Data Management (DM) Fix FAQ

What is a Data Management Fix?

An FPDS Data Management (DM) Fix is a manual update to data values in the FPDS/FAADC database. These updates are SQL statements written by a Data Management team member and executed during the monthly scheduled Data Management deployment or a Service Pack deployment.

Why would a Data Management Fix be required?

The most common types of Data Management Fixes involve deleting or updating records that cannot be deleted/updated by the requestor due to limited permissions. Other scenarios when a Data Management Fix is required are:

• A Department/Agency Administrator has an urgent data issue that they cannot fix. Such requests must be submitted via the Federal Service Desk (FSD).
• A system fix or change to FPDS functionality results in the need to update data values on existing records. Such updates will be executed during a Service Pack deployment.
• Non-urgent user requests that cannot be completed by the Agency System Administrator or other individuals within the organization due to limitations of their systems, existing rules preventing them from performing some actions, or large-scale fixes that are infeasible for the reporting Agency. These requests are compiled into a monthly Data Management deployment.

As the initial step in the process, the Data Management team evaluates the request and assesses if it is sustainable and will not violate any existing FPDS conditions. Then, the Data Management team verifies that the necessary authority's approval has been given before committing to the client to complete the request.

How is a Data Management Fix requested?

Most Data Management Fix requests come via the Federal Service Desk (FSD), while some come directly from JIRA. All Data Management requests require written approval from the requesting Department or Agency Administrator, providing the FPDS team authority to manually overwrite/update the existing data in question. The approval is captured in the JIRA ticket before being sent to the final monthly list. Urgent Data Management Fixes require the agencies to obtain the FPDS Product Owner's approval and, if feasible, can be deployed as soon as possible.

What is the deadline for requesting a Data Management Fix?

Each month, the deadline to submit a Data Management Fix request is close-of-business on the 15th unless the 15th falls on a holiday or over a weekend. In those cases, the deadline becomes the first available business day. Most common types of Data Management Fixes can be performed on the scheduled monthly date, typically the last Friday of the month. Mass Data Management Fixes (commonly, data updates affecting more than 100,000 records) require the approval of the FPDS Product Owner. These updates are performed incrementally (50,000 records per day).

Who do I contact for permission to request a Data Management Fix?

When requesting a Data Management Fix, you must provide documentation from the Department or Agency System Administrator. Documentation must be sent from the Federal Service Desk (FSD), either copied or pasted within the ticket. You can save your request as a Word document or PDF and attach the file, or you can copy it into the base of the ticket. (Note: PDF is the preferred format.)

Can a Data Management Fix request be denied?

Yes, any request that is not sustainable and/or violates any existing FPDS conditions will not be accepted for a Data Management Fix. Also, any data change request that can be reasonably performed in FPDS/FAADC by the Agency System Administrator may not be accepted.

When are Data Management Fixes executed?

All requested Data Management Fixes will be completed on the last Friday of the month. If the last Friday of the month is a holiday, then the Data Management Fix will be completed on an earlier predetermined date.

What is the maximum number of records that a Data Management Fix can update in a day in FPDS?

50,000

How many records can be included in a single Data Management Fix request?

The Data Management team can update a maximum of 50,000 records per day. If your Data Management Fix request exceeds that daily capacity limit, the Data Management team will divide the updates of your request accordingly. If your request affects more than 100,000 total records, the request will require high authoritative (GSA) approval. Mass Data Management Fixes (commonly, data updates affecting more than 100,000 records) require approval by the FPDS Product Owner and will be performed incrementally (50,000 records per day).

What systems are impacted by a Data Management Fix?

Selected records in the FPDS or FAADC database are updated by a Data Management Fix. The date & time of the update is stored on affected records.

Which users are impacted by a Data Management Fix?

Only the owners of contracts can request Data Management Fixes for their Agency’s records. One Agency is not permitted to request Data Management Fixes for another Agency. During the deployment of a Data Management Fix, the current values on affected records will be overwritten with the requested values.

Can a completed Data Management Fix be edited/omitted/reversed?

The script for each Data Management Fix is tested and finalized a week before the deployment of the updates. During this period, a user may only request that their Data Management fix be omitted; in this case, the specified Data Management Fix can be removed from the schedule. Users are not authorized to edit or update their Data Management Fix requests.

How do we ensure that Data Management Fixes are accurate and up-to-date?

The script for each Data Management Fix is tested internally before being committed to run in the Production environment. After a Data Management Fix has been completed, it is internally authenticated before the Data Management team closes the deployment.

What should I do if I encounter a data issue after a Data Management Fix?

Create a new ticket via the Federal Service Desk (FSD). Reference the original FSD ticket submitted to request the Data Management Fix and state the issue you have encountered. The Data Management team will investigate the issue and ensure the requested Data Management Fix is corrected.