diff --git a/azure.yaml b/azure.yaml
index 467fbbddc..6e6291d1e 100644
--- a/azure.yaml
+++ b/azure.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ environment:
   name: conversation-knowledge-mining
   location: eastus
 name: conversation-knowledge-mining
+
+requiredVersions:
+  azd: ">= 1.15.0"
+
 metadata:
   template: conversation-knowledge-mining@1.0
 
diff --git a/documents/DeploymentGuide.md b/documents/DeploymentGuide.md
index 5a0c17c41..bdd4dabb8 100644
--- a/documents/DeploymentGuide.md
+++ b/documents/DeploymentGuide.md
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ If you're not using one of the above options for opening the project, then you'l
 
 1. Make sure the following tools are installed:
     - [PowerShell](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/install/installing-powershell?view=powershell-7.5) <small>(v7.0+)</small> - available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
-    - [Azure Developer CLI (azd)](https://aka.ms/install-azd)
+    - [Azure Developer CLI (azd)](https://aka.ms/install-azd) <small>(v1.15.0+)</small> - version
     - [Python 3.9+](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
     - [Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/)
     - [Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads)
diff --git a/infra/deploy_ai_foundry.bicep b/infra/deploy_ai_foundry.bicep
index ee378fea5..9a1b6b557 100644
--- a/infra/deploy_ai_foundry.bicep
+++ b/infra/deploy_ai_foundry.bicep
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Creates Azure dependent resources for Azure AI studio
 param solutionName string
 param solutionLocation string
-param keyVaultName string
+param keyVaultName string=''
 param cuLocation string
 param deploymentType string
 param gptModelName string
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ param azureOpenAIApiVersion string
 param gptDeploymentCapacity int
 param embeddingModel string
 param embeddingDeploymentCapacity int
-param managedIdentityObjectId string
+param managedIdentityObjectId string=''
 param existingLogAnalyticsWorkspaceId string = ''
 param azureExistingAIProjectResourceId string = ''
 
@@ -116,6 +116,15 @@ resource aiServices 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts@2025-04-01-preview' =
   }
 }
 
+module existing_aiServicesModule 'existing_foundry_project.bicep' = if (!empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId)) {
+  name: 'existing_foundry_project'
+  scope: resourceGroup(existingAIServiceSubscription, existingAIServiceResourceGroup)
+  params: {
+    aiServicesName: existingAIServicesName
+    aiProjectName: existingAIProjectName
+  }
+}
+
 resource aiServices_CU 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts@2025-04-01-preview' = {
   name: aiServicesName_cu
   location: location_cu
@@ -225,6 +234,7 @@ resource aiUser 'Microsoft.Authorization/roleDefinitions@2022-04-01' existing =
   name: '53ca6127-db72-4b80-b1b0-d745d6d5456d'
 }
 
+
 resource assignFoundryRoleToMI 'Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments@2022-04-01' = if (empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId))  {
   name: guid(resourceGroup().id, aiServices.id, aiUser.id)
   scope: aiServices
@@ -234,7 +244,6 @@ resource assignFoundryRoleToMI 'Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments@2022-04-
     principalType: 'ServicePrincipal'
   }
 }
-
 module assignFoundryRoleToMIExisting 'deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep' = if (!empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId)) {
   name: 'assignFoundryRoleToMI'
   scope: resourceGroup(existingAIServiceSubscription, existingAIServiceResourceGroup)
@@ -244,6 +253,15 @@ module assignFoundryRoleToMIExisting 'deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep' = if
     aiServicesName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existingAIServicesName : aiServicesName
     aiProjectName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existingAIProjectName : aiProjectName
     principalId: managedIdentityObjectId
+    aiLocation: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.location : solutionLocation
+    aiKind: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.kind : 'AIServices'
+    aiSkuName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.skuName : 'S0'
+    customSubDomainName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.customSubDomainName : aiServicesName
+    publicNetworkAccess: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.publicNetworkAccess : 'Enabled'
+    enableSystemAssignedIdentity: true
+    defaultNetworkAction: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.defaultNetworkAction : 'Allow'
+    vnetRules: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.vnetRules : []
+    ipRules: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.ipRules : []
   }
 }
 
