines (Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, COSCO, Evergreen), container tracking with real-time vessel position and ETA updates, port cutoff management and milestone tracking, detention and demurrage monitoring with automated alerts, bill of lading generation and transmission, ground transportation and trucking management including full truckload (FTL), less-than-truckload (LTL), and final mile delivery, carrier procurement and rate management with dynamic spot quote capabilities, GPS tracking integration for fleet visibility, driver mobile application for proof of delivery and exception reporting, route optimization algorithms minimizing transit time and fuel consumption, appointment scheduling with warehouse and distribution center coordination, rail and intermodal services management integrating rail schedules, container on flatcar (COFC) and trailer on flatcar (TOFC) capabilities, Class I railroad integrations (CN, CP, BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX), transloading and cross-docking coordination, specialty services including project cargo for oversized and heavy-lift shipments, trade show logistics with time-definite delivery requirements, white glove services, hazardous materials handling and compliance with DOT/TC/IATA/IMDG regulations, temperature-controlled logistics with continuous monitoring and validation.
  • Order Management & Shipment Lifecycle Tracking System: Comprehensive order-to-cash workflow automation establishing seamless customer experience: Online customer quotation portal allowing self-service rate requests with instant quotes for standard lanes and automated quote generation for complex multimodal shipments, rate shopping engine comparing carrier options across modes with transit time, cost, and service level comparisons, booking and order creation with document upload capabilities for commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, booking confirmations automatically transmitted to carriers via EDI or API, shipment tracking and visibility providing real-time status updates at each milestone (pickup, departure, customs clearance, arrival, delivery), proactive exception management identifying delays, customs holds, or delivery issues with automated customer notifications, document management system storing and organizing all shipment documentation including bills of lading, commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, customs entries, delivery receipts with OCR capabilities for automatic data extraction, milestone event tracking recording every touchpoint in shipment lifecycle with timestamp, location, and responsible party, customer notifications via email, SMS, or portal alerts for key events, mobile tracking application allowing customers to track shipments via smartphone with push notifications, predictive ETA calculations using historical performance data and real-time conditions, delivery proof of delivery (POD) capture via driver mobile app with signature, photo, and timestamp, post-delivery audit and analytics evaluating on-time performance, transit time variance, damage rates, and customer satisfaction metrics.
  • Rate Management, Pricing & Revenue Optimization Engine: Dynamic pricing and revenue management capabilities maximizing profitability: Carrier contract management storing negotiated rates from hundreds of carrier partners with effective dates, volume commitments, fuel surcharges, and accessorial charges, rate shopping algorithm evaluating options across carriers and modes recommending optimal solution based on cost, transit time, service requirements, and historical performance, dynamic pricing engine adjusting customer rates based on market conditions, capacity availability, fuel costs, seasonality, and customer segmentation, accessorial charge management automatically calculating and applying fees for residential delivery, liftgate, inside delivery, reweigh, address corrections, detention, storage, quote management system tracking all customer rate requests with automatic conversion to bookings, quote expiration tracking, win/loss analysis for continuous improvement, margin analysis tools evaluating profitability at shipment, customer, lane, and mode levels identifying high-margin and low-margin business, tariff publishing capabilities generating customer rate sheets and tariffs for contract customers, revenue forecasting and budgeting using historical trends, pipeline opportunities, and market conditions, promotional pricing and discount management enabling temporary rate reductions for customer acquisition or volume incentives.
  • Customs Brokerage, Trade Compliance & Documentation Automation: Comprehensive customs and trade compliance ensuring regulatory adherence: Automated customs clearance integrations with government agencies including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) for entry filing and release notifications, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Single Window Initiative, European Union Customs Union systems, automated entry preparation from commercial invoices and packing lists with Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification recommendations using AI/machine learning, duty and tax calculation engines computing import duties, value-added taxes (VAT), goods and services taxes (GST), excise taxes based on country regulations and trade agreements, free trade agreement (FTA) utilization maximizing duty savings under USMCA, CETA, EU trade agreements with automated certificate of origin generation and USMCA Self-Certification, customs bond management tracking continuous and single-entry bonds with expiration alerts and renewal workflows, importer security filing (ISF/10+2) compliance for ocean shipments with automated filing from booking data, export compliance screening against denied parties lists (OFAC SDN, BIS Denied Persons, Consolidated Screening List) with automatic flagging and hold procedures, export documentation including shipper's export declaration (SED), export licenses for controlled commodities, certificate of origin, transportation and logistics documentation generation producing bills of lading (master and house), air waybills (MAWB/HAWB), commercial invoices, packing lists, arrival notices, delivery orders with EDI transmission capabilities, document repository with searchable archive for audit and compliance requirements, customs audit support maintaining records for 5+ years with reporting for government audits.
