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Aerospace & Defense ERP Software | Best ERP for A&D Companies 2025

Compare ERP systems for aerospace and defense manufacturers. ITAR compliance, government accounting (DCAA), complex BOM management, and MRO compared.

Aerospace and Defense ERP: A Buyer's Guide

Aerospace and defense is among the most demanding industries for ERP selection. It combines the complexity of advanced manufacturing -- multi-level BOMs with thousands of components, long production cycles, and tight tolerances -- with a regulatory and compliance environment that has no parallel in commercial industry. ITAR export controls, DCAA-compliant cost accounting, AS9100 quality requirements, CMMC cybersecurity mandates, and FAR/DFARS government contracting rules create a layer of requirements that most ERP systems simply cannot address out of the box.

This guide is for program managers, operations leaders, IT directors, and CFOs at aerospace and defense companies who are evaluating ERP. Whether you are a Tier 2 supplier machining flight-critical components, a defense contractor managing cost-plus government programs, or a prime contractor operating MRO facilities across multiple countries, the ERP decision will fundamentally shape your ability to win contracts, maintain compliance, and operate profitably.

Why A&D Companies Cannot Use Generic ERP

Every manufacturing company needs ERP. But aerospace and defense companies need ERP that was built for -- or has been deeply adapted to -- the specific requirements of this industry. Here is why a generic manufacturing ERP will fail you.

ITAR/EAR Export Control Compliance

The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) govern the export of defense articles, services, and technical data. These regulations do not just affect what you ship across borders -- they affect who can access data within your own ERP system.

An ITAR-compliant ERP must enforce:

  • Citizenship-based access controls: Only U.S. persons (as defined by ITAR) may have access to ITAR-controlled technical data. Your ERP must be able to restrict access to specific BOMs, drawings, work instructions, and technical specifications based on the user's citizenship status.
  • Data segregation: ITAR-controlled data must be logically or physically separated from non-controlled data. If your ERP runs in the cloud, the data center must be located in the United States and operated exclusively by U.S. persons.
  • Export license tracking: When you do export controlled items, the ERP must track the applicable export license, the items covered, the authorized end-user, and the quantities shipped against license limits.
  • Audit trail: Every access to ITAR-controlled data should be logged. If DDTC (Directorate of Defense Trade Controls) audits you, you need to demonstrate who accessed what, when, and why.

Many mainstream cloud ERP vendors cannot meet these requirements in their standard deployment model. This is a fundamental filtering criterion early in the evaluation process.

DCAA-Compliant Cost Accounting

If you do business with the U.S. Department of Defense or other federal agencies, your cost accounting system must comply with the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and be auditable by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). This is not optional -- it is a condition of contracting.

DCAA compliance requires your ERP to support:

  • Indirect cost pool management: Your system must properly segregate and allocate overhead, G&A, fringe benefits, and other indirect costs across contracts using consistent allocation bases.
  • Timekeeping integration: Labor costs are typically the largest component of government contracts. Your ERP must integrate with a timekeeping system that captures labor hours by contract, work order, and cost element -- and that timekeeping system must meet DCAA requirements for daily recording, supervisor approval, and after-the-fact correction procedures.
  • Incurred cost submission: At the end of each fiscal year, contractors must submit an incurred cost proposal. Your ERP must be able to generate the schedules required for this submission.
  • Forward pricing rates: Your system needs to support the development and application of forward pricing rates for proposals and contract modifications.
  • Unallowable cost segregation: FAR Part 31 defines costs that are unallowable on government contracts (entertainment, lobbying, certain executive compensation). Your ERP must segregate these costs to prevent them from being charged to or allocated across government contracts.

Complex Multi-Level BOM Management

Aerospace products are among the most complex manufactured items in the world. A single aircraft can have 2-4 million individual parts. Even a subsystem like a landing gear assembly involves thousands of components organized in deep, multi-level BOMs with:

  • Revision control: Every BOM revision must be tracked, and you must be able to trace which revision was used for each unit produced.
  • Configuration management: Different variants of the same product may require different BOM structures. Your ERP must handle effectivity dates, serial number effectivity, and lot-based configuration.
  • As-designed vs. as-built vs. as-maintained: The engineering BOM (as-designed), the manufacturing BOM (as-built with substitutions and deviations), and the maintenance BOM (reflecting field modifications) may all be different. Your ERP must track each.
  • Counterfeit part prevention: AS6174 and related standards require traceability of every component back to its original manufacturer. Your ERP must support source traceability, authorized distributor verification, and inspection records for incoming parts.

