How To Build An Enterprise Resource Planning System

Transcription

1 PROJECT: ERP SOFTWARE AND IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES (INCLUDING FINANCIAL & PROJECT COSTING, HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, AND CRM) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Authority is issuing this Request for Proposal for qualified software vendors to provide an enterprise resource planning system, implementation services, and training. PROPOSALS DUE: 5 p.m., September 25, 2015 Registration of Intent to submit responses must be ed to [email protected] #RFP

2 Request for Proposals ERP Software and Implementation Services BACKGROUND & CURRENT SYSTEMS PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority ( Authority or Agency ) is soliciting proposals from qualified software vendors to provide a project-centric Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System to improve organizational productivity and transparency by increasing efficiency in transaction processing, promoting collaboration across business units, and delivering real-time reporting of the Agency s expenditures and projects. The main goals in implementing an ERP system are: (1) to integrate "back-office" administration and "frontoffice" service delivery, (2) to track and report annual budgets and expenditures by project, by fund, etc., and (3) to provide project tracking and status reports. The system should consolidate information, link business processes and functions, and eliminate separate departmental systems in favor of a single "enterprise" system that connects the Agency's financial and non-financial applications through a common database, user-friendly interface, and embedded processes designed to tie functions together seamlessly. The components of the ERP should include: Core business applications (Required): Traditional financial management applications (i.e. general ledger, budget, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, electronic timesheets integration with ADP WorkforceNow, fixed assets, purchasing, etc.) Capital projects management (i.e. proposal and contract management, financial management, asset control, scheduling, analytical and graphical reporting, etc.) Customer-facing applications (i.e. community development, customer information system, business licenses, permitting, code enforcement, planning, etc.) Requisition approval workflow & document management as an integral part of system Executive information system (i.e. operational overview, business analysis, dashboard, etc.) Project costing, including subcontract control Secondary business applications (Optional, but highly desirable): Supply-chain management applications (i.e. inventory, commodity contract management, servicecontract management, etc.) Operations management applications (i.e. fleet management, facility management and work orders, human resources, etc.) Respondents should delineate how respondent can accommodate software, implementation services and hardware necessary to support the ERP system. Additionally, respondents should specify an option for Software as a Service (SaaS), hybrid cloud, or on premise operating environment. Respondents should have a proven track record of successful implementation of proposed solution(s) in similarly sized California special districts or local governments, and be knowledgeable of California laws and work rules.

3 BACKGROUND The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority is an independent special district created on February 1, 1993, by an act of the Legislature and is governed by a seven-member elected board of directors. The Authority serves a large portion of Santa Clara County by protecting sensitive lands, preserving natural communities, and managing open space. The Authority has preserved over 16,000 acres, which include two preserves with over 20 miles of trail. Activities on the preserves include hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and nature study. The Authority currently manages and tracks monies over several fund sources derived from parcel taxes, benefit assessments, endowment funds, grant funds, grazing licenses, permits, donations, etc. Approval of the Authority s latest revenue source, Measure Q, has created an immediate need for the Authority to implement a project level tracking system to approve and pay expenditures, forecast and manage budgets, and report project costs and milestones on a fund-by-fund basis. CURRENT SYSTEMS The Agency s financial system, QuickBooks, was installed in QuickBooks operates over an on-premise Windows network. Features used (in conjunction with Microsoft Excel) include general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchasing, fixed assets, class tracking, and budget. Some individuals within the Agency utilize Microsoft Project to track and manage project milestones and deliverables. The Agency has in place an ESRI GIS mapping system. Where applicable, ERP applications should interface with the ESRI GIS application. No separate GIS solution is being requested. The Agency has recently implemented ADP s WorkforceNow HR Management system. Where applicable, ERP applications should interface with this application. No separate HR management solution is being requested.

