How to select an SMS service provider

Consider the following points in your evaluation of a new SMS provider:

• More than software. Is the provider offering software only? If so, much work will be required to develop an FAA-accepted SMS Manual that goes well beyond statements of policy to include Safety attributes for performing various SMS processes in the software.
• Written guidance. Compare procedures in the written guidance with the software. The real test of quality is in the details. This includes the SMS Manual, ERP, IEP, ASAP Manual, and Administrator’s Guide. Does the written guidance include accurate references to 14 CFR Part 5? This will greatly simplify and speed the completion of your Declaration of Compliance.
• SMSVP / IS-BAO. IS-BAO is easy. Omni was developing SMS to the IS-BAO standard 7-8 years ago. Compliance with Part 5 in your Part 5 SMS manual is not so simple. Ask your prospective providers if they have any clients who have completed FAA’s design validation or design demonstration phases of SMS acceptance (we have).
• Processes. If the system you select is not process-based, you can forget about a future ISO-9000 related quality certification that integrates with your SMS. Looking forward, your SMS should support process-based quality management.
• ASAP and ASIAS data sharing. ASIAS membership provides a valuable source of FOQA / ASAP safety data, with or without an ASAP program. OmniSMS offers integrated ASIAS data sharing.
• Support for your CASS. Many SMS systems are built by pilots and focus on flight safety and ground events. But a well-designed system can provide your Mx dept. with valuable data that can improve all processes within your entire maintenance system, thereby enhancing safety and reliability in flight ops.
• Historical data entry. The system should provide a simple method of entering historical data, and the provider should know what data is important to migrate from the old to the new system (we recommend 1 year of hazard reports and audit findings, together with related causal factors and associated risk controls). You could then go back another year or two to capture the most important findings/events and risk controls.
• Data export. You should never have to ask your provider to export data. ALL your data should be able to be exported into human-readable, friendly formats (Excel / PDF), and you should control the exports – not the provider.
• Data backup. What happens if your provider (or the provider’s parent company or data center) suffers a catastrophic event? How will you retrieve your data? Part 5 has clearly defined requirements for SMS recordkeeping and data retention. Your selection of a new SMS provider is a major change, and this unwanted consequence (loss of data) should be risk-assessed.
• Try before you buy. Work with the software. You need more than web demos to make an informed decision. Ask for time to play with the functionality/features and compare it to the written guidance.
• Features. Do you know if the level of service you select (e.g., ‘Standard’, Enhanced’, ‘Enterprise’) will meet your needs in the future? Be sure there are no surprises down the road with cost increases for additional or new features.
• Terms. Does the provider offer quarterly or monthly billing? Annual subscriptions are usually the policy when a provider tries to make it difficult for you to switch – same with data export policies.
• Support. Evaluate the quality of the help desk and the knowledge/experience of those staffing it.
• Continuous improvement. Some software providers are more responsive than others to implement suggested improvements that will make your life easier. One advantage OmniSMS has in this regard is a unique instance for each client, which permits maximum customization and flexibility.

It’s often a good idea to involve an experienced consultant—

• One that has been through the process many times.

• One that has dealt with the demands of the FAA safety management system.

• One who has run the traps of setting up the appropriate organizations, processes, procedures, and people to maximize SMS’s value to the organization.

• One that has been written, with the buy-in of the company’s SMS team, a manual which has been shown to be easily comprehended, easily used, and highly effective.

• One who knows how to inculcate the SMS discipline throughout the organization (horizontally and vertically).

• One who knows how to get and retain the attention of senior management.

• One who has designed and implemented an SMS web app that is:
  • Cost-effective;
  • Designed for your company’s operations, risks, and needs;
  • Proven to work in other Part 135 operations.

• One which, simply put, has a demonstrated track record of success.

Contact Omni Air Group