AS9100 Quality Management

AS9100 is the aerospace-specific extension of ISO 9001. Your ERP must support:

  • First Article Inspection (FAI): Documentation and tracking of first article inspections per AS9102.
  • Non-conformance management: Tracking of material review board (MRB) actions, dispositions, corrective actions, and root cause analysis.
  • Supplier quality management: Approved supplier lists, supplier scorecards, incoming inspection requirements, and supplier corrective action requests (SCARs).
  • Process control: Statistical process control, measurement system analysis, and process capability tracking integrated with production operations.

MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul)

For companies in the MRO segment -- or OEMs with aftermarket service operations -- ERP must handle the unique workflows of maintenance operations:

  • Teardown and inspection: Receiving an assembly, disassembling it, inspecting components, and determining which can be repaired, which must be replaced, and which can be returned to service.
  • Dynamic BOM generation: The work scope is not known until teardown is complete. Your ERP must support the creation of work orders and material requirements after inspection.
  • Component tracking: Every serialized component must be tracked through the MRO process, with full traceability of its history, remaining life, and airworthiness status.
  • Regulatory compliance: FAA Part 145 (or EASA Part 145 in Europe) certification requires specific documentation, inspector qualifications, and record-keeping that your ERP must support.

Essential ERP Capabilities for Aerospace and Defense

| Capability | Why It Matters | |---|---| | ITAR/EAR compliance and access controls | Legal requirement for defense work; determines cloud deployment options | | DCAA-compliant cost accounting | Required for government contracts; audit failure can result in contract termination | | AS9100 quality management | Industry standard; customer and prime contractor requirement | | Complex multi-level BOM and configuration management | Products have thousands of components with variant configurations | | MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) | Aftermarket is often more profitable than original production | | Program and contract management | Long-lifecycle programs need integrated cost, schedule, and EVM tracking | | Earned Value Management (EVM) | Required on most DoD contracts above threshold; measures program performance | | Counterfeit part prevention and traceability | AS6174 compliance; critical for flight safety | | Export license management | Tracks licenses, agreements, and quantities against authorized limits | | Government contract FAR/DFARS compliance | Governs allowable costs, procurement, and small business subcontracting |

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ERP Vendors for SMB and Tier 2-3 Suppliers

Small and mid-size aerospace suppliers -- machine shops, fabricators, electronics assemblers, and sub-tier component manufacturers with $10M-$500M in revenue -- need ERP that addresses A&D-specific requirements without the cost and complexity of enterprise platforms.

Epicor Kinetic

Best for: Discrete aerospace manufacturers and machine shops that need AS9100 support and job shop flexibility.

Epicor Kinetic has the deepest out-of-the-box aerospace and defense functionality in the mid-market tier. Its manufacturing module handles the mix of job shop, make-to-order, and repetitive production that most A&D suppliers use. The quality management module supports AS9100 workflows including first article inspection, non-conformance tracking, and corrective/preventive action management.

Epicor's strength is on the shop floor: real-time data collection, finite capacity scheduling, and advanced planning and scheduling (APS) capabilities that handle the complex routing and resource constraints common in aerospace machining operations. The system supports multi-level BOMs with revision control and effectivity-based configuration management.

For government contractors, Epicor has project-based cost tracking, but its DCAA compliance features are not as deep as dedicated government contracting platforms. Companies with significant government contract revenue may need to supplement with specialized tools or carefully configure the cost accounting module.

Typical cost: $100K-$400K implementation, $50K-$150K annual subscription.

Infor CloudSuite Aerospace and Defense

Best for: Mid-size A&D manufacturers that want a purpose-built industry solution with deep MRO capabilities.

Infor CloudSuite Aerospace and Defense is built on the Infor LN platform (for complex manufacturing) and Infor EAM (for asset management), and it is purpose-built for this industry. Unlike competitors that offer aerospace as an add-on module, Infor's A&D solution was designed from the ground up for the workflows, data structures, and compliance requirements of aerospace manufacturing.

The MRO capabilities are particularly strong -- Infor has a large installed base among MRO providers and airlines. The system handles teardown and inspection workflows, dynamic work scoping, rotable inventory management, and airworthiness tracking. On the manufacturing side, it supports complex project-based manufacturing with deep BOM management, advanced planning, and integrated quality.

