Short answer: DLA posts drawings and specs for many buys in TDMT, the Technical Data Management Transformation system that replaced cFolders. Register in AMPS and sign in through DLA's Okta. For export-controlled data you also need JCP certification (an approved DD Form 2345), DLA Enhanced Validation (DEV) approval and a current NIST SP 800-171 score in SPRS.
Why tech data decides the bid
If a DLA item is built to a drawing, the drawing is the spec. Without it you can't get a real quote from a machine shop, check the material or finish, or tell whether first article or special inspection applies. Quoting a built-to-print item without the data is how suppliers win contracts they can't perform.
Some items don't need drawings from DLA. When the item description names an approved manufacturer's CAGE code and part number and you're supplying that exact part, the part number is the spec. The approved-source rules decide whether you can quote at all. See Approved Source on DIBBS.
TDMT replaced cFolders
You can reach TDMT two ways, according to DLA:
- from the DIBBS home page or the link on the solicitation, after you sign in to ; or
- directly at tdmt.dla.mil.
Either way, you sign in through DLA's Okta multi-factor authentication with your AMPS credentials.
Step 1: Get an AMPS account
AMPS, the Account Management and Provisioning System, is how DLA manages access to its applications (). DLA's supplier resources page tells vendors who need technical data to register in AMPS first, then use Okta to reach TDMT. DLA also publishes TDMT vendor training linked from that page.
Practical tips:
- Register with a company email address you'll keep. Personal addresses and shared inboxes cause trouble later.
- Set up the Okta authenticator before you need the data. Don't start the day an RFQ closes.
- Make sure the DIBBS account tied to your CAGE has TDMT enabled.
Step 2: For export-controlled data, get JCP certification
Some military drawings are export controlled. To see them, DLA's lists what a supplier needs:
- Active SAM registration and CAGE.
- JCP certification. An approved DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, through the JCP Portal.
- A current NIST SP 800-171 assessment posted in SPRS, renewed every 3 years.
- DLA Enhanced Validation (DEV) approval. A DLA-specific validation beyond standard JCP certification, which DLA says was previously called EJCP. HQ DLA grants final DEV access to export-controlled data in TDMT, not the JCP office.
- A DIBBS account with TDMT enabled.
- A legitimate business need for the data.
Your supplier needs it too
This is the part people miss. DLA's JCP page says data restricted under DEV can only be shared with other JCP-certified entities that have active DEV approval and a need for the data. Primes are responsible for verifying a subcontractor's authorization before sharing.
So if you're a distributor or a shop sending the drawing to an outside machinist, plater or heat treater, they need the right certification too. Emailing an export-controlled drawing to an uncertified vendor isn't a paperwork slip. It's a potential export-control violation.
DLA's master solicitation for automated buys also says that when export control is cited, the quoting company and its source of supply both need current JCP certification and DLA approval to access the data, and that DLA doesn't intend to delay award while a supplier applies. Check the current text on .
How to tell whether an RFQ has tech data
- The Section B item description references drawings, specifications or a technical data package.
- The RFQ cover or notes point you to where technical data must be obtained.
- An export-control note or standard text object appears in the item description.
- The RFQ says no data is available, which on approved-source items often means an alternate offer would need a full data package of your own.
If the data is listed but you can't open it, don't price from guesses. Fix access first, or skip the RFQ.
A quick tech-data checklist before you quote
- Does the item description name an approved CAGE and part number, or a drawing?
- Can you open the drawing in TDMT today?
- Is it export controlled? If so, are you JCP certified with DEV approval and a current NIST SP 800-171 score in SPRS?
- Is every outside processor who'll see the drawing certified as well?
- Have you read the drawing notes for material, finish, testing and inspection that change price?
Where FedOpp fits
FedOpp's go / no-go checks include JCP and ITAR gates on your Match Profile, so you can see before you research whether a row needs JCP and DEV access. Rows you can't access can be skipped quickly. You still get the data from TDMT and quote on DIBBS yourself. FedOpp is $199 a month after a 7-day free trial.
See also How to Research an NSN Before You Bid and How to Read a DIBBS RFQ.
Also see search DIBBS by NSN.
Also see DIBBS bid checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced cFolders at DLA?
DLA says the Technical Data Management Transformation (TDMT) system has replaced cFolders as the vendor access point for technical documents.
How do I get access to TDMT?
Register in DLA's AMPS, then sign in through DLA's Okta multi-factor authentication from DIBBS or directly at tdmt.dla.mil.
Do I need JCP certification to bid on DLA contracts?
Only to access export-controlled technical data. Those items need an approved DD Form 2345, DLA Enhanced Validation (DEV) approval and a current NIST SP 800-171 assessment in SPRS.
What is DLA Enhanced Validation (DEV)?
DEV is a DLA-specific validation beyond JCP certification that grants access to export-controlled data in TDMT. DLA says it was previously called EJCP.
Can I send an export-controlled DLA drawing to my machine shop?
Only if the shop is also JCP certified with active DEV approval and has a need for the data. DLA says primes must verify that first.
Last verified 2026-10-08 · Author FedOpp
Sources
Practical notes, not legal advice. The solicitation controls.