  • Warehouse Management System (WMS) Integration & Distribution Services: Integrated warehousing and fulfillment capabilities extending TMS functionality: Multi-warehouse inventory management tracking inventory across multiple warehouse locations with real-time visibility to available stock, allocated stock, and in-transit inventory, receiving and putaway processes with barcode scanning, quality inspections, lot tracking, and automated putaway recommendations optimizing space utilization, inventory storage and organization supporting various storage types including pallet racking, bulk storage, temperature-controlled zones, hazardous materials segregation, cross-docking operations facilitating direct transfer from inbound to outbound shipments minimizing storage time and handling costs, order fulfillment and picking optimizing picker routes, supporting multiple picking strategies (discrete, batch, wave, zone), pick-to-light or voice-directed picking for high-volume operations, packing and shipping with cartonization algorithms recommending optimal box sizes, automated label generation and application, manifesting with carrier systems, order tracking and visibility from order receipt through shipment with customer portal access, warehouse labor management tracking worker productivity, analyzing performance metrics, optimizing workforce scheduling, 3PL billing integration for storage fees, handling charges, and value-added services with automated invoicing.
  • Carrier & Partner Network Integration Platform: Comprehensive connectivity with transportation ecosystem partners: EDI transaction processing supporting ANSI X12 standards for common transactions including 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender, 214 Transportation Carrier Shipment Status, 210 Freight Invoice, 997 Functional Acknowledgment, 990 Shipment Status, 110 Air Freight Details and Invoice, 300-series ocean shipments, API integrations with major carriers providing real-time booking, tracking, rate quotes, POD retrieval via RESTful APIs or SOAP web services for carriers lacking EDI capability, ocean carrier alliances integrating with THE Alliance, 2M Alliance, Ocean Alliance member schedules and sailing updates, airline cargo community systems connecting to cargo portals like CargoWise, WebCargo, cargo.one for capacity booking and rate shopping, trucking partner integrations connecting to asset-based carriers and 3PL networks with real-time capacity visibility, automated tendering, and track-and-trace, customs broker connectivity sharing shipment data with partner customs brokers or in-house brokerage teams, rate procurement platforms integrating with freight marketplaces and digital freight matching services for spot market capacity, financial EDI for automated invoicing and payment reconciliation including 810 Invoice and 820 Payment Order/Remittance, interoperability standards compliance with GS1, UN/EDIFACT where required for international partners.
  • Financial Management, Billing & Accounting System Integration: Comprehensive financial operations supporting revenue and cost management: Accounts receivable and customer invoicing with automated invoice generation from shipment costs and accessorial charges, configurable invoice templates and branding, electronic invoice delivery via email or EDI 810, aging reports and collection workflows, accounts payable and vendor cost processing capturing carrier invoices via EDI, email, or portal upload, automated cost allocation to shipments with three-way matching (purchase order, receipt, invoice), exception management for cost variances, payment processing with check printing, ACH, wire transfer, or virtual card payment options, general ledger integration with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, QuickBooks Enterprise) posting revenue, costs, and balance sheet accounts with automated journal entries, revenue recognition compliance with accounting standards for service industries, accrual management and month-end close automation, financial reporting and analytics providing profit and loss statements by customer, lane, mode, and service type, cash flow projections, variance analysis comparing actual to budget, cost allocation and overhead distribution allocating shared costs and corporate overhead to business units and services, credit management and risk assessment evaluating customer creditworthiness, establishing credit limits, monitoring days sales outstanding (DSO), collections management.
  • Business Intelligence, Analytics & Performance Management Dashboard: Comprehensive reporting and analytics driving data-driven decisions: Operational dashboards providing real-time visibility to key performance indicators including shipment volume trends, on-time delivery performance, transit time averages, capacity utilization, warehouse inventory levels, order backlog, executive dashboards for leadership presenting high-level business metrics, revenue and profitability trends, market share by lane or service, customer satisfaction scores, strategic initiative progress, customer service dashboards supporting agents with customer shipment status, quote conversion rates, customer interaction history, open issues requiring attention, operational KPIs and scorecards tracking metrics like cost per shipment, revenue per employee, claims ratio, invoice accuracy, quote-to-book conversion, carrier performance scorecards evaluating on-time pickup, on-time delivery, claims frequency, invoice accuracy, communication responsiveness, ad-hoc reporting tools allowing users to create custom reports without IT assistance using intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces, data visualization presenting data through charts, graphs, heat maps, and geospatial visualizations for intuitive understanding, predictive analytics using historical data and machine learning to forecast demand, identify trends, predict delays, and optimize routing, benchmarking comparing internal performance against industry standards and competitors, automated report distribution scheduling regular reports delivered via email or posted to shared drives.
  • Customer & Partner Portal Solutions with Self-Service Capabilities: Modern web and mobile interfaces empowering stakeholders: Customer web portal providing 24/7 access to shipment information with features including instant rate quotes for standard lanes, shipment booking and documentation upload, real-time tracking with milestone visibility, document retrieval (POD, invoices, customs documentation), invoice viewing and payment processing, performance reporting showing transit times, on-time delivery, cost analysis, support ticket submission and tracking, carrier partner portal allowing transportation partners to accept or decline loads, update shipment status and locations, submit PODs and supporting documents, view performance scorecards and payment status, agent and employee mobile application supporting field personnel with capabilities including mobile shipment entry and booking, barcode scanning for package tracking, signature and photo capture for POD, exception reporting with photos and notes, offline functionality for areas with limited connectivity, route planning and navigation, driver mobile app for trucking operations providing turn-by-turn navigation, electronic logging device (ELD) integration for hours of service compliance, pre-trip inspection digital checklists, delivery appointment notifications, POD capture with customer signature, communication tools built into all portals including secure messaging, email notifications, SMS alerts, push notifications for mobile apps.
