REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) for. Software Implementation of. Oracle Customer Care & Billing (CC&B) Metered Work and Asset Management

Transcription

1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) for Software Implementation of Oracle Customer Care & Billing (CC&B) Metered Work and Asset Management Customer Self Service Mobile Workforce Management For Greenville Utilities Commission RFP Number: Key Proposal Dates OFFERORS NOTICE OF INTENT TO RESPOND: MARCH 10, 2014 MANDATORY OFFERORS CONFERENCE: MARCH 11, 2014; 1:00 2:00 EASTERN PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: APRIL 2, 2014; 4:00PM EASTERN ORAL PRESENTATIONS FOR SELECTED RESPONDERS: APRIL 29 MAY 2, 2014

2 1 Contents 1 General Introduction Introduction Company Background Project Background Notice to all Recipients of this RFP Copyright Minority Business Participation Program Good Faith Statement Preparation Of Proposal Proposal Withdrawal Governing Laws And Adminstrative Code 10 2 Proposal Information Table of Key Proposal Dates General Instructions and Submission Requirements Proposal Manager and Contact with GUC Ethics and Conduct of Offerors RFP Submission Minimum Qualifications Evaluation Criteria Choosing to Respond Cost of Proposal Oral Presentations Company Rights 17 Confidential Page 2 2/27/2014

3 2.12 Confidentiality Other General Information Due Diligence Exceptions and Clarifications 19 3 Information and Guidance for Offerors Current State Technology Current CIS Interfacing Systems/System Inventory Greenville Utilities ORACLE Application Infrastructure User Authentication Requirement ORACLE WAM Integrations (Engineering/ Outage /Mobile) Integration System Objectives Project Management and Resources Program Organization Implementation Planning Guidance Functional Area/Project Teams Work Control Work Schedule Training Change Control Process Scope of Work Methodology and Planning Scope by Suggested Project Methodology General Software Configuration, Customization and Testing Fit/Gap Analysis and Future State Business Process Flow Design Data Conversion Interfaces 33 Confidential Page 3 2/27/2014

4 3.3.8 Training Plans Roles and Responsibilities GUC Furnished Services Technical Documentation and Requirements 37 4 SI Response Content and Format Executive Summary Qualifications and Experience Methodology Project Plan Proposed Staffing Price Proposal Specified Agreement Concepts 47 Confidential Page 4 2/27/2014

5 Under separate cover: APP-A Functional Requirements Functional requirements workbook. This list is representative of the current requirements. GUC is expecting to work with the chosen System Integrator during an analysis and functional design phase to determine how these specific requirements will be included in the system design. This workbook includes the following information: o o o CIS Functional Requirements, including Customer Self Service Metered WAM Functional Requirements Mobile Workforce Management Requirements APP-B To-Be Process Flows GUC has completed work on an initial set of future state process flows. These are being provided for informational purposes to help Offerors scope the work. GUC is expecting to work with the chosen System Integrator during an analysis and functional design phase to determine how these process flows will be included in the system design. APP-C GUC Interfaces Current interface inventory APP-D GUC Letters Current letter inventory APP-E GUC Metrics Key metrics for certain business processes APP-F Offeror Insurance Requirements Minimum requirements the selected provider will need to maintain APP-G North Carolina E-Verify Statement to be Completed by Offerors and Returned to GUC APP-H Certified Good Faith Statement to be Completed by Offerors and Returned to GUC APP-I GUC Reports Current reports inventory APP-J Greenville-Logical-Physical-Architecture Overview of current Oracle environments APP-K GUC System Diagram GUC System Map Pricing workbook to be Completed by Offerors and Returned to GUC in Microsoft Excel.xlsx Format (compatible with version 2010) o SI Pricing.xls System Integrator Pricing Workbook Confidential Page 5 2/27/2014

6 1 General Introduction 1.1 Introduction Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC) has chartered a program to Optimize Processes and Technology to Improve Customer Service (OPTICS). This program modernizes GUC s information systems through the implementation of a suite of Oracle products. The ebusiness Suite has already been implemented for Finance and Human Resources. There is an ongoing initiative to implement Work and Asset Management (WAM) for unmetered services. The next project under the OPTICS program is to implement Oracle s Customer Care & Billing (CC&B) solution, Customer Self Service (CSS), Mobile Workforce Management (MWM) and the metered services within WAM. GUC is considering two options for this implementation and asking for pricing on both. Option 1: Full Scope. This includes CC&B, metered WAM, Mobile Workforce Management (MWM), and Customer Self Service (CSS) o o o o The implementation of core ORACLE CC&B functionality and the establishment of core business logic for customer care and billing work, including Customer Self Service. The implementation of core ORACLE WAM functionality and the establishment of core business logic for enterprise management of assets and field work for customer and metered functions. The implementation of core ORACLE MWM functionality and the establishment of core business logic for mobile workforce management work. The integration of processes, data, and related systems between the above components, including implementation of the Field Work Process Integration Pack (PIP) and the productized integration between CC&B and e-business Suite (EBS) (collectively, the Integration ). Option 2: Partial Scope. This includes CC&B and metered WAM. o o o The implementation of core ORACLE CC&B functionality and the establishment of core business logic for customer care and billing work, including Customer Self Service. The implementation of core ORACLE WAM functionality and the establishment of core business logic for enterprise management of assets and field work for customer and metered functions. The integration of processes, data, and related systems between the above components, including implementation of the Field Work Process Integration Pack (PIP) and the productized integration between CC&B and e-business Suite (EBS) (collectively, the Integration ). Confidential Page 6 2/27/2014

7 The requirements for the four scope components are defined in APP-A. The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to provide the requirements and guidelines that will be used to select a System Integrator (SI) to assist GUC in this implementation. GUC is seeking an experienced System Integrator to assist with the integration and implementation of this solution into the overall GUC system landscape. GUC encourages qualified RFP recipients, who can provide full system integration services for the listed scope, to respond with details on their services and project approach. GUC will only consider proposals from implementers that will implement the full scope of the software indicated in this RFP. Offerors submitting bids for less than the total scope contained in this RFP will not be considered. GUC understands that this approach may result in the Offerors use of subcontractors. Offerors are asked to carefully read the contents of this RFP for what information must be communicated about subcontractors to GUC. Proposals should include all costs as they relate to professional services, travel, and any other expenses associated with the Offeror s proposal. 1.2 Company Background GUC provides electric, water, wastewater and natural gas services to the City of Greenville encompassing 75% of Pitt County and serves a combined total of more than 135,800 customer connections. In addition, GUC provides billing and collection for other municipal entities. GUC is a municipally-owned utility and operates under a separate charter issued by the N.C. General Assembly. GUC is guided and managed by an eight-member Board of Commissioners. The Board is responsible for approving rates, strategic plans, the annual budget and setting operating and extension policies. 1.3 Project Background As noted above, GUC has chartered a program to Optimize Technology and Processes to Improve Customer Service (OPTICS). This program modernizes GUC s information systems through the implementation of a suite of Oracle products. OPTICS has three primary phases: Confidential Page 7 2/27/2014