The trade-off: Infor LN is a powerful but complex platform. Implementation timelines tend to run longer than simpler mid-market systems, and the user interface, while modernized in the cloud version, still reflects the platform's heritage as a complex manufacturing system.

Typical cost: $150K-$500K implementation, $75K-$250K annual subscription.

SYSPRO

Best for: Mid-market A&D manufacturers with mixed-mode production (make-to-stock and make-to-order).

SYSPRO has carved out a meaningful presence in the defense contractor space, particularly among companies that do a mix of commercial and defense work. The system handles both standard manufacturing and project-based production, with good support for lot and serial traceability, quality management, and engineering change control.

SYSPRO's strength is its balance of manufacturing depth and usability. It is less complex to implement than Infor LN or SAP, while still providing the BOM management, production planning, and quality capabilities that A&D suppliers need. The system also has reasonable financial management for multi-entity operations.

The limitation: SYSPRO's ITAR compliance and DCAA cost accounting capabilities require significant configuration and may need partner add-ons. Companies whose primary business is government contracting should evaluate whether SYSPRO's out-of-the-box capabilities are sufficient or whether a dedicated government contracting platform is a better fit.

Typical cost: $75K-$300K implementation, $40K-$120K annual subscription.

Deltek Costpoint

Best for: Government contractors whose primary challenge is DCAA-compliant cost accounting, not complex manufacturing.

Deltek Costpoint is not a traditional ERP in the manufacturing sense -- it does not have deep shop floor management, advanced production scheduling, or MRO capabilities. But it is the dominant platform for government contract accounting in the U.S. defense industrial base. If your business is primarily government contracting and your manufacturing operations are relatively straightforward, Costpoint may be the right choice.

Costpoint's strengths are in the areas that matter most for DCAA compliance: indirect cost pool management, labor distribution, incurred cost submission preparation, forward pricing rate development, and earned value management. The system's timekeeping module (Deltek Time and Expense) is designed specifically to meet DCAA timekeeping requirements.

Many A&D companies run Costpoint for financial and contract management alongside a separate manufacturing execution system (MES) or lighter manufacturing ERP for shop floor operations. This two-system approach adds integration complexity but ensures best-in-class capabilities in both domains.

Typical cost: $100K-$400K implementation, $50K-$200K annual subscription.

Cetec ERP

Best for: Smaller A&D shops and contract electronics manufacturers that want modern, web-based ERP without legacy overhead.

Cetec ERP is a web-based platform that has gained traction among smaller aerospace suppliers, particularly contract electronics manufacturers and PCB assemblers. The system covers quoting, sales orders, BOMs, work orders, purchasing, quality, and shipping in a clean, modern interface.

Cetec supports AS9100 quality workflows and has basic lot/serial traceability. Its cloud-native architecture means no on-premise infrastructure to maintain. For sub-tier suppliers that need ITAR compliance, Cetec offers a U.S.-hosted deployment, though the depth of ITAR access controls is not as granular as larger platforms.

The trade-off: Cetec is a smaller vendor with a smaller ecosystem. If you need deep MRO, complex multi-level BOM configuration management, or advanced production scheduling, you will outgrow Cetec. But for smaller shops looking for an affordable entry point with A&D awareness, it is worth evaluating.

Typical cost: $10K-$50K implementation, $15K-$60K annual subscription.

SAP Business One

Best for: Smaller A&D companies that want SAP's brand credibility and a large partner ecosystem.

SAP Business One serves the SMB segment of the A&D market through its partner network. Several SAP partners have built A&D-specific add-ons for Business One that address quality management, project costing, and basic compliance tracking. The platform provides solid financial management, inventory control, and production planning.

The advantage of SAP Business One is the migration path: companies that start on Business One can eventually move to SAP S/4HANA as they grow, staying within the SAP ecosystem. The partner ecosystem is also large, which means more options for implementation support and industry-specific customization.

The limitation: Business One's manufacturing capabilities are not as deep as Epicor or Infor for complex A&D production. ITAR compliance and DCAA cost accounting require significant partner customization rather than being built into the core platform.

Typical cost: $75K-$250K implementation, $30K-$100K annual subscription.

ERP Vendors for Enterprise and Prime Contractors

Prime contractors, large Tier 1 suppliers, and defense enterprises with revenues above $500M need platforms that can handle massive scale, deep regulatory compliance, and program management across multi-decade lifecycles.

