PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

Transcription

1 PURCHASING DEPARTMENT Hill Education Center # Elm St. Cumming, GA Phone: / Fax: RFI - I08-01 Applicant Tracking Software November 13, 2007 To: All Prospective Vendors The Forsyth County Schools invites you to submit a response to RFI-I08-01 Applicant Tracking and Human Resource Management Software. The intent of this RFI is to familiarize ourselves with the marketplace and to identify key vendors in the industry. Please answer each section as thorough as possible and feel free to add additional information about your product/service at the end of the RFI. The RFI Closing Date: # I08-01 November 30, :00 PM (RFI #) (DATE) (TIME) Please include an original and two copies with your submission. Responses to this Request for Information must be in a sealed envelope. Please allow ample time for delivery as late submissions may not be considered. For mailing purposes, please address to: FORSTYH COUNTY SCHOOLS Brad Richardson, Purchasing Coordinator RFI-I ELM ST. OFFICE #150 CUMMING, GA The purpose of the RFI is for information only and does not constitute an offer to purchase the product or to release a formal solicitation. We appreciate your interest in the Forsyth County School System. Respectfully, Brad Richardson Purchasing Coordinator

2 2 Overview The Forsyth County School System is searching the market for an applicant tracking and human resource management software system that is specifically designed for use in a school system and preferably integrates with our current operating system (MUNIS). The software must offer a comprehensive, affordable, and easy to use solution that is capable of fulfilling all of our human resource management needs including fully automating and streamlining all aspects of the hiring process (capable of addressing pre-and post-hire needs from recruitment to resume collecting to applicant screening to on-boarding to off- boarding to extensive reporting capabilities). The system must be built on flexible and customizable technology that adapts and grows, as the school system s needs change. The applicant tracking and human resource management system must ensure IT and HR department maximum security. The software system can be procured individually or implemented in a phased manner. Scope It is the goal of the Forsyth County School System Human Resources Department to bring together hiring administrators, employees, job applicants, and HR staff by utilizing an integrated, web-based applicant tracking and human resource management software system that is comprehensive, affordable, and user friendly. Product benefits include (but not limited to) attracting, screening and hiring the best candidates, expediting the hiring process and filling vacancies faster, efficiently locating specific candidate information using advanced search functionality, flexible and customizable solution that evolves with system needs, reduce hiring costs, employee turnover and the length of vacancy periods and the management of the hiring process from beginning to end. Product/Service Specifications Please answer how your solution best addresses the following topics: (Separate page with corresponding numbers) Please remember that the RFI is a tool that FCSS will use to learn about the availability of products in the marketplace; as well as, a tool utilized in product/service specification in an RFP. Therefore, please address each topic as thorough as possible and highlight strengths of your product. Feel free to elaborate on topics that may be challenging with your product or within the industry. 1) Candidate Self-Service feature will empower job applicants to find their ideal job, answer pre-screen questions, and apply online by featuring the following: a) Browse jobs or search jobs b) Apply online (electronically sign and submit the application) c) On-line tutorial or on-screen applicant instructions d) Different sites for internal and external applicants e) Custom-tailored online application forms f) Document uploading and parsing (such as resume, cover letter and transcript and parse the information into the online application) g) Job-specific screening questions h) Immediate online confirmation of application being received i) View application status j) Subscribe to job alerts 2) HR Staff and Hiring Administrators feature will assist hiring administrators and HR staff in the management of the entire workflow process from prospective candidate to final placement by featuring the following: a) Post jobs and integrate position descriptions b) Track applicants by: - personal data (addresses, birth date, race, gender) - work history - medical information - education, training, etc. - certifications, licenses and skills

3 - military service - test results c) Candidate screening (to determine eligibility for the job) d) Track internal and external applicants (through pre-screen, referral, interview, offer, and in boarding) e) Add scanned and other documents and attach them to applicant and/or personnel files (eliminate paper) f) Correspond to applicants (send s or generate letters, envelopes, and labels) g) Generate reports (Explain stock reports and customized reporting capability) h) Replicate existing forms i) Configure and manage employment process from within the HR department (monitor applicant and hiring administrator activity, determine which applicants and documents are viewable by hiring administrators, etc.) j) Produce organizational charts k) Transfer applicant information into employee data system. FCSS prefers a system that best integrates with existing Munis financial software. Please address how your offering can best meet this need. Include detailed information on how data can be exported from your system including available formats and any special considerations. l) Track applicant source (i.e. Career fair, wants ads, specific college recruit, etc.) m) Scan a resume for keywords n) Download applicant information from the web o) Track the verification of employee references p) Conduct online candidate searches based on user-defined criteria q) Track statistics to evaluate the effectiveness of recruiting activities r) Track employees prior work experience and skills inventory to assist in searches s) Route applicant files and/or personnel files to the appropriate people t) Schedule interviews and track interview results u) Supports storage of resume images uploaded to the system v) Track the receipt of employee transcripts w) Generate offer letters and/or contracts for the applicant file x) Track which contracts are accepted and/or signed y) Provide a workflow process upon the hiring of an applicant so that all required actions are completed. Please describe the process. z) Insert an applicant s data into the employee database with a single keystroke. aa) Utilize electronic workflow to prompt appropriate HR areas when new hires/transfers occur bb) Provides a summary of people being hired for Board approval cc) Automates the complete hiring process; reduces number of times of entering new hire data; tie to job vacancy dd) Flags undesirable applicants and/or new hires ee) Create tracking system for capturing EEO and required demographic information and alert where missing documentation ff) Supports electronic notification of missing HR documents to employees gg) Supports scheduling for orientation classes hh) Ability to track orientation attendees ii) Supports a new-hire checklist of information to obtain from employees (orientation, id cards, payroll forms, etc.) jj) Supports a new-hire checklist of information to provide to employees (benefit info, policies and procedures, etc.) kk) Ability to navigate by use of pull-down menus ll) Access should be provided to any other function from any screen (users must not be required to back out of menus or menu paths) mm) Provide the ability to move while within one screen to a related screen and return, without losing data input on the first screen nn) Provide user-defined fields for the capture of unique data and provide the ability to customize field names 3