8 1. Cornerstone: This covers the implementation of Finance and HR-related solutions. Oracle s ebusiness Suite for Finance and Human Resources was implemented in July Synergy: This is an ongoing initiative to implement Work and Asset Management (WAM) for unmetered services, which is scheduled for production deployment in the fall of Navigate: This is the project to implement Oracle s Customer Care & Billing (CC&B) solution, Customer Self Service, Mobile Work Force Management and the metered services within WAM. The primary drivers for change in Customer Service (CS) are related to two key factors: 1. Inability to perform CS functions (meter to cash) in alignment with customer expectations (one-stop shopping, visibility into the full lifecycle of the customer experience, etc.). 2. Current system is beyond end-of-life. Replacement of the current CIS application is motivated by the need for an architecture that will support future operational needs and customer expectations. When E- CIS/Orcom was implemented in 1999 it was a contemporary solution. However, over time, vendor investment in this software system has failed to keep pace with the market for CIS software. Additionally, GUC s business has expanded to include services to other regional accounts, which requires a more flexible customer information system than the current Orcom system. GUC s expectation is that meter inventory will be maintained within CC&B and that CC&B will integrate meter-related service orders/field activities with WAM to allow work for field and service crews to receive and manage their work from the WAM system. This is what is meant by metered WAM or WAM for metered services. The integrator for this project should assume that WAM for non-metered services will be fully configured prior to starting the Navigate project. The project objectives include: Confidential Page 8 2/27/2014

9 Support the stated goal of GUC to optimize technology and processes to improve customer service Minimize customizations, maintain maximum software vendor maintenance coverage over deployed software Provide for a tight integration of the software footprint at GUC Plan for and support Business Transformation Management through needs assessment, communication campaigns, training, focus groups, etc. Documented processes including process maps Identify those business processes that need to be analyzed to reduce cost Use information technology systems to build institutional knowledge and automation of workflow processes Support the strategic vision, mission, and business objectives Solution addresses and supports all regulatory compliance Establish adequate application design controls and ensure business rules are documented as living requirements Provide for knowledge transfer to GUC technical employees so that GUC can leverage the capabilities of the installed solution and provide for the long term technical support of the system. Provide for knowledge transfer to GUC functional employees so that GUC can leverage the capabilities of the installed solution and provide for the long term functional support of the system. 1.4 Notice to all Recipients of this RFP Neither submission by GUC nor your acceptance to respond to this RFP, in whole or in part, constitutes acceptance by GUC of any contractual terms contained in your response, if any, and shall not form a binding agreement between the parties. Such an agreement shall only exist upon the execution of a mutually acceptable contract by both parties. Except as otherwise set forth in such a contract, GUC makes no representations or warranties to bidders. 1.5 Copyright This entire document is considered protected in favor of GUC by copyright according to US law. The contents of this document, including annexes and additions thereto, are the intellectual property of GUC. No part of it may be reproduced or retransmitted in any form or means without the prior written permission of GUC, which may be withheld in GUC s sole discretion. Confidential Page 9 2/27/2014

10 1.6 Minority Business Participation Program GUC has adopted an Affirmative Action and Minority and Women Business Enterprise Plan (M/WBE) Program. Firms submitting a proposal are attesting that they also have taken affirmative action to ensure equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment, and to utilize M/WBE suppliers of materials and/or labor. 1.7 Good Faith Statement All information provided by GUC in this RFP is offered in good faith. Individual item(s) are subject to change at any time. GUC makes no certification that any item(s) are without error. GUC is not responsible or liable for any use of the information or for any asserted claims. 1.8 Preparation Of Proposal Proposals must be in envelopes clearly marked on the outside with the name of the proposal and the proposal due date and time. Proposals shall be addressed to: Greenville Utilities Commission ATTENTION: Purchasing Department, Cleve Haddock, Buyer II 401 S. Greene Street Greenville, North Carolina Proposal Withdrawal A proposer must notify GUC in writing of its request to withdraw a proposal within seventy-two (72) hours after the proposal opening, not including Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays. In order to justify withdrawal, the bidder must demonstrate that a substantial error exists and that the proposal was submitted in good faith Governing Laws And Adminstrative Code All contracts, transactions, agreements, etc., are made under and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina. Bids, proposals, and awards are subject to applicable provisions of the North Carolina Administrative Code. Confidential Page 10 2/27/2014

11 2 Proposal Information Proposal Title: OPTICS Software Implementation GUC RFP Number: An Offerors conference call will be held on March 11, 2014 by GUC for all organizations that will be responding to this RFP. This conference is scheduled from 1:00 PM 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Attendance at this conference is mandatory for all Offerors. 2.1 Table of Key Proposal Dates Item/Action Mandatory for Responding Offerors Date RFP Release Date No February 27, 2014 Offerors Notice of Intent via to Proposal Manager Offerors Conference Overview and Q&A Session Yes March 10, 2014, 4:00 PM Eastern Yes March 11, 2014, 1:00 2:00 PM Eastern Conference Bridge: Passcode: Offerors Written Questions No March 19, 2014, 4:00 PM Eastern GUC Written Response to Questions No March 24, 2014 Proposal Due Date via FTP submission; hard copy responses to follow within 2 business days Yes April 2, 2014, 4:00 PM Eastern Oral Presentation Agenda to Selected Offerors No April 15, 2014 Selected Offerors Oral Presentations Yes April 29 May 2, 2014 Confidential Page 11 2/27/2014

12 Item/Action Held at GUC s offices in Greenville, NC Mandatory for Responding Offerors Date GUC reserves the right to adjust any of the RFP key dates. If the dates are adjusted, all Offerors who received a copy of the RFP from the Proposal Manager will be notified in writing. Any prospective Offeror failing to meet any milestone without prior notification and consent of GUC will constitute cause for disqualification. The response format described later in this RFP is mandatory. All formatting, outline numbering, specific explanations, and examples must adhere to and match the GUC response format. Confidential Page 12 2/27/2014

13 2.2 General Instructions and Submission Requirements This section contains information on contact with GUC, assembling the RFP, content, revisions, communications, presentations, interviews, proposal preparation costs, proposal submission and company rights. 2.3 Proposal Manager and Contact with GUC All communication/information should be channeled through the Proposal Manager listed below. Proposal Manager: Title: Mailing Address: Cleve Haddock Buyer II Greenville Utilities Commission 401 S. Greene Street Greenville, N.C Please submit all questions by and limit communication related to this RFP to the Proposal Manager. Guidelines for contacting GUC during the RFP process and proposals: 1. If your organization might have any conflict of interest, including employment of an immediate family member or in-law of a GUC employee, contact the Proposal Manager immediately for resolution. 2. After receipt of the RFP, no Offeror can contact any employee or consultant working on this RFP on behalf of GUC other than the Proposal Manager. No GUC employee or consultant working on this RFP may discuss the RFP with any Offeror without written permission from the Proposal Manager. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in disqualification of the Offeror s bid. 3. Any contact from Offerors via must be sent to the Proposal Manager. 4. If you are unclear about the RFP prior to the Offerors Conference, send questions to the Proposal Manager by GUC will conduct an Offerors conference to answer general questions about philosophies, strategies, policies, procedures, and requirements. 6. Once a selection is made by GUC, the successful Offeror will work with project managers and functional team leaders as assigned by GUC. 7. Questions about the RFP Confidential Page 13 2/27/2014

14 All questions should be submitted to the Proposal Manager via only, no exceptions. GUC will compile questions and send written responses via to all Offerors who have submitted their intent and attended the Offeror s conference. 2.4 Ethics and Conduct of Offerors By signing the proposal, the Offeror certifies this proposal is made in good faith and without collusion or connection with any other person responding on the proposal. It is also certified that this proposal is made in good faith and without collusion or connection with any GUC employee(s). Finally, it is also certified that this proposal is made without outside control, fraud, or other illegal or unethical actions. The conduct of Offerors during this RFP and evaluation period will play a part in the evaluation of the proposed solutions. Instructions to Offerors within the RFP are expected to be followed and any contravention will be considered in assessing the Offeror s professional attitude in this respect. 2.5 RFP Submission All Proposals must reference the Proposal title and GUC RFP Number noted on the title page. Submit one (1) electronic copy of the entire Proposal to the Proposal Manager by FTP site by the Proposal due date and time. Submit five (5) paper copies of the complete Proposal including pricing information. The paper copies may follow the electronic submission within 1-2 business days. Front and back printing is preferred but not required. If file attachments are embedded within the electronic submission, be sure that the printed copies include all embedded files. Requirement sections, pricing forms and response forms have been provided as separate Excel and Word documents to facilitate Offeror responses. Offerors are expected to respond within the document formats provided (compatible with Microsoft Word and Excel 2010). GUC reserves the right during the evaluation and selection process to review all responses of Offerors and pursue multiple Offerors that best meet the needs of GUC. Emphasis should be placed on conformance to the RFP instructions and templates, responsiveness to requirements, and completeness and clarity of content. Elaborate Proposals are neither necessary nor desirable. If the Offeror s Proposal is presented in Confidential Page 14 2/27/2014