4 The table on this page lists significant systems/applications and their desired direction: System/Application Current Direction Financials (GL/AP/AR/PO) QuickBooks/Excel Replace with ERP Budget QuickBooks/Excel Replace with ERP Fixed Assets QuickBooks/Excel Replace with ERP Timekeeping/Payroll ADP (electronic) Integrate with ERP CRM None Consider incorporating into ERP Purchase/Expense Requisition Manual through use of forms Automate with ERP HR/Recruitment ADP Keep; Integrate with ERP HR/Benefit Administration ADP Keep; Integrate with ERP HR/Position Control ADP Keep; Integrate with ERP GIS ESRI Keep; Integrate into ERP or CRM Grant & Project Accounting QuickBooks/Excel Incorporate into ERP Project Tracking None Incorporate into ERP Document Management Manual hard copy and electronic filing Consider incorporating into ERP

5 CURRENT COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT The Information Technology (IT) division of the Administrative Services Department has oversight of all the Authority's computer systems, including networking, security, databases, applications, services, physical servers, telecommunications, and desktop support. Time and resources are limited within the agency and the Authority engages a managed IT vendor to support and maintain everyday usage and troubleshooting of its network infrastructure and computer systems. The Authority currently has two separate offices and thirty (30) regular employees. The Authority will intend to relocate in Spring/Summer of 2016 into one building and will have one Windows 2012 server, two firewalls, and at least thirty (30) end-user CPUs. All end-user CPUs are running Microsoft Windows 7/8 Home Edition/Basic/Professional editions. End-users view, create, and share files with Microsoft Office 2003/2007/2010 Home and Business editions, Google Drive, Adobe PDF, and Dropbox. If possible, an agnostic ERP solution is preferred. In addition to common file extensions, IT also provides support files from all departmental and enterprisewide applications including QuickBooks and ERSI. SYSTEM SCOPE The Agency is seeking information and proposals for integrated ERP software applications that will include software licensing, implementation and conversion services, education and training, and technical support. Software as a Service (SaaS) operating environment, purchased software in a hosted site, and on-premise software will all be considered. Ideally, a single vendor will provide a satisfactory, integrated solution for all systems. The Agency recognizes that a single publisher or vendor may not be possible. A consolidated response consisting of best of breed products will also be considered. If a best of breed response is provided, it is strongly suggested that a single vendor take responsibility for the consolidated response and that a single vendor be responsible for implementation and integration of the best of breed solution. The Agency desires a turn-key solution that will be primarily supported by the vendor. Information Services staff is available at the Agency to assist the vendor; however, most support should occur through secure remote access. As part of the implementation services, the Agency desires to convert and retire the current system to lower operating costs and avoid technical obsolescence. Conversion of additional databases may be necessary to achieve this integration goal.

6 SUBMISSION, REVIEW & SPECIAL CONDITIONS REGISTRATION OF INTENT TO SUBMIT RESPONSE Each vendor who plans to submit a completed response must register this intent with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. This registration will allow the Agency to notify all vendors of any changes, questions, concerns and any other matters related to this request for information and proposals. The following registration information must be ed to [email protected] with the Subject Line of ERP Registration : 1. Name of Business/Company 2. Address of Business/Company 3. Name of Contact at Business/Company 4. Telephone number of Contact at Business/Company 5. Address of Contact at Business/Company Failure to register may result in disqualification and not being informed of changes, questions and concerns related to this request for information and proposals. PREPARATION OF RESPONSES All responses to the questions in the REQUIRED INFORMATION section must be answered fully and must be able to be substantiated by the vendor. Each response shall be signed by an individual who has authority to obligate the company. 1. KEY DATES* Event Tentative Date Request For Proposals Issuance 08/28/15 Vendor Questions Due 09/11/15 Responses to Vendor Questions Provided 09/15/15 Vendor Responses Due 09/25/15 Review of Submissions 09/28/15 Notification of Vendor Demonstrations 09/29/15 Vendor Demonstrations (Proof of Capabilities) 10/02/15 10/08/15 Selection of Vendor/On-site Reference Visits 10/12/15 Execute Contract Begin upon notification of selection * Dates subject to change

