The first publication of the VICS CPFR Voluntary Guidelines came out in 1998. Currently there are committees "to develop business guidelines and roadmaps for various collaborative scenarios, which include upstream suppliers, suppliers of finished goods and retailers, which integrate demand and supply planning and execution. The committee is continuing to improve the existing guidelines, tools and critical first steps that enable the implementation of CPFR." These committees gained experience from pilot studies which have occurred over the past six years. VICS continues to lead much of the research and implementation of CPFR through its guidelines and project investigations.