15 a fashion that makes evaluation difficult or overly time-consuming, points will be lost in the evaluation process. Each proposal page should be numbered for ease of reference and should include index tabs denoting each section. Proposals should include responses to all items listed in section 4. Each proposal response must explicitly reference the corresponding RFP section number. Proposals that do not address these questions risk being disqualified. All materials submitted with the proposal become the property of GUC and may be returned only at GUC s option. GUC has the right to use any or all ideas presented in any proposal. Selection or rejection of the proposal does not affect this right. Proposals that arrive late may be rejected. 2.6 Minimum Qualifications GUC is inviting qualified SIs to bid on this RFP. Minimum SI qualifications are: The implementation SI must be either a certified United States entity Implementation Partner of Oracle or the software vendor. The SI must assume responsibility as prime contractor for the contract. Subcontracting is allowed for this RFP, subject to the prior written approval of GUC and the provisions set forth in this RFP. Proposed subcontractors must be clearly identified in the Proposal. The SI must have acted as the prime contractor on a successful implementation of CC&B for a United States utility, preferably a multi-utility with services in electric, natural gas, wastewater or water. They must also have implementation experience with WAM and the Field Work Process Integration Pack. The SI must be able to provide certified consultants experienced in the proposed methodology, or equivalently qualified and experienced in a comparable alternate implementation methodology. The SI must be able to provide consultants certified and experienced in the utility sector implementation of the Solution Set software. Confidential Page 15 2/27/2014

16 Offeror must provide a price for a payment and performance bond in the pricing workbook (SI Pricing.xls) in the appropriate line. 2.7 Evaluation Criteria GUC will conduct a comprehensive, fair and impartial evaluation of all Proposals received in response to this RFP. GUC will award this Project based on an evaluation of how well each Offeror meets the evaluation criteria listed herein. The criteria will be applied based on the information contained in the response submitted by each Offeror and for those selected to provide an oral presentation. Therefore, it is in the best interest of Offerors to provide informative, concise, well-organized technical and business information relative to this Project. Evaluation criteria will include the following: Qualifications and experience of Offeror and proposed assigned personnel Experience in conducting similar projects for organizations of similar type and size in the utility space Methodology and Implementation Plan Cost to GUC of the proposed solution, both the initial project cost and costs throughout the life of the project Financial stability/risk Assessment of the Offeror Completeness of Proposal All proposals will be reviewed by GUC to determine if they contain the minimum essential requirements outlined in the RFP, including instructions governing submission and format and compliance with standard GUC requirements. Those proposals deemed non-responsive may be disqualified without further evaluation. 2.8 Choosing to Respond Should you elect to respond to this RFP, please inform the GUC Proposal Manager of your intent via by March 10, Upon receiving your response, you will be supplied with a offeror ID to use for identification during the Offerors Conference. Confidential Page 16 2/27/2014

17 2.9 Cost of Proposal All of the costs related to the preparation and submission of a Proposal, including, without limitation, the attendance at any oral presentations, personnel interviews and/or any site visits, will be borne by the Offeror Oral Presentations Subsequent to GUC s preliminary review and evaluation of the submitted Proposals GUC may, but is not required to, invite one or more Offerors to make presentations or participate in interviews. For those Offerors who are invited, attendance will be mandatory. Therefore, Offerors are encouraged to save the date for the presentations and interviews which are anticipated to be held the week of April 29 May 2, Offerors who are selected to participate in the presentation and interview process will be informed regarding the location, date and time Company Rights This RFP does not commit GUC to award in response to this RFP. GUC reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, in whole or in part, and at its discretion, to cancel or amend this RFP at any time. GUC also reserves the right to unbundle the deliverables and contract with one or more Offerors for the production of one or more of the deliverables. By submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP, the Offeror grants to GUC the right to contact or arrange a visit in person with any or all of the Offeror s clients, whether or not identified as a reference by Offeror. The Offeror shall refrain from any publicity regarding this RFP, the contents hereof or Offeror s submission of a Proposal. The Offeror shall not release any information to newspapers, magazines, journals or any other medium, about the acceptance of the Proposal or the award of the contract without the prior written approval of GUC, which GUC may withhold in its sole discretion Confidentiality The existence and contents of this RFP are confidential and must be treated as such by recipients. Recipients of this RFP may not use the information contained within this RFP, nor disclose such information to anyone other than recipients employees who are directly involved in preparing a Proposal in response to this RFP, without the prior written consent of GUC. Recipients of this RFP are liable for all damages in case of breach of confidentiality by recipient. The selected Offeror will be expected to sign a confidentiality agreement upon award. Confidential Page 17 2/27/2014

18 2.13 Other General Information 1. GUC expects to enter into negotiations with one or more of the Offerors determined by GUC to be most able to meet the requirements as defined within this RFP. 2. Proposals should be based upon information supplied within this RFP; however additional/alternative responses/information, if deemed appropriate by GUC, will be considered and evaluated. Offerors are requested to list such responses/information separately at the end of the RFP submission and clearly state any assumptions made in the absence of GUC information. 3. The project team will evaluate the Proposals when all responses have been received. All evaluations will be based on the contents of the written document. In this stage no meetings or presentations with Offerors will be arranged. Offerors may be contacted during this stage to clarify the content and meaning of details within their respective Proposal. 4. Revisions to any Proposal before the final deadline must specify clearly in writing any previous elements removed or new elements added. 5. The closing date for Proposals is April 2, 2014 at 4:00 PM Eastern. Responses received after this time will not be considered unless an extension to the deadline has been granted to all Offerors. 6. The evaluation, which will be carried out by GUC, will progress through the following stages: Receipt and review of proposals Clarification of detail Invitations to selected Offerors to participate in oral presentations Offeror reference calls/visits Negotiations and contracting At the end of the formal evaluation period, the project team will make its recommendation to GUC s executive leadership team. Offerors will be notified of the outcome after this step has been completed. 7. All Proposals to this RFP hereafter referred become the property of GUC. 8. Proposals shall be valid for a minimum of 90 days following the proposal due date. Confidential Page 18 2/27/2014

19 2.14 Due Diligence This RFP is intended to provide enough information for Offerors to provide both creative solutions and their best indicative pricing. GUC is providing Offerors with the opportunity to ask questions both during the Offerors Conference and via should Offerors require any additional information to complete their response. GUC further recognizes that Offerors will need a detailed due diligence effort prior to final contract negotiations. The due diligence phase will be a collaborative effort between GUC and selected Offerors. The due diligence phase will give the Offerors a chance to ask questions in a greater level of detail than the RFP. GUC will determine the timing, depth and logistics of the due diligence with the selected Offerors post RFP response evaluation. Offerors should include a copy of their proposed Due Diligence process with the RFP response Exceptions and Clarifications Offerors are requested to detail any exceptions to this RFP; provide exception detail and reference the applicable section number. If there are no exceptions, provide a statement indicating so. Offerors may provide comments to clarify or expand its Proposal and/or to demonstrate its understanding of the Request for Proposal. Confidential Page 19 2/27/2014