7 2. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES An original and five copies of the response containing the entire response and responses to the RFP Required Information shall be enclosed in a sealed envelope clearly marked Response for Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority ERP Software and Implementation Services and addressed as noted below. Responses must be received in the office of the Agency contact no later than 5:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, Friday, September 25, Late responses will not be considered. Mailing Address: Justina Tien Accounting and Financial Analyst 6980 Santa Teresa Blvd #100 San Jose, CA It is anticipated that the vendors may be required to make one or more appearances at Agency meetings to answer questions and present demonstrations. A. and facsimile responses will not be considered. Vendors shall have sole responsibility for delivery of responses on time and to the proper location. B. Format: a. Executive Summary 3 pages maximum b. Required Information No page limit, however, responses should be comprehensive, succinct and direct. c. Font size no less than 11 point C. Note: Any deviation from the requirements listed above may result in the response being considered non-responsive, thus eliminating a vendor from further consideration. The Agency cautions vendors to assure actual delivery of mailed or hand-delivered responses directly to the address noted above by the established deadline. A response received by the Agency after the established deadline will not be considered. 3. REVIEW PROCESS When reviewing the submissions, the Agency may request an on-site comprehensive demonstration of a vendor s software solution and/or additional information. The Agency may requestvendors to provide on-site Proof of Capabilities vendor demonstrations. These half to full day presentations provide an opportunity for the vendor to show how their system will provide the necessary functionality desired by the Agency. The Agency will schedule any such presentations or requests for additional information. The Agency may request, following any vendor s on-site demonstration, that a follow up demonstration be granted. The purpose of this request is to allow further evaluation and possibly a hands-on user experience by staff. At the discretion of the Authority, access may be through remote access, thru a dedicated personal computer, via Internet access, or another method to be determined. Representatives of the Agency may want to a vendor s client reference sites to observe the applications in an actual working environment. 4. ADDENDA

8 Santa Clara County Open Space Authority Agency will post any addenda on Agency s website and notify properly registered vendors of such postings. Vendors shall be responsible for ensuring that all addenda are included in their responses. 5. REJECTION OF RESPONSES The Agency may reject a response if: 1. The vendor fails to register an intent to submit response, or if 2. The vendor fails to respond to the RFP Required Information, or otherwise comply with the format and submission required set forth in this RFP, or 3. The vendor misstates or conceals any material fact in the response. The Agency may, however, reject all responses. The Agency may also waive any minor informalities or irregularities in any response and disregard all nonconforming, non-responsive or conditional responses at the Agency s sole discretion. 6. VENDOR QUESTIONS Any questions about this RFP shall be submitted in writing to Justina Tien at [email protected] on or before September 11, 2015 at 5:00 P.M. PDT. Agency will post written responses to questions and deliver same to registered vendors no later than September 15, Any addenda necessary as a result of questions or clarifications will be posted and delivered to all registered vendors no later than September 15, Responses may be posted incrementally as received. 7. PUBLIC RECORDS LAW Pursuant to California Government Code Section 6250 and following, public records may be inspected and copied by anyone desiring to do so. All submitted responses are subject to public disclosure pursuant to this code section. 8. ACCEPTANCE Submission of any response indicates acceptance of the conditions contained in this Request for Proposals unless clearly and specifically noted otherwise in the response. 9. RESPONSE COSTS Those submitting responses do so entirely at their own expense. The Agency will not be responsible for reimbursement to any individual or firm for any costs incurred in preparing or submitting responses, providing additional information when requested by the Agency, or for participating in any selection interviews or meetings. 10. NON-DISCRIMINATION No person shall be excluded from participation in, denied any benefits or otherwise discriminated against in connection with the award and performance of any contract on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, sex, age (over 40), ethnicity, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Page 8

9 Santa Clara County Open Space Authority RESPONSE FORMAT 1. RESPONSE FORMAT To facilitate the analysis of responses to this Request for Proposals, vendors are required to prepare their responses in accordance with the instructions outlined in this section. Each vendor is required to submit the responses in a sealed package. Vendors whose responses deviate from these instructions may be considered non-responsive and may be disqualified at the discretion of the Agency. Responses should be prepared as simply as possible and provide a straightforward, concise description of the vendor s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this Request for Proposals. Emphasis should be concentrated on accuracy