@@ -270,6 +288,15 @@ module assignOpenAIRoleToAISearch 'deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep' = {
     aiServicesName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existingAIServicesName : aiServicesName
     aiProjectName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existingAIProjectName : aiProjectName
     principalId: aiSearch.identity.principalId
+    aiLocation: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.location : solutionLocation
+    aiKind: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.kind : 'AIServices'
+    aiSkuName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.skuName : 'S0'
+    customSubDomainName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.customSubDomainName : aiServicesName
+    publicNetworkAccess: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.publicNetworkAccess : 'Enabled'
+    enableSystemAssignedIdentity: true
+    defaultNetworkAction: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.defaultNetworkAction : 'Allow'
+    vnetRules: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.vnetRules : []
+    ipRules: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.ipRules : []
   }
 }
 
@@ -470,7 +497,6 @@ resource azureLocatioEntry 'Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets@2021-11-01-preview
     value: solutionLocation
   }
 }
-
 output keyvaultName string = keyvaultName
 output keyvaultId string = keyVault.id
 output aiServicesTarget string = !empty(existingOpenAIEndpoint) ? existingOpenAIEndpoint : aiServices.properties.endpoints['OpenAI Language Model Instance API'] //aiServices_m.properties.endpoint
diff --git a/infra/deploy_backend_docker.bicep b/infra/deploy_backend_docker.bicep
index 9354448d1..607e8f28c 100644
--- a/infra/deploy_backend_docker.bicep
+++ b/infra/deploy_backend_docker.bicep
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ param aiServicesName string
 param useLocalBuild string
 param azureExistingAIProjectResourceId string = ''
 param aiSearchName string
+param aideploymentsLocation string
 var existingAIServiceSubscription = !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? split(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId, '/')[2] : subscription().subscriptionId
 var existingAIServiceResourceGroup = !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? split(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId, '/')[4] : resourceGroup().name
 var existingAIServicesName = !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? split(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId, '/')[8] : ''
+var existingAIProjectName = !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? split(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId, '/')[10] : ''
 
 var imageName = 'DOCKER|${acrName}.azurecr.io/km-api:${imageTag}'
 param name string 
@@ -165,6 +167,15 @@ resource aiUser 'Microsoft.Authorization/roleDefinitions@2022-04-01' existing =
   name: '53ca6127-db72-4b80-b1b0-d745d6d5456d'
 }
 
+module existing_aiServicesModule 'existing_foundry_project.bicep' = if (!empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId)) {
+  name: 'existing_foundry_project'
+  scope: resourceGroup(existingAIServiceSubscription, existingAIServiceResourceGroup)
+  params: {
+    aiServicesName: existingAIServicesName
+    aiProjectName: existingAIProjectName
+  }
+}
+
 module assignAiUserRoleToAiProject 'deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep' = {
   name: 'assignAiUserRoleToAiProject'
   scope: resourceGroup(existingAIServiceSubscription, existingAIServiceResourceGroup)
@@ -173,6 +184,16 @@ module assignAiUserRoleToAiProject 'deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep' = {
     roleDefinitionId: aiUser.id
     roleAssignmentName: guid(appService.name, aiServices.id, aiUser.id)
     aiServicesName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existingAIServicesName : aiServicesName
+    aiProjectName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? split(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId, '/')[10] : ''
+    aiLocation: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.location : aideploymentsLocation
+    aiKind: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.kind : 'AIServices'
+    aiSkuName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.skuName : 'S0'
+    customSubDomainName: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.customSubDomainName : aiServicesName
+    publicNetworkAccess: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.publicNetworkAccess : 'Enabled'
+    enableSystemAssignedIdentity: true
+    defaultNetworkAction: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.defaultNetworkAction : 'Allow'
+    vnetRules: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.vnetRules : []
+    ipRules: !empty(azureExistingAIProjectResourceId) ? existing_aiServicesModule.outputs.ipRules : []
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/infra/deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep b/infra/deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep
index d559b2a98..1fca921c9 100644
--- a/infra/deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep
+++ b/infra/deploy_foundry_role_assignment.bicep
@@ -3,16 +3,52 @@ param roleDefinitionId string
 param roleAssignmentName string = ''
 param aiServicesName string
 param aiProjectName string = ''
+param aiLocation string=''
+param aiKind string=''
+param aiSkuName string=''
+param enableSystemAssignedIdentity bool = true
+param customSubDomainName string = ''
+param publicNetworkAccess string = ''
+param defaultNetworkAction string
+param vnetRules array = []
+param ipRules array = []
 