20 3 Information and Guidance for Offerors 3.1 Current State Technology Current CIS GUC s existing CIS is an Orcom system known as E-CIS, currently supported by Vertex. The application and DB2 database run on an iseries. The system was originally installed in The system supports collections, credit, rates, billing, customer information, service orders, meter reading, meter inventory, and customer contacts. Storm water and refuse transactions are fed into the billing system from an outside source but included on the GUC bill and collected by GUC. For some of our customers, wastewater consumption is based off of a third party water usage which is fed into our system. Customers can receive a paper bill, electronic notification or both for their statements. Interfaces with E-CIS have been written in-house. See APP-C for expected list of interfaces. Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment was written by Utilities Solutions and their subcontractors and is secured using Entrust. We allow: requests for services, payments, bill view, usage graphs per meter and account information modifications. Self Service Bill Payment options are: a onetime payment feature from customer bank account and a link to the third party credit/debit card vendor. The web application resides on a Windows server interfacing with the iseries, the bill archive data used for the bill view resides on a separate Windows server and is maintained with an in-house application. These servers reside behind a reverse proxy server and firewall. The Oracle software versions GUC expects to install are: CC&B version 2.4, including: Oracle Utilities Customer Care and Billing Base for Residential Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Credit and Collections for Residential Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Rating and Billing for Residential Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Rating and Billing for Interval Data for Res Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Cashiering for Residential Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Task Optimization Tools for Res Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Base for Commercial & Industrial Customers Confidential Page 20 2/27/2014

21 Oracle Utilities CC&B Credit and Collections for C&I Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Rating and Billing for C & I Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Rating and Billing for C & I Customers for Interval Oracle Utilities CC&B Cashiering for C & I Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B Task Optimization Tools for C & I Customers Oracle Utilities CC&B to Oracle EBSuite Financials for GL and AP Micro Focus Net Express for CC&B (Mfr is Micro Focus International) Micro Focus Server Express for CC&B (Mfr is Micro Focus International) WAM version GUC has also purchased 5 licenses of User Productivity Kit Professional, plus is considering purchasing Oracle s Customer Self-Service Interfacing Systems/System Inventory GUC wishes to improve its business by replacing the aging software and business processes with a process based solution thereby taking advantage of integrated software, new technology, enhanced functionality, and creating an opportunity for technology to help drive the business to further excellence. A high-level drawing of GUC s current major systems/applications is included as APP-K GUC System Diagram Greenville Utilities ORACLE Application Infrastructure Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC) currently manages two datacenters that contain Oracle systems. These two datacenters are designed to be as similar as possible. The infrastructure for the ORACLE applications and databases consists of Cisco UCS, Cisco Nexus switches and NetApp SAN storage. The USC environment is currently version 2.0(3a) utilizing all B22-M3 blade servers. In most cases these servers are configured with a single 8-core CPU and 64 Gb of memory. The network utilizes Nexus 5500 series and 7900 Series switches utilizing FCoE and 10Gig Ethernet backbone with 1Gig to the desktop. The NetApp storage is made of paired FC3070 controllers running in version 7-mode with shelves containing fiber channel, SAS and SATA drive shelves. Connections to this SAN consist of FCoE and iscsi and are shared with the other systems at GUC. The different ORACLE environments (DEV, staging/uat,prod) have their own subnet, but do share one common iscsi network for access to storage. On top of this hardware, we are utilizing Oracle Linux operating systems within Oracle s virtualization Management. The only exceptions to virtual servers are the database Confidential Page 21 2/27/2014

22 servers in production and staging/uat. A PDF provided shows the logical design of the Oracle environments. GUC is currently running version 11g R2 of the Oracle database and Linux 5.9 operating system User Authentication Requirement The Oracle Application and Database(s) tier for all instances will be installed in a non- RAC deployment method. The Oracle Utilities Framework must leverage GUC s existing LDAP-complaint directory service, Active Directory for user provisioning and single signon purposes. The intent is to have a person s credentials from logging into their workstation passed to the application. All user provisioning and any changes to the user account must be done through Active Directory. We require that GUC staff be automatically logged into the system from the Active Directory credentials that were used to log into the workstation. If the person is logging in from a device that does not have the Active Directory credentials, they should be prompted to enter them. It is also required that permissions be setup with a role based security model ORACLE WAM Integrations (Engineering/ Outage /Mobile) Mobile Current WAM (v ) integration is focused on exposing a REST/JSON based API to support mobile application development. The API is built utilizing both existing ORACLE WAM stored procedures and custom procedures. The API utilizes Ruby on Rails and the Oracle Database driver to remotely execute stored procedures and future services. A custom IOS library is utilized to connect to the REST/JSON API. The library utilizes the RestKit library in additional to custom functionality. The application development is heavily based on CocoaPods. CocoaPods is the dependency manager for Objective-C projects. The CocoaPods framework is the basis for our organizations rapid application development. While future plans may include Android and HTML support, existing efforts are solely focused on IOS mobile application development. The WAM Integration strategy outlines potential future use of technologies such as node.js for specific application support processes such as mobile push notifications, and application settings management. Overall, the means by which the REST/JSON API and other supporting interfaces are delivered will be scrutinized for applicability inside Oracle SOA and like technologies as both the technology and organization mature in its use. Engineering Confidential Page 22 2/27/2014

23 In addition, the organization leverages GeoNexus and ESRI ArcGIS Server (v 10.1 sp1) for its GIS to WAM integration. Specifically, the WAM System is planned for integration to Schneider Electric s Designer (v 10.1 sp1). This is a custom integration. The Designer System supports the graphical design of infrastructure and is a critical system in regards to managing the assets through its lifecycle. The main integrations between Schneider Designer and Oracle WAM will focus on the work order task and the inventory checkout. Outage Schneider s outage management system Responder (v 10.1 sp1) is natively integrated to the ESRI GIS system. A custom interface is proposed for the integration between Responder and Oracle WAM, CC&B and MWM Integration GUC prefers and supports service oriented architectures where possible. Service oriented architectures offer us the best ability to re-package and reuse functionality from any system as our needs change. GUC would also prefer that systems provide and consume services as the mechanism for integration. A key component in the implementation of this strategy is the use of Oracle's SOA Suite of technologies which provide the platform for enablement of a Service Oriented Architecture. GUC currently uses a standards-based, hot-pluggable middleware approach to system integrations with Oracle s SOA Suite(SOA) and Oracle s Service Bus (OSB). The current version is for the Development, Staging, and Production environments. All three environments are single instance. GUC operates with a single domain. We have an Administration Server managing three standalone Managed Servers: SOA, OSB, and BAM. We are also making use of Node Manager as a way to automatically restart Managed Servers in the event of a failure and to allow Managed Server control from the Administration Console. GUC has purchased Oracle s Field Work Process Integration Pack (PIP) to link the field work and planning functions in Oracle Utilities Customer Care and Billing, Oracle Utilities Mobile Workforce Management, and Oracle Utilities Work and Asset Management. We expect the Integrator to use this component for integration when applicable. Interfaces currently in place or needed for GUC 3rd party applications are provided in the accompanying document APP-C GUC Interfaces. Confidential Page 23 2/27/2014