SAP S/4HANA for Aerospace and Defense

Best for: Prime contractors and large Tier 1 suppliers that need the deepest A&D manufacturing and program management capabilities.

SAP S/4HANA with its Aerospace and Defense industry solution is the platform of choice for most of the world's largest A&D companies, including Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and BAE Systems. The A&D industry solution includes purpose-built processes for program management, complex project manufacturing, MRO, and defense-specific compliance.

Key differentiators at the enterprise level: real-time profitability analysis across programs and contracts, integrated project and production planning for ETO (engineer-to-order) manufacturing, multi-plant coordination for distributed manufacturing operations, and deep integration with PLM systems (SAP PLM or third-party via middleware).

The ITAR challenge with SAP S/4HANA: while SAP offers U.S. sovereign cloud deployment options through partnerships (such as the SAP NS2 offering specifically designed for national security workloads), the global nature of SAP's standard cloud delivery can create compliance concerns. Companies with significant ITAR exposure should carefully evaluate deployment options.

Typical cost: $3M-$20M+ implementation, $1M-$5M+ annual licensing and support.

IFS Applications

Best for: A&D companies with significant MRO operations and complex asset management requirements.

IFS has built its reputation in aerospace and defense on the strength of its MRO and enterprise asset management capabilities. The platform serves major defense contractors, military maintenance depots, and commercial MRO providers worldwide. IFS's project-based manufacturing capabilities are well-suited to the ETO and complex project manufacturing workflows common in defense.

IFS differentiates on usability: the interface is more modern and intuitive than SAP or Infor LN, and the platform's configuration-over-customization approach tends to result in faster implementations and easier upgrades. The earned value management module is built into the core platform rather than being an add-on.

The trade-off: IFS has a smaller market share than SAP in the prime contractor segment, which means fewer implementation partners with deep experience at the largest scale. For Tier 1 suppliers and mid-size defense contractors, IFS is highly competitive. For the very largest prime contractors, the ecosystem question may favor SAP.

Typical cost: $1M-$10M+ implementation, $500K-$3M+ annual subscription.

Oracle ERP Cloud

Best for: Large A&D companies that want a cloud-native platform with strong financial management.

Oracle ERP Cloud has a growing practice in aerospace and defense, leveraging Oracle's strength in enterprise financial management and supply chain. The platform's cloud-native architecture appeals to organizations that want to avoid the infrastructure management overhead of on-premise systems.

Oracle's supply chain management and manufacturing modules handle complex BOM structures, project manufacturing, and multi-organization operations. The financial management layer provides the multi-entity, multi-currency, and multi-GAAP capabilities that international A&D companies require.

The ITAR consideration: Oracle offers Government Cloud (OC2/OC3) deployment options that meet FedRAMP and ITAR requirements. This is a critical differentiator for defense contractors evaluating cloud ERP, as not all enterprise cloud platforms offer compliant deployment options.

Typical cost: $2M-$12M+ implementation, $750K-$3M+ annual subscription.

Infor LN

Best for: Complex multi-site A&D manufacturing operations with deep configuration and project management needs.

At the enterprise tier, Infor LN (the underlying platform of CloudSuite Aerospace and Defense) handles the most complex A&D manufacturing scenarios. The system's project-based manufacturing capabilities are among the deepest available, supporting multi-plant coordination, long-term contract management, and serialized inventory tracking across the full product lifecycle.

Infor LN's strength is its data model, which was designed for complex manufacturing from inception. The system handles effectivity-based BOMs, engineering change management with full impact analysis, and project cost tracking with earned value at the work package level. For companies manufacturing complex assemblies with thousands of components and long production cycles, Infor LN's manufacturing depth is difficult to match.

Typical cost: $1.5M-$8M+ implementation, $500K-$2.5M+ annual subscription.

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Best for: A&D companies that prioritize analytics, AI capabilities, and Microsoft ecosystem integration.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Finance and Supply Chain Management) enters the A&D market through its partner ecosystem, which includes several firms that have built A&D-specific accelerators and compliance modules. The platform's native integration with Azure, Power BI, and the broader Microsoft stack creates a strong data and analytics foundation.

Microsoft's Azure Government Cloud meets FedRAMP High and DoD SRG IL4/IL5 requirements, making Dynamics 365 a viable option for defense contractors with strict data sovereignty requirements. The platform's AI and machine learning capabilities (through Azure AI) are increasingly relevant for predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, and anomaly detection in quality data.