-resource aiServices 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts@2025-04-01-preview' existing = {
+// AI Services with Identity (enabled only if flag is true)
+resource aiServices 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts@2025-04-01-preview' = if (enableSystemAssignedIdentity) {
   name: aiServicesName
+  location: aiLocation
+  kind: aiKind
+  sku: {
+    name: aiSkuName
+  }
+  identity: {
+    type: 'SystemAssigned'
+  }
+  properties: {
+    allowProjectManagement: true
+    customSubDomainName: customSubDomainName 
+    networkAcls: {
+      defaultAction: defaultNetworkAction
+      virtualNetworkRules: vnetRules
+      ipRules: ipRules
+    }
+    publicNetworkAccess: publicNetworkAccess
+
+  }
 }
 
-resource aiProject 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts/projects@2025-04-01-preview' existing = if (!empty(aiProjectName)) {
+// AI Project with Identity (only if name provided and flag is true)
+resource aiProject 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts/projects@2025-04-01-preview' = if (!empty(aiProjectName) && enableSystemAssignedIdentity) {
   name: aiProjectName
   parent: aiServices
+  location: aiLocation
+  identity: {
+    type: 'SystemAssigned'
+  }
+  properties: {}
 }
 
+// Role Assignment to AI Services
 resource roleAssignmentToFoundry 'Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments@2022-04-01' = {
   name: roleAssignmentName
   scope: aiServices
@@ -22,5 +58,6 @@ resource roleAssignmentToFoundry 'Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments@2022-0
   }
 }
 
+// Outputs
 output aiServicesPrincipalId string = aiServices.identity.principalId
-output aiProjectPrincipalId string =  !empty(aiProjectName) ? aiProject.identity.principalId : ''
+output aiProjectPrincipalId string = !empty(aiProjectName) ? aiProject.identity.principalId : ''
diff --git a/infra/existing_foundry_project.bicep b/infra/existing_foundry_project.bicep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bad110cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/infra/existing_foundry_project.bicep
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+@description('Name of the existing Azure AI Services account')
+param aiServicesName string
+
+@description('Name of the existing AI Project under the AI Services account')
+param aiProjectName string
+
+resource aiServices 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts@2025-04-01-preview' existing = {
+  name: aiServicesName
+}
+
+resource aiProject 'Microsoft.CognitiveServices/accounts/projects@2025-04-01-preview' existing = {
+  name: aiProjectName
+  parent: aiServices
+}
+
+
+
+// Outputs: AI Services Account
+output location string = aiServices.location
+output skuName string = aiServices.sku.name
+output kind string = aiServices.kind
+output allowProjectManagement bool = aiServices.properties.allowProjectManagement
+output customSubDomainName string = aiServices.properties.customSubDomainName
+output publicNetworkAccess string = aiServices.properties.publicNetworkAccess
+output defaultNetworkAction string = aiServices.properties.networkAcls.defaultAction
+output ipRules array = aiServices.properties.networkAcls.ipRules
+output vnetRules array = aiServices.properties.networkAcls.virtualNetworkRules
+
+// Outputs: AI Project
+
+output projectLocation string = aiProject.location
+output projectKind string = aiProject.kind
+output projectProvisioningState string = aiProject.properties.provisioningState
+// output projectDisplayName string = aiProject.properties.displayName
+// output projectDescription string = aiProject.properties.description
diff --git a/infra/main.bicep b/infra/main.bicep
index a1f36a6ac..2127c38f9 100644
--- a/infra/main.bicep
+++ b/infra/main.bicep
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ module aifoundry 'deploy_ai_foundry.bicep' = {
     embeddingDeploymentCapacity: embeddingDeploymentCapacity
     managedIdentityObjectId: managedIdentityModule.outputs.managedIdentityOutput.objectId
     existingLogAnalyticsWorkspaceId: existingLogAnalyticsWorkspaceId
-    azureExistingAIProjectResourceId: azureExistingAIProjectResourceId 
+    azureExistingAIProjectResourceId: azureExistingAIProjectResourceId
 
   }
   scope: resourceGroup(resourceGroup().name)
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ module backend_docker 'deploy_backend_docker.bicep' = {
   params: {
     name: 'api-${solutionPrefix}'
     solutionLocation: solutionLocation
+    aideploymentsLocation: aiDeploymentsLocation
     imageTag: imageTag
     acrName: acrName
     appServicePlanId: hostingplan.outputs.name