24 3.1.7 System Objectives The Offeror must take advantage of the characteristics and features within the application framework to retain: Modular design Standard interfaces Pre-built common components and services Component reusability Reliability of components and operations for High Availability daily operations as well as Disaster Recovery planning Interoperable and standard components Adherence to agreed upon standards Secured sharing of information Maximized use of existing resources while transitioning 3.2 Project Management and Resources Program Organization GUC recognizes the important partnership we are embarking on with the chosen SI. GUC is dedicated to providing our most experienced resources throughout this implementation effort. GUC wishes to be thoroughly involved throughout the process in order to foster internal change advocates, knowledge transfer, and user buy-in. The governance of this implementation is recognized as paramount to the successful go-live within time, budget and quality constraints. GUC expects to use an overall PMO group as oversight for the OPTICS program and to facilitate coordination across the multiple project teams. At the project level, GUC will provide internal project management leadership to mirror the SI project leadership. Each of the functional areas will have a Process Owner covering a breadth of experience across that operational area. Additional Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are included as needed for their specific expertise or to augment due to spikes in work load such as during testing, training or rollout support. In order to foster cross area coordination, each project lead is part of the Leadership Core Team along with the PMO for weekly pulse meetings. A representative organization chart is included below, with the green boxes representing the scope of this RFP. Confidential Page 24 2/27/2014

25 Steering Committee OPTICS Program Management Cornerstone Project Synergy Project Navigate Project Team 1 Team 1 Functional Team Tech Infrastructure Development Team Change/ Training Team Account Billing Development Conversion Customer Service Meters/ Devices Issues and Change Control Management governance would flow from the Process Owners to the Project Lead to the Program Manager. Most issues and approvals should be resolved at this core team level. If needed, issues would then escalate to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is comprised of the Executive Sponsors as well as other corporate executives in order to communicate status updates and key decisions or milestones reached throughout the project. The OPTICS program is nothing short of a business transformation effort at GUC. All key business processes will be up for redesign. GUC will provide their current utility business expertise and look to the chosen SI to provide knowledge of industry and application best practices for guidance in designing and configuring these new transformational processes. GUC will provide dedicated project management resources during the engagement. Our current resource commitment is as follows : Program Manager (1) 40% Project Manager (1) 100% Confidential Page 25 2/27/2014

26 PMO/Organizational Change Management (1) 100% Implementation Planning Guidance 1. It is expected that the proposed project will start July 14, GUC is open to leveraging the value and efficiencies of pre-configured solutions that are relevant to the business processes and software being implemented. 3. GUC has an internal PMO and functional area project managers that will coordinate the implementation plan, work and resources for GUC along with the SI s program and project managers. GUC will dedicate key full-time resources per functional area to be involved throughout planning and implementation. GUC will also supplement with part-time subject matter experts in functional areas as needed. GUC wishes to work with the implementer throughout implementation in order to foster knowledge transfer and be able to internally continue to support and configure the system post implementation. 4. GUC has successfully utilized a pilot approach in the past as part of a qualityassurance testing phase and feedback for change-management issues. Whenever schedule time permits, walkthroughs with novice users will help to identify key change-management issues and allow for time to address them in training materials and project communication. We realize that the key to successful adoption of any software solution will be the change management. Significant communication and training campaigns will be needed throughout implementation to foster a smooth rollout and system adoption. 5. GUC wants to minimize any customization. Our goal is to adopt standard practices and only add the complexity and cost of customization if there is no other way to handle a regulated requirement. We want to be able to minimize cost of the implementation project and be able to upgrade software in the future with a minimum of development rework and avoid the dependence on a large internal support/programming staff. 6. Operational reporting will need to be in place before any roll out. Often times a continued use of the old system and a delay in the acceptance can cause a distrust in the new system. The implementer should factor in sufficient time to include development of key operational reporting prior to go-live. 7. GUC is considering licensing automated testing software as part of the technology stack licensing. The implementer should recommend the testing solution that best fits the application Solution Set and a deployment of this size. In the past, GUC has written test plan/script documents and manually executed the tests with sign-offs. Confidential Page 26 2/27/2014

27 Please propose the appropriate level of either the development of automated testing or manual processes throughout the Solution Set implementation effort. 8. GUC expects to use SharePoint for managing project documents, but is open to using an Offeror-supplied repository/tool if it supplies additional value. If an Offerorhosted solution is proposed, GUC requires a full extract of data from the repository upon project completion and the data must be in a readily accepted format for viewing and editing. 9. GUC s legacy database systems have long established fixed format data structures with seemingly simplistic conversion requirements. However, as is common with older systems, comment fields have become multi-purpose to accommodate ways of adding information while trying to avoid significant system modifications. Although this is not unusual for companies with 15-plus-year-old legacy applications, it should be taken into account in the implementer s estimates for data conversion. 10. GUC is open to vendor s recommendation for data conversion. GUC s CC&B core team has analyzed the various approaches to data conversion and the initial thought is that GUC would be agreeable to a balance forward conversion with 13 months of historical data. Historical data includes the following areas meter, usage, billing, payment, and adjustments. At a minimum, enough data will be converted from the current legacy system to: o Allow collection activities to continue o Allow customers to view historical information via web o Allow customers to sign up for budget billing o Allow employees to have some historical data at finger tips, without having to access the legacy system o Have little or no impact on the General Ledger o Have enough data to do year end, monthly, and quarterly reporting without having to access two separate databases Functional Area/Project Teams The following is a detailed description of GUC resources and their areas of expertise that GUC plans to dedicate to the implementation effort for each of the program areas. It is assumed that these resources will be in use throughout the length of their functional area s implementation effort and assume their normal job roles soon after Go-Live of their application modules. The SI should consider these levels of involvement from GUC while making their implementation effort estimates and completing the SI Pricing.xls workbook. Confidential Page 27 2/27/2014

28 Navigate Project Team (10-14 FTE s) Functional Lead Billing Process Owner Financials Process Owner (AR, GL, & Collections) Meters/Field Work Process Owner Customer Service Process Owner (includes Credit/Revenue Protection) Operations Process Owners/SMEs (included in overall functional team) Organization Change/Training Lead Development Lead, Developers Data Conversion (Legacy) Lead Technology Program Team (2-4 FTE s) Technology Team Lead Application DBAs/System Administrators Server Administrator Work Control Throughout the project the SI will attend weekly status meetings and employ ongoing Project Management techniques to ensure a comprehensive project plan is developed, monitored, and maintained. The work plan submitted with the proposal will serve as the basis of the plan to be used throughout the project. This draft plan is to be updated and submitted in electronic and paper form to the GUC Project Manager as required. The SI will be expected to maintain an up-to-date work plan of all project tasks, activities and resources including estimated start and completion dates, actual start and completion dates, estimated and actual task hours, and completion percentage for all in-process tasks. The SI shall not make any change to GUC s current production environment without explicit written permission. All development objects shall be stored and controlled in GUC s environment. SI shall propose configuration management and version control processes to control the to-be system. The SI shall be responsible for reporting and obtaining approval from GUC to proceed on any event that materially affects scope, schedule, cost, or quality. Confidential Page 28 2/27/2014

29 3.2.5 Work Schedule GUC projects the full Implementation to run between 1.5 and 2 years. This projection can be adjusted based on input from the SI. Normal hours of work are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern. The SI shall not schedule any activity involving GUC personnel outside this timeframe without prior GUC approval Training GUC s desired end user training approach is Train the Trainer. Key change advocates within the organization are typically chosen to learn and test the system, they then in turn, become the internal trainers and are augmented support during roll out. GUC desires knowledge transfer to the project delivery team members throughout the project lifecycle, including pre-phase delivery team training on the applications and the Integrator s delivery methodology as necessary Change Control Process All issues will be expected to be logged during the project. Those which impact the project schedule, budget or scope will need to be quantified. Low impact items should be taken care of within that team s leadership. Weekly pulse meetings with all Team Leads can be used to report on outstanding issues and review actions/decisions made from those low impact items. Change Control will pertain to those issues which are deemed of higher impact. The tolerance levels of impact will need to be established by the project team and approved by the GUC Program Manager at the beginning of the project. It is expected that each functional area team should have the ability to handle most of the day to day decisions with the knowledge and authority of the Team Lead or Project Manager. If the issue or change impacts other functional areas, or is above an established tolerance, then the next level of escalation for review/approval should be to the Project Managers. If the issue is of an even higher tolerance level which will significantly impact the overall project budget or schedule it should then escalate to the GUC Program Manager. Each escalated issue which proposes a change to the project schedule, budget or scope will need to be estimated and risk analysis completed prior to review and approval. The establishment and use of a tool or templates will be critical to the continued documentation and tracking of these issues throughout the life of the project. Confidential Page 29 2/27/2014