The limitation: Microsoft relies entirely on its partner ecosystem for A&D industry functionality. The depth of industry-specific capabilities depends heavily on which partner's solution accelerator you adopt, and switching partners mid-implementation is difficult.

Typical cost: $1M-$8M+ implementation, $400K-$2M+ annual subscription.

Implementation Considerations for A&D

Security and Compliance Architecture

Before any functional discussion, A&D companies must resolve the security and compliance architecture:

  • CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification): DoD contractors must meet the appropriate CMMC level. Your ERP deployment model must support these requirements, which include access controls, audit logging, encryption, incident response, and configuration management.
  • NIST 800-171: Protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is required for all DoD contractors. Your ERP must be deployed in an environment that meets all 110 security requirements.
  • Data residency: ITAR data must reside within the United States and be accessible only to U.S. persons. If your ERP vendor's cloud infrastructure includes non-U.S. components (support staff, data replication, backup facilities), this creates a compliance risk.

Phased Implementation by Program

Large A&D companies often implement ERP by program or division rather than as a single "big bang" deployment. This approach reduces risk by allowing the team to learn from each phase before tackling the next. A typical phasing approach:

  1. Phase 1: Financial management, procurement, and HR (foundation)
  2. Phase 2: Manufacturing operations for one program or product line (pilot)
  3. Phase 3: Roll out manufacturing to additional programs
  4. Phase 4: MRO operations (if applicable)
  5. Phase 5: Advanced analytics and optimization

PLM Integration

The integration between ERP and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems is particularly critical in A&D. The engineering BOM in PLM must flow to the manufacturing BOM in ERP accurately and with full traceability. Common PLM platforms in A&D include Siemens Teamcenter, PTC Windchill, and Dassault ENOVIA. The ERP vendor's ability to integrate with your PLM system -- and the availability of pre-built connectors -- should be a significant factor in the evaluation.

A&D ERP Cost Breakdown

SMB / Tier 2-3 Suppliers ($10M-$500M Revenue)

| Cost Category | Range | |---|---| | Software Licensing (Annual) | $40,000 - $250,000 | | Implementation Services | $100,000 - $500,000 | | ITAR/Security Configuration | $25,000 - $150,000 | | Integrations (PLM, MES, etc.) | $50,000 - $200,000 | | Training and Change Management | $25,000 - $100,000 | | Total First-Year Cost | $240,000 - $1,200,000 |

Enterprise / Prime Contractors ($500M+ Revenue)

| Cost Category | Range | |---|---| | Software Licensing (Annual) | $500,000 - $5,000,000+ | | Implementation Services | $2,000,000 - $20,000,000+ | | Security/Compliance Infrastructure | $200,000 - $2,000,000 | | Integrations (PLM, MES, GovCon) | $500,000 - $3,000,000+ | | Change Management and Training | $300,000 - $2,000,000 | | Total First-Year Cost | $3,500,000 - $32,000,000+ |

Security and compliance requirements add 15-30% to implementation costs compared to equivalent commercial manufacturing implementations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes A&D ERP different from general manufacturing ERP?

Three things set A&D ERP apart: regulatory compliance (ITAR, DCAA, AS9100, CMMC), the complexity of products and programs (multi-level BOMs, serialized tracking, configuration management across long lifecycles), and the nature of the customer (government contracting with FAR/DFARS requirements, earned value management, and auditable cost accounting). A general manufacturing ERP handles production planning and inventory. An A&D ERP must also manage export controls, government contract cost pools, quality systems to aerospace standards, and program management across contracts that may span decades.

Can we use cloud ERP if we have ITAR-controlled data?

Yes, but only if the cloud deployment meets ITAR requirements. This means the data must be stored in the United States, accessed only by U.S. persons, and the cloud provider must be able to demonstrate compliance with ITAR requirements for the protection of technical data. Several ERP vendors offer ITAR-compliant cloud deployments: SAP NS2, Oracle Government Cloud, and Microsoft Azure Government are the most established options. Always verify with the vendor and your compliance counsel before committing to a cloud deployment for ITAR workloads.

Do we need separate systems for government and commercial work?