  • Data Security, Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Infrastructure: Enterprise-grade security and availability ensuring system reliability: Information security program implementing layered security controls including network security with firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), virtual private networks (VPNs) for remote access, application security with input validation, SQL injection prevention, cross-site scripting (XSS) protection, secure coding practices following OWASP Top 10, authentication and authorization with single sign-on (SSO) supporting SAML or OAuth protocols, multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative access and sensitive operations, role-based access control (RBAC) limiting users to authorized functions and data, data encryption protecting data at rest using AES-256 encryption and data in transit using TLS 1.2+ encryption for all network communications, vulnerability management conducting regular security scans, penetration testing, and remediation of identified vulnerabilities, compliance certifications and audits maintaining SOC 2 Type II certification demonstrating security controls, PCI DSS compliance if processing credit card payments, annual security audits by independent third parties, disaster recovery and backup systems with geographically distributed data centers providing redundancy, automated backups with daily incremental and weekly full backups, backup retention policies maintaining backups for specified periods with secure offsite storage, recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO) targets ensuring systems restored within defined timeframes with minimal data loss, business continuity planning with documented procedures for disaster scenarios, annual testing of recovery procedures, alternative processing sites for critical operations, high availability architecture utilizing load balancing, failover clustering, redundant components eliminating single points of failure, monitoring and alerting continuously monitoring system health, performance metrics, security events with automated alerts for anomalies, incident response plan establishing procedures for security incidents including detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned, 24/7 security operations center (SOC) monitoring for threats.
  • System Implementation, Data Migration & Change Management: Structured deployment ensuring successful adoption: Project planning and governance establishing project charter, scope, objectives, success criteria, governance structure with steering committee, project timeline with phases, milestones, and deliverables, requirements gathering and analysis conducting stakeholder interviews, process mapping workshops, documenting functional and technical requirements, gap analysis comparing current state to desired future state, system design and architecture creating detailed system design specifications, database schema design, interface specifications, security architecture, technology stack selection, data migration strategy and execution analyzing legacy system data quality, designing data transformation rules, developing migration scripts and tools, conducting trial migrations and validation, cutover planning with go-live readiness criteria, user acceptance testing (UAT) coordinating with business users to validate system functionality, documenting test cases, tracking defects through resolution, sign-off procedures, training program development creating training materials including user guides, video tutorials, quick reference cards, conducting training sessions for different user roles (customer service, operations, management), training-the-trainer approach building internal training capacity, change management planning assessing change impact on organization, developing communication strategy, identifying change champions, addressing resistance and fostering adoption, go-live support providing intensive support during go-live period with on-site assistance, war room coordination, rapid issue resolution, hypercare period following go-live.
  • Ongoing Maintenance, Support & Continuous Improvement Services: Long-term partnership ensuring sustained value: Application support providing tiered support structure with Level 1 (helpdesk for user questions and basic issues), Level 2 (application specialists for complex functional issues), Level 3 (developers for code fixes and enhancements), service level agreements (SLAs) defining response times and resolution times for different severity levels (Critical P1 within 1 hour response, High P2 within 4 hours, Medium P3 within 1 business day, Low P4 within 3 business days), support channels including phone hotline (24/7 for critical issues), email ticketing system, live chat, knowledge base and self-service portal, system monitoring and maintenance proactively monitoring system health, performance, and errors, applying patches, security updates, and bug fixes, conducting regular database maintenance, archiving old data, performance tuning and optimization analyzing system performance metrics, identifying bottlenecks, optimizing database queries, tuning server configurations, enhancement and development services implementing new features and functionality based on evolving business needs, developing custom integrations with new partners or systems, adapting to regulatory changes and new compliance requirements, technology refresh and upgrades staying current with technology advancements, migrating to new platform versions, adopting new capabilities (AI/ML, IoT, blockchain), user adoption and training ongoing training for new employees, refresher training for existing users, lunch-and-learn sessions for new features, business process consulting advising on process improvements and best practices, benchmarking against industry standards, participating in strategic planning, quarterly business reviews meeting with stakeholders to review system performance, discuss enhancement roadmap, align on priorities and budget.