30 3.3 Scope of Work Methodology and Planning The SI, with participation by GUC s Program Manager, will develop and implement a methodology and process. The SI will coordinate with GUC in designing, developing, and implementing an effective Business Transformation Management Plan to adjust work performance to the new business processes and the Solution Set software. Expected milestones for the SI include the successful implementation of redesigned business processes, ensuring staff readiness prior to go-live, demonstration of comparable performance levels for production staff as compared to the current system performance, and plans to minimize performance issues. As part of this work effort, the SI will be responsible for producing the following: A detailed Business Transformation Management Plan including an analysis of the business impact of the to be processes A detailed Risk Management Plan that includes: 1. Risk Identification 2. Qualitative Risk Analysis 3. Quantitative Risk Analysis 4. Risk Response Planning 5. Risk Monitoring and Control An organizational alignment strategy mapping the new business processes to the appropriate roles and responsibilities within GUC. This should define roles and responsibilities in the new organization, and identify the positions or individuals associated with each role. The organizational alignment strategy should also discuss timelines, detailed steps for executing the strategy, and will be incorporated into the Integrated Work Plan. An Organizational Development Plan that addresses leadership readiness and acceptance of new business processes and functions for front line staff. Implementation strategy for the new roles and responsibilities defined in the organizational alignment strategy and the associated to be processes. Confidential Page 30 2/27/2014

31 3.3.2 Scope by Suggested Project Methodology 1. Planning: The purpose of this phase is to plan for the project and document all project strategies and procedures. A critical deliverable is the project work plan. It is expected that a final output of this phase is a full team kick-off meeting. 2. Analysis & Functional Design: The purpose of this phase is to create the solution design, which is a detailed documentation of the results gathered during requirements workshops/meetings. It will allow the implementation project team to clearly define their scope and only focus on the processes needed to run the business. This includes validating/defining all requirements and developing the functional specs/detailed process flows. 3. Configuration & Development: This phase includes technical design, configuration, development, preparing test plans, and unit testing. 4. Testing: This phase includes system testing, integration testing, and other forms of system validation. 5. Transition: The purpose of this phase is to prepare the production environment, conduct end user training, finalize the system configuration and databases, and conduct final system functional and stress testing. It also includes go-live contingency planning. 6. Production Support: This includes post-implementation support of the new system General GUC has spent time documenting To Be business process flows, which are being provided as part of this RFP in APP-B To-Be Process Flows. All requirements, specifications and process maps for the to-be system shall have bidirectional traceability to: Individual Department Procedure Regulation Best Practice Application Screen Test Plans Confidential Page 31 2/27/2014

32 Security, reports, forms, data needs, interface identification, unique configuration points All specification and requirement documents shall undergo verification and validation to address quality attributes, to uncover inconsistencies and redundancies, and to verify all technical requirements have been incorporated and that they are testable. The SI shall work closely with GUC s Information Technology organization for adhering to existing standards. Where such standards do not exist, the SI must help institute new standards or assist in modifications to existing standards. Business Models should be produced that are reflective of existing suggested best practices for utilities. SI should propose the toolset to be used for this purpose; process mapping will be performed using the SI s toolset, and the process maps produced shall be left in an updateable format upon completion of the project. The Business Models should provide for 4 views as follows: Organization View Data View Control View Function View A Business Process Architecture should be produced that shows the following levels. Level 1 Enterprise Map Level 2 Process Area Maps Level 3 Main Process Models Level 4 Process Models Level 5 Activity Models Software Configuration, Customization and Testing The SI will perform all necessary activities to: Install and configure the Solution Set Software to GUC specifications. Successfully deploy a baseline version of the Solution Set Software. Confidential Page 32 2/27/2014

33 Produce documentation of the software configuration specifying the configuration values within the system to support GUC business practices. Deliver functional and technical design documentation for all customizations or advanced configurations of the Solution Set Software. Deliver a detailed System Test Plan for both functional and stress/load testing. Offerors should assume that 40 custom reports/data exports will need to be developed across the entire solution footprint. Offerors should also propose how additional reports will be estimated and priced if required Fit/Gap Analysis and Future State Business Process Flow Design The SI will perform a gap analysis to identify GUC s requirements that are not addressed by the Solution Set packages as delivered, and to recommend how these gaps will be handled. If no solution exists, the SI will provide information sufficient to allow integration with a third party solution or to otherwise provide for the custom development of the same or similar functionality Data Conversion The SI will be responsible for mapping all agreed upon legacy data from GUC legacy systems into the newly configured and customized system(s). GUC will provide subject matter experts to assist in conversion mapping activities and extraction of data from GUC legacy systems. As part of this work effort, the SI will at a minimum: Deliver a detailed Data Conversion Plan. Produce documentation for all conversion programs and/or methods of converting the required legacy data. Design, develop, and test the data conversion process. Manage and execute, with the assistance of GUC IT resources, the data conversion process Interfaces The SI will be responsible for ensuring that all required inbound and outbound interface files are successfully produced, read and processed by the System. As part of this work effort, the SI will produce, at a minimum: Interface design documentation for all new or modified interface programs. Design an interface architecture that is compliant with the GUC integration architecture utilizing web services and real time interfaces whenever possible. Confidential Page 33 2/27/2014

34 Develop a complete and thorough testing methodology of all inbound and outbound interfaces to ensure accurate extraction of all data required for the interface. Develop and test the interfaces. A detailed list of existing system interfaces are provided in APP-C GUC Interfaces. It is expected that there will be consolidation of individual components during the implementation projects Training Plans The SI will design, create, and provide training plans for Project and GUC staff. As part of this implementation effort, the SI will: Produce a detailed training strategy including comprehensive course catalog that lists all training classes required for the implementation project. Produce a training strategy/process that ensures that all users are trained in their roles prior to go-live. This training strategy/process should state whether the approach to be used for training is a train the trainer approach or a train everyone approach. Produce as part of the training plan the detailed steps that will be used for knowledge transfer to GUC technical personnel so that GUC can be selfsustaining in the ongoing technical support of the installed solution. Produce a detailed audience analysis identifying the types of users and their associated training needs. The detailed audience analysis should also identify the training delivery method best suited to each audience and the size of the training effort. Produce a comprehensive training curriculum and the associated logistical support that will work in conjunction with the Master Schedule and ensure that training has been completed for users prior to go-live. Produce an evaluation process for all training courses which will ensure that each course establishes the required skill level for the end user of the new System and/or technical support of the System. The training strategy shall include at a minimum: A sustainable learning approach to refresh skills and meet needs of new users Role-based learning curriculum Confidential Page 34 2/27/2014