Not necessarily, but your ERP must be able to segregate government contract costs from commercial costs at a granular level. Many A&D companies run a single ERP instance for both government and commercial work, using project or contract-level cost segregation to ensure government cost pools are clean and auditable. The key requirement is that your indirect cost allocation methodology treats government and commercial work consistently, as required by CAS. Some companies find it operationally simpler to use dedicated government contracting modules (like Deltek Costpoint) alongside a manufacturing ERP.

How do we handle DCAA audits with our ERP?

DCAA auditors will examine your ERP system's ability to properly accumulate and allocate costs, maintain adequate timekeeping records, segregate unallowable costs, and generate the schedules required for incurred cost submissions. Your ERP should produce reports that align with DCAA audit programs: indirect cost pool summaries, labor distribution reports, forward pricing rate calculations, and billing reconciliations. The most important thing is consistency -- your system must apply cost accounting practices uniformly across all contracts and fiscal years.

What ERP capabilities do we need for MRO operations?

MRO requires several capabilities that standard manufacturing ERP does not address: teardown and inspection workflows with dynamic work scoping, rotable and repairable inventory management, component life tracking (hours, cycles, calendar), airworthiness documentation and release, and customer-owned material management. The ERP must also integrate with maintenance planning systems and support the documentation requirements of FAA Part 145 (or equivalent international regulations). IFS, Infor, and SAP all have strong MRO capabilities, but the depth varies significantly and should be evaluated against your specific MRO workflows.

How important is earned value management (EVM) in ERP?

For companies with DoD contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold, EVM is typically a contractual requirement per DFARS clause 252.234-7002. Your ERP must be able to generate EVM performance data at the work breakdown structure (WBS) level, including budgeted cost of work scheduled (BCWS), budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP), and actual cost of work performed (ACWP). Some companies generate EVM data from their ERP directly; others use dedicated EVM tools (Deltek Cobra, MPM) that integrate with ERP for actual cost data. Either approach works, but the integration between ERP cost data and EVM reporting must be seamless.

How do we prevent counterfeit parts from entering our supply chain through ERP?

ERP supports counterfeit prevention through several mechanisms: maintaining an approved supplier list with documented qualification processes, requiring purchase orders to be placed only with authorized distributors or original manufacturers, recording incoming inspection results including certificate of conformance verification, tracking lot and serial numbers from receipt through production and delivery, and flagging materials that arrive without proper documentation. AS6174 (SAE International's counterfeit parts standard) provides the framework, and your ERP's quality and purchasing modules must support these workflows.

What is the typical implementation timeline for A&D ERP?

For SMB and Tier 2-3 suppliers implementing a mid-market system, plan for 6-15 months. The timeline is longer than general manufacturing because of the additional configuration required for quality management, compliance tracking, and potentially DCAA cost accounting setup. For enterprise implementations at prime contractors, expect 24-48 months or longer, particularly if the scope includes MRO and multiple manufacturing sites. Many enterprise A&D implementations are phased across 3-5 years, rolling out by division or program.

Should we prioritize manufacturing depth or compliance depth in our ERP selection?

This depends on your business model. If you are primarily a manufacturer with some government work, prioritize manufacturing depth (BOM management, production scheduling, shop floor control) and supplement with compliance tools as needed. If you are primarily a government contractor with simpler manufacturing, prioritize compliance depth (DCAA cost accounting, earned value, contract management) and accept lighter manufacturing capabilities. For companies that need both, platforms like Infor CloudSuite A&D, SAP S/4HANA A&D, and IFS attempt to deliver both in a single platform.

How do we evaluate ERP for export control compliance?

During vendor evaluation, ask these specific questions: How does your system enforce user access based on citizenship or authorization status? Can you demonstrate ITAR data segregation in a multi-tenant cloud environment? How do you track export licenses and shipments against license terms? Can the system generate reports showing all accesses to controlled technical data? What is your process for verifying that cloud infrastructure personnel meet ITAR person requirements? Can you provide documentation of your ITAR compliance posture for our facilities security officer (FSO)?

Next Steps: Build Your ERP Requirements

Aerospace and defense ERP selection is high-stakes. The wrong choice can result in compliance failures, contract losses, and audit findings that damage your reputation with government customers. Start with a thorough requirements document that covers manufacturing capabilities, regulatory compliance, quality management, and the specific contracting and security requirements of your business.

Build your ERP functional requirements with our free template to get started. The template covers all major ERP modules and can be extended with A&D-specific requirements for ITAR compliance, DCAA cost accounting, AS9100 quality, MRO, and earned value management.

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