3. Scope of Work - Detailed Service Requirements

The selected technology solution provider must demonstrate expertise and provide comprehensive services encompassing:

Full-Service TMS Platform Development & Implementation: The technology solution provider shall deliver a comprehensive Transportation Management System addressing all requirements specified encompassing software architecture and design, custom development and configuration, system integration, data migration, testing and quality assurance, deployment and go-live support, training and change management, ongoing support and maintenance while maintaining strict compliance with industry standards including ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management, C-TPAT Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, TSA Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP), IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, CTPAT Trade Compliance, CBP Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) connectivity, and software development best practices including Agile/Scrum methodologies, DevOps principles, secure coding standards (OWASP), and accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.1).

  • Technical Architecture, Platform Design & Technology Stack Selection: Comprehensive system architecture establishing technical foundation: Cloud-native architecture leveraging modern cloud platforms (Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform) utilizing infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offerings, containerization using Docker and orchestration with Kubernetes for scalability and portability, microservices architecture decomposing application into loosely coupled services enabling independent development, deployment, and scaling, API-first design exposing business capabilities through well-documented RESTful APIs or GraphQL enabling integration and future extensibility, database architecture utilizing relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server) for transactional data, NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra) for flexible schema and high-volume data, data warehouse (Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery) for analytics and reporting with proper data modeling (normalized transaction tables, denormalized dimension tables for reporting), front-end technology stack selecting modern frameworks (React, Angular, Vue.js) for responsive web interfaces, mobile frameworks (React Native, Flutter) for cross-platform mobile apps, technology evaluation and selection conducting proof-of-concept evaluations for critical components, assessing vendor products vs. custom development, considering total cost of ownership including licensing, development, and maintenance, scalability and performance design architecting for current transaction volumes (50,000 shipments/month) with 5x growth capacity, optimizing for sub-second response times for critical transactions, designing for concurrent users (500+ simultaneous), security architecture implementing defense-in-depth with multiple security layers, zero-trust network architecture, encryption standards (AES-256, TLS 1.3), secure authentication protocols (OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect).
  • Custom Software Development, Configuration & Module Implementation: Iterative development delivering functionality in phases: Agile development methodology utilizing Scrum framework with 2-week sprints, product backlog prioritization based on business value, sprint planning, daily standups, sprint reviews and retrospectives, continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) automating build, test, and deployment processes using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, code repository management with Git version control, branching strategies supporting feature development and releases, pull request reviews ensuring code quality, development environments establishing separate environments for development, testing, staging, and production with infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, CloudFormation) for consistency, front-end development creating intuitive user interfaces following UI/UX best practices, responsive design supporting desktop, tablet, and mobile devices, accessibility compliance meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards, back-end development implementing business logic, data access layers, API services, background job processing for asynchronous tasks (report generation, EDI processing), database development creating database schemas, stored procedures, indexes for optimal performance, implementing database migrations for version control, third-party integration development connecting to external systems via APIs, EDI connections, file transfers (SFTP), message queues (RabbitMQ, Kafka) for asynchronous integration, web services (SOAP, REST), ETL processes for data transformation, custom workflow engine developing flexible workflow capabilities supporting different business processes, rule engines for automated decision-making (carrier selection, routing optimization), reporting and analytics implementing embedded analytics using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or custom dashboards with drill-down capabilities, scheduled report generation and distribution.

4. Proposal Submission Requirements

Submission Deadline: November 20, 2025 (5:00 PM EST)

Submit To: Unitrans Worldwide Inc.

Email: rfp@unitransworldwide.com

Email Subject: "RFP Response – Unitrans Nexus TMS Platform – [Company Name]"

Physical Submission Address: Unitrans Worldwide Inc., 850 Third Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10022

Required Format: Electronic PDF submission (max 150 MB) + 3 bound hard copies (color printing for diagrams, architecture diagrams, and reference implementations) + USB drive with complete proposal, technical documentation, and demo materials

Mandatory Project Briefing: October 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST – Virtual presentation via Microsoft Teams covering project scope, technical requirements, integration needs, evaluation criteria, timeline. Attendance mandatory for proposal eligibility; registration by October 26, 2025 to rfp@unitransworldwide.com

All proposals must remain valid for minimum 120 days following submission deadline and include:

  • Company profile with years specializing in TMS development and freight forwarding technology solutions; geographic presence and development centers; technology partnerships (Microsoft, AWS, Google Cloud, Oracle, SAP); client portfolio demonstrating experience with multi-modal freight forwarders, 3PLs, shippers with complex supply chains; industry recognition and awards; financial stability with annual revenue, employee count, and growth trajectory; professional liability insurance and cyber insurance coverage ($10M minimum)
  • Technical expertise and certifications including software development certifications (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect), logistics industry knowledge (IATA cargo agent certification, NCBFAA customs broker certification understanding), security certifications (CISSP, CEH, Security+), project management credentials (PMP, CSM Certified Scrum Master, SAFe Program Consultant), technology partnerships and vendor certifications demonstrating deep expertise with proposed technology stack
  • TMS implementation experience with freight forwarders or 3PL providers (5+ implementations in last 7 years), multi-modal transportation management (air/ocean/ground/rail integration), customs and trade compliance modules, warehouse management integration, large-scale system integration projects (1,000+ users, 100+ integration points), cloud-native applications with microservices architecture, mission-critical 24/7 systems requiring high availability (99.9%+ uptime), mobile application development (iOS and Android native or cross-platform), experience with similar budget scale ($5M+ software projects); experience in regulated industries requiring compliance and audit trails

5. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated according to the following weighted criteria identifying the technology solution provider offering best value for Project Unitrans Nexus:

Criteria Weight
Technical Capability & Solution Architecture – Proposed technical architecture meeting requirements; technology stack appropriateness and modernity; scalability and performance design; security architecture and data protection; integration capabilities; cloud infrastructure strategy; software development methodology; innovation and emerging technology application (AI/ML, IoT, blockchain) 30%
Experience & Qualifications – TMS and freight forwarding technology experience; quality and relevance of reference implementations; client testimonials and satisfaction; team expertise and certifications; logistics industry knowledge; company stability and longevity; partnership ecosystem and vendor relationships 25%
Project Team & Resources – Strength and experience of proposed implementation team; project management approach and governance; availability and dedication commitments; organizational depth supporting team; developer skill sets and specializations; staff retention and continuity; communication and collaboration capabilities; offshore/nearshore/onshore mix and strategy 20%
Implementation Methodology & Approach – Project plan realism and completeness; development methodology (Agile, DevOps); quality assurance and testing strategy; data migration approach; training and change management plans; go-live and cutover strategy; risk mitigation plans; post-implementation support model; continuous improvement philosophy 15%
Cost & Value – Total cost of ownership (development, licenses, infrastructure, support); pricing transparency and clarity; value proposition and ROI potential; payment terms and milestone structure; cost risk allocation; demonstrated cost management on past projects; ongoing support costs and enhancement pricing 10%

Evaluation Process: Unitrans Worldwide's Technology Selection Committee will conduct comprehensive evaluation including proposal review, reference client interviews, technical deep-dive sessions, product demonstrations, proof-of-concept development for critical features, and finalist presentations (top 3 vendors). Award based on best overall value considering technical fit, team capability, implementation approach, and total cost of ownership.