35 A method of validating that users have accessed and used the training sandbox A method of validating role-based curriculum and schedules to ensure relevancy, gain support and meet business needs Providing end-users with a clear understanding of: 1. The purpose, importance, and benefits of adopting the Solution Set and new business processes 2. The To-Be or future business processes taking into account Utility industry standard practices 3. Role requirements (i.e., "who will do what") at go-live and beyond 4. How to use the system through hands-on exercises and access to a sandbox 5. Integration across role and functional areas 6. The impact of their role on the process 7. How to find appropriate help Roles and Responsibilities The GUC Project Manager and Functional Area Team Leads will be responsible for guiding overall project management. The SI will be responsible for managing the day to day activities and tasks necessary to complete each implementation phase. The SI may wish to partner with specialist consultancy/service providers or broker a team arrangement with subcontractors to accomplish the system implementation. However, the SI as prime contractor shall retain responsibility for delivery and performance. The SI shall supply design, customization, documentation and implementation planning for the Solution Set that meets the specific requirements contained in this RFP. The SI shall lead the design/planning workshops and document the high-level process designs and decisions by participants. Confidential Page 35 2/27/2014

36 The SI shall supply an implementation path and strategy to retire current applications. The SI will be responsible, with the assistance of GUC IT, for establishing at least five system environments. These environments are: Development, Conversion, Test, Training, and Production. The SI shall ensure that the proposed design solution to the maximum extent possible provides a path for the Solution Set enhancement packages and upgrades. The SI shall supply technical support to implement interfaces with mobile computers, ipads, hand held devices, RFID, bar code, scanning and other electronic monitoring equipment that may be integrated for use with the to be solution. The SI shall specify appropriate end user training and materials. The SI shall supply complete integration planning, design and comprehensive scope of work to implement all technologies and interfacing systems required to support the Solution Set. The SI will interface as necessary with the GUC management, members of the project teams and Subject Matter Experts. The SI shall provide experienced consultants with sufficient knowledge of the proposed Solution Set such that the SI can suggest alternatives to custom development and thereby maximize use of existing code. The SI shall be responsible for training their own staff and subcontractors, GUC shall not bear any costs associated with the training of the SI or SI subcontractor staff GUC Furnished Services GUC shall provide business expertise and resources. GUC shall provide a work area. GUC shall provide a secure Local Area Network access that allows VPN access out of GUC s network, and VPN access to GUC s network. If a GUC workstation or laptop is used, the workstation shall not be removed from GUC. Confidential Page 36 2/27/2014

37 GUC shall provide hardware to support all required environments. GUC shall provide access to existing applications, as required to complete the project Technical Documentation and Requirements The following describes the minimal set of documentation to be provided by the SI during the project. Additional documents based on the SI methodology are expected. Document Design Workshop Summary To-Be Business Process Maps Description The workshop summary includes a comprehensive listing of each workshop held by functional area and the key objectives of the workshop. The Business Process maps identify the core set of transactions for the baseline implementation of the solution set. Throughout the phases, the project team will adjust the maps as necessary when the solution matures through the development lifecycle. The maps from design serve as the starting point for transaction identification and will also be used for identification of training documentation, customization, interface, conversion, security and testing materials. Communication Plan Risk Management Plan Issue Management Plan Scope Management Plan Project Work Plan (MS Project format) Organization Change Management Assessment and Action Plan Data Migration Plan Includes plans for Extraction, Transformation, Load, Validation, and Balancing/Audit Confidential Page 37 2/27/2014

38 Document Description Development Procedures and Conceptual Design of Development Security Requirements Technical Architecture Design and Project Installation Includes Includes Includes o System Design Standards o Current application retirement plan o Software Development Plan o Alternatives to Custom Development o Cost Projection for each Approved customization o Authorization Requirements and Design o Portal User Management Concept o Security Concept o User Role Requirements o Technical and Integration Design o System Interface Design Document o Form and Report Design o Development Environment o System Administration Procedures o Portal User Interface Design and Personalization Concept o Mobile Device Management o Support Procedures o Hardware, Network, and Database configurations Confidential Page 38 2/27/2014

39 4 SI Response Content and Format Emphasis should be placed on conformance to the RFP instructions and templates, responsiveness to requirements, and completeness and clarity of content. Elaborate proposals are neither necessary nor desirable. If the Offeror s Proposal is presented in a fashion that makes evaluation difficult or overly time-consuming, points will be lost in the evaluation process. Each proposal page should be numbered for ease of reference. Proposals should include responses to all items listed below. Each proposal response must explicitly reference the corresponding RFP section number. Proposals that do not address these questions risk being disqualified. 4.1 Executive Summary The proposal must include an Executive Summary of the Offeror s proposal. This Executive Summary should concisely convey what the Offeror sees as the most important messages of the proposal, the factors that differentiate the Offeror s solution, and the critical points for GUC to consider in its implementation. GUC expects the Executive summary to be no longer than two pages. 4.2 Qualifications and Experience The Offeror must include in its proposal a summary of its qualifications and experience, including the following: Company Information for Prime Contractor and each Subcontracted organization o Provide legal name of organization, address, telephone and fax numbers o Provide name of primary contact, title, telephone number and address o Type of organization (corporation, partnership, proprietorship or joint venture) o Date Offeror entity was founded o Offeror s corporate mission and vision statements o The industry or regional focus that the firm s services partnership is based upon Confidential Page 39 2/27/2014

40 o Provide audited Respondent s financial statements for the past three years o Dun & Bradstreet numbers References for Prime Contractor and each Subcontracted organization o Provide at least three references from the United States, preferably utility customers with a similar implementation as GUC. o Additional references are to be provided for each subcontracted organization that will add five or more resources to the project ( material subcontractors ). These references should preferably be utility clients with similar implementations as GUC. The references for subcontractors must show the scope of work they provided for the referenced account, and it should be similar to the scope of work the subcontractor is being proposed to do at GUC. o Reference information to be provided for the Prime contractor and each material subcontractor should include: Client name, type of utility (electric utility, natural gas distribution, water, wastewater, etc.) and customer base Contact name, title, address, telephone and address Prime contractor or subcontractor Project details including duration (days), functional areas (modules implemented by contractor), prime contractor or subcontractor s roles and installation date Current product version in production Performance / cost saving metrics (if available) Certification o Joint or combined proposals by firms or companies must be certified on behalf of each participant by a responsible officer. Other o Provide any additional information about the Offeror s experience and qualifications to be the prime contractor for GUC including: Confidential Page 40 2/27/2014

41 Historical implementation success in electric, natural gas, water, and waste water utilities Industry knowledge, experience and time since last implemented 4.3 Methodology The Offeror must include in its proposal the following information regarding its proposed methodology in providing services: Describe the proposed duration and methodology for the Solution Set implementation. Project Management: o Describe the critical factors for success for the proposed project. o Describe the key performance indicators (KPI) the Offeror will use to monitor the project. At a minimum, KPI s shall address Scope, Schedule, Budget, and Quality. Provide sample project reports. o Describe the method of regaining schedule compliance should slippage occur. o Describe the Offeror s scope control plan/process. o Describe the methodology proposed for Risk Management. o Identify and describe the methodology proposed for postimplementation support. o Describe the roles and responsibilities for both the SI and the GUC personnel for the project. Include a detailed list of activities that the GUC staff is expected to undertake. Organizational Change Management: o Describe the methodology proposed for Business Transformation Management/Organizational Change Management. Functional: Confidential Page 41 2/27/2014