4 oo) Ability to easily import and export data from the system into and out of standard desktop databases and files. In addition, must be able to automate the import/export processes. pp) Ability to capture imaged documents qq) Ability to pull data and populate fields from scanned documents rr) Ability to access the system remotely ss) Paperless hiring recommendation approval (use a built-in approval process with immediate notification via from HR with approval) tt) Review qualified applicants (sorted by highest pre-screen qualifications) uu) View new applicants (view applicant s documents and enter comments) vv) Record offers (hiring administrators can record offer information) ww)hr visibility and control (HR configures the system, controls the workflow, and oversees the process. HR determines which documents are viewable, which status codes are selectable by hiring administrators, and which menu choices are available, so we can deploy system capabilities to match our employment process) xx) Eliminates burdensome paperwork by automating correspondence (mass s, notices, letters, etc.) performance evaluations, background checks and on-boarding and off-boarding yy) Collect employee feedback through questionnaires and/or surveys Technical Specifications a) Is the application remotely hosted and maintained by the vendor or is it housed on the district's file servers? Is there an option? b) What are the bandwidth requirements? How many concurrent users/sessions will it support? c) Which port(s) does the application require to have open? d) Is the traffic between the client and server secure? Which encryption standard does it use? e) Which authentication method is used? f) What are the guaranteed response times for Tech Support general issues? Emergencies? g) FCSS prefers Microsoft SQL Server (2000/200505) and does not prefer a proprietary database. Please address If hosted: h) How often is the data backed up? i) Are there any provisions in place for disaster recovery? j) What are the guaranteed "return to service" times? Client-side Issues a) Is the local computer required to download or install any local client? b) Are the requirements different for a school district HR "Administrator" than for an "Applicant"? i.e. Do the administrative users managing the application have different client requirements? c) If browser-based, does it require a plug-in? What Internet browsers and versions are compatible? d) Is data traffic encrypted back to application server? e) Is any info cached on the local computer? f) Does it require a particular client OS? g) How often is the app updated (historically speaking) necessitating an upgrade on the client? Would a mandatory upgrade potentially prevent anyone from accessing the application until the local client or plug-in was installed? How much notice do we get prior to a mandatory upgrade? h) What format is the data and how is it imported and exported? Server Issues - (If not hosted) a) What server OS is required? What SQL version? b) Can the database server run on the same server as the application? c) Define hardware requirements/specifications? d) Can it run as a VM? e) What is the preferred backup method? f) Would the application/service need to be accessible to users outside of the FCSS network? g) Is it compatible with Symantec AV? 4

5 Pricing Please answer the following questions: Please keep in mind FCSS is not searching for firm quotes, but for information to determine how best to proceed. Vendor will not be held accountable for any pricing information provided. (Separate page with corresponding numbers) 1) Describe your general pricing structure 2) Describe how upgrade would be handled over the life of the contract 3) Describe cost to renew annually 4) Describe training/travel or any other miscellaneous costs Review The purpose of the RFI is for information only. In no way does this request bind FCSS to solicit bids or proposals in the future. However, if in the future, FCSS elects to solicit bids or proposals, in no way will submittal of information give any vendor any advantage. FCSS can use all or some of the information provided to draft specifications for future solicitations. Vendors may be invited to discuss responses during the evaluation process. Questions All questions pertaining to this RFI must be submitted in writing to Brad Richardson at All answers will be posted on the website by the answer deadline. HR will be consulted on questions pertaining to specifications. Deadline for all questions is November 20, 2007 at 3:00 PM. Answers will be posted by November 23, Participation FCSS appreciates your participation in this Request for Information. As mentioned, the intent of this solicitation is to allow us to better understand the marketplace, its offerings, and how to write an RFP in the future. If your company cannot meet this requirement or chooses not to participate, please sign and return this page along with rationale for non-participation. We choose not to participate for the following Vendor Information Company Name: Street Address: City, State, Zip Telephone: ( ) Fax: ( ) Representative s Name: Representative s Signature: 5