6. Project Timeline

  • RFP Issue Date: October 20, 2025
  • Mandatory Project Briefing: October 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST (Virtual - Microsoft Teams)
  • Written Questions Deadline: November 20, 2025 by 5:00 PM EST
  • Q&A Responses Posted: November 7, 2025
  • Proposal Submission Deadline: November 20, 2025 by 5:00 PM EST
  • Technical Proposal Evaluation: November 21 - December 6, 2025
  • Reference Checks & Demo Sessions: November 25 - December 13, 2025
  • Finalist Presentations & Proof-of-Concept: December 16-20, 2025
  • Final Selection & Negotiation: December 22, 2025 - January 10, 2026
  • Contract Execution: January 15, 2026
  • Phase 1: Discovery & Requirements (12 weeks): January - March 2026
  • Phase 2: Architecture & Design (8 weeks): April - May 2026
  • Phase 3: Core Development Sprint 1-4 (16 weeks): June - September 2026
  • Phase 4: Integration Development (12 weeks): October - December 2026
  • Phase 5: Development Sprint 5-8 (16 weeks): January - April 2027
  • Phase 6: System Testing & QA (10 weeks): May - July 2027
  • Phase 7: User Acceptance Testing (8 weeks): August - September 2027
  • Phase 8: Training & Change Management (8 weeks): September - October 2027
  • Phase 9: Data Migration (6 weeks): October - November 2027
  • Phase 10: Go-Live Preparation (4 weeks): November - December 2027
  • Go-Live: January 2, 2028
  • Hypercare Support (90 days): January - March 2028
  • Post-Implementation Review: April 2028
  • Ongoing Support & Maintenance: April 2028 onwards

7. Technical Standards & Compliance Requirements

The successful technology solution provider must demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and adherence to:

  • Logistics Industry Standards: IATA Cargo-IMP message standards for air freight; UN/EDIFACT standards for international EDI; ANSI X12 standards for North American EDI; NMFTA BOL standards; GS1 standards for product identification and barcoding; IMO FAL Convention standards for maritime documentation
  • Customs & Trade Compliance: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ACE system integration; Automated Export System (AES) for export declarations; Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) EDI; Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification; Free Trade Agreement (FTA) compliance (USMCA, CETA, etc.); Importer Security Filing (ISF/10+2); C-TPAT security requirements
  • Data Security & Privacy: ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management; SOC 2 Type II compliance; GDPR compliance for European data; CCPA/CPRA compliance for California residents; PCI DSS if processing payment cards; NIST Cybersecurity Framework; encryption standards (FIPS 140-2); secure coding practices (OWASP Top 10)
  • Software Development Standards: ISO/IEC 25010 Software Quality Model; Agile Manifesto and Scrum Guide principles; DevOps practices and CI/CD automation; Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD); Code review and quality gates; Version control best practices (Git flow)
  • Accessibility & Usability: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA; Section 508 compliance for U.S. government accessibility; Responsive web design principles; Mobile application design guidelines (iOS Human Interface Guidelines, Android Material Design)
  • Data Exchange & Integration: RESTful API design principles (OpenAPI/Swagger documentation); SOAP web services where required; EDI standards (ANSI X12, UN/EDIFACT); HL7 FHIR for healthcare integrations if applicable; Event-driven architecture patterns; Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) integration patterns
  • Cloud & Infrastructure: Cloud architecture well-architected frameworks (AWS Well-Architected, Azure Well-Architected, Google Cloud Architecture Framework); Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation); Container orchestration (Kubernetes); High availability and disaster recovery design; Performance and scalability best practices
  • Quality Assurance: ISO/IEC 29119 Software Testing standards; Test automation frameworks and strategies; Performance testing and load testing methodologies; Security testing including penetration testing; User acceptance testing (UAT) best practices

8. Key Contacts

Chief Technology Officer:
David Richardson, MBA, PMP – d.richardson@unitransworldwide.com | +1 (212) 555-7800

VP of Operations & Systems:
Michelle Chen, CSCMP, CPIM – m.chen@unitransworldwide.com | +1 (212) 555-7805

Director of IT & Infrastructure:
James Martinez, CISSP, CCNP – j.martinez@unitransworldwide.com | +1 (212) 555-7810

Procurement Manager:
Sarah Williams, CPSM – s.williams@unitransworldwide.com | +1 (212) 555-7815

Issued and Authorized by:

Robert Stevenson

President & CEO

Unitrans Worldwide Inc.

David Richardson, MBA, PMP

Chief Technology Officer

Unitrans Worldwide Inc.

Unitrans Worldwide Inc. | Connecting Global Commerce Since 1985

850 Third Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10022 | Tel: (212) 555-7800 | www.unitransworldwide.com

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