42 o Describe the methodology proposed for solution design. Be as specific as possible on how GUC s requirements will be mapped/broken down into business processes, how business processes will be covered in workshops, how a sandbox/development system will or will not be used during design, and what work products will be delivered by the end of design. GUC is open to and interested in leveraging the value and efficiencies of pre-configured solutions that are relevant to the business processes and software being implemented. If proposing a pre-configured or partially configured solution, please be specific on the scope of the existing configuration, how it would be leveraged during design, where the cost savings/efficiency gains would be, the level of documentation included for the preconfigured components, and how the use of pre-configured components has been incorporated into the project timeline and/or resource plan. o Identify and describe the methodology proposed for system configuration. Include significant inputs, process steps, and outputs. o Identify and describe the methodology proposed for software testing. Include significant inputs, process steps, and outputs. o Identify and describe the methodology proposed for staff training. Include significant inputs, process steps, and outputs. Technical o Identify and describe the methodology proposed for development (reports, interfaces, enhancements, letters, workflow). Include significant inputs, process steps, and outputs. o Identify and describe the methodology proposed for data conversion. Include significant inputs, process steps, and outputs. Provide a clear and thorough description of all assumptions made. 4.4 Project Plan The Offeror must provide a preliminary Project Work Plan that describes the proposed schedule of activities to be performed. The plan must indicate the proposed activities, Confidential Page 42 2/27/2014

43 schedule and resource commitments of both GUC and the SI. The Plan must be furnished in both hard copy and Microsoft Project format. In the event of a discrepancy, the hard copy shall govern. Provide the hierarchical outline (work breakdown structure) for major activities included in the project. Work Breakdown Structure shall be to at least Level 2: PMI's Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures. Provide a Gantt chart representing key milestones, project activities, and deliverables. Describe the methods that were used to optimize the schedule. Explain how the the work plan will be used to track progress of the project and how progress is measured. The methodology for data conversion (the how ) should be described in section 4.3. In this section, describe how that conversion methodology fits within the proposed schedule of the overall project and project phases (the when ). Highlight significant predecessor activities, successor activities, and stage gates. The methodology for solution design (the how ) should be described in section 4.3. In this section, describe how that methodology fits within the proposed schedule of the overall project and project phases (the when ). Highlight significant predecessor activities, successor activities, and stage gates. The methodology for system configuration (the how ) should be described in section 4.3. In this section, describe how that configuration methodology fits within the proposed schedule of the overall project and project phases (the when ). Highlight significant predecessor activities, successor activities, and stage gates. The methodology for development (the how ) should be described in section 4.3. In this section, describe how that development methodology fits within the proposed schedule of the overall project and project phases (the when ). Highlight significant predecessor activities, successor activities, and stage gates. Confidential Page 43 2/27/2014

44 The methodology for testing (the how ) should be described in section 4.3. In this section, describe how that testing methodology fits within the proposed schedule of the overall project and project phases (the when ). Highlight significant predecessor activities, successor activities, and stage gates. The methodology for user training (the how ) should be described in section 4.3. In this section, describe how that user training methodology fits within the proposed schedule of the overall project and project phases (the when ). Highlight significant predecessor activities, successor activities, and stage gates. If not covered in above, describe how legacy system integration fits within the overall project plan. 4.5 Proposed Staffing Offeror should enclose a resume of each known person projected to be assigned to the project. Offeror should denote or emphasize staff experience and roles in any utility projects similar to what GUC is asking for. Offeror should stipulate the proposed key resources that will not be removed from the project nor will their level of participation be lessened without prior written approval from GUC. Offeror should provide mitigation plans for loss of key project members. Offeror should describe existing or potential contractual obligations for each proposed staff member and the Offeror s strategy for dealing with such situations. Should Offeror not currently have available all personnel or resources required for completing the project, a statement should be included which specifies the Offeror s plan to acquire necessary staff and resources. Additionally, the following should be covered: Provide a proposed staffing plan indicating the number, characteristics, and schedule for the consultants proposed to support the project. Provide a proposed GUC staffing plan indicating the number, characteristics, and schedule for the GUC employees expected to support the project. GUC is open to having offshore/nearshore resources perform portions of the implementation. The following criteria and information must be provided if offshore/nearshore resources are being proposed: Confidential Page 44 2/27/2014

45 o The Prime Contractor will be responsible for the timeliness and quality of the work done by the offshore/nearshore organization. o The Prime Contractor must disclose the nature of the relationship between the Prime Contractor and the offshore/nearshore provider (i.e. wholly owned subsidiary, third party contractor, partial owner etc.) o The Prime Contractor should discuss how the work will be managed by the Prime Contractor and the offshore/nearshore provider. o The Prime Contractor must disclose what country or countries the work will be done in by the offshore/nearshore provider. o The Prime Contractor must disclose how knowledge transfer will be provided to GUC. Provide certifications, education and experience in the Solution Set products. Provide the number of certified Solution Set consultants in the SI s pool, by functional area and skill level. Note how many of these consultants have utilities experience, and how many have electric, water, wastewater and natural gas experience. Provide anticipated and historical consultant turnover rates. Discuss the offeror s intent to subcontract for implementation personnel. Specifically, describe the functions to be subcontracted and the expertise and credentials required from the subcontractor. Identify each subcontractor company by name and location. Provide the number of certified Solution Set consultants available to the SI from subcontractors, by functional area and skill level. Note how many of these consultants have utility experience, electric, water, wastewater and natural gas experience. Identify the specific individual that will be proposed as project manager, and provide his or her resume, qualifications, background, and references (more than one candidate may be proposed.) For key personnel assigned to the project, identify their role/position and anticipated duration of participation on the project. Confidential Page 45 2/27/2014

46 Describe the process by which the Offeror requests the removal or a change of a GUC resource on the project. Describe the process by which GUC requests the removal of a consultant (prime or subcontractor) from the GUC project. 4.6 Price Proposal GUC expects each Offeror to present its best price and documented pricing methodology based on the requirements documented within this RFP. GUC further expects each Offeror to complete the pricing workbook (SI Pricing.xls) attached to this RFP. GUC expects the project to have multiple phases, which are being generically referred to as Planning, Analysis & Functional Design, Configuration & Development, Testing, Transition, and Production Support. GUC desires Time and Material pricing for the Planning and Analysis & Functional Design phases, and Fixed Price pricing that will be set at the end of functional design for the remainder of the project. Offeror should incorporate this pricing method into their overall pricing estimate. Provide a separate pricing proposal for travel-related expenses and the rates and assumptions included in developing this proposal. Travel expenses should not be included in the section above. An optional template for Travel Assumptions is provided in the document SI Pricing.xls. Offerors may use this template or their own format for Travel Assumptions; all assumptions must be clearly documented. Itemize any cost items that are not included in the price proposal. Define all project roles, estimated hours by project role and provide a matrix of hourly rates for each role at various skill levels and for both functional and technical consultants. This matrix will serve as the maximum rates for negotiated work and services beyond the scope of the Offeror s proposal, and for additional contracted programming services if necessary. The Offeror is allowed to use its own format or template for responding to this data request. Describe the Offeror s procedure for pricing change orders. Confidential Page 46 2/27/2014

47 Provide fiscal year annual cost estimates based on a project initiation date of July 14, 2014, and lasting over a 3-year effort projection. GUC s fiscal year starts July 1. In addition to the above, respondents are encouraged to present contract pricing strategies that would best fit their ability to maintain schedule and reduce costs through an incentive based contract. In all cases of pricing, it is incumbent on the Offeror to adequately explain how the pricing will work. GUC must have a clear understanding of the proposed software s solution s Total Cost of Ownership. 4.7 Specified Agreement Concepts Offerors are expected to returned completed and signed copies of the following attachments: APP-G North Carolina E-Verify Statement APP-H Certified Good Faith Statement Include proposed replacement language in all cases where an exception is being taken. The inclusion of contract-related forms shall in no way be construed as an award of a contract for the services described in this RFP, or any portion thereof, or as an intention to award a contract. GUC reserves the right to alter, amend or delete any portion of these forms, to exclude any form, or to require additional forms not listed herein prior to execution of a contract. Confidential Page 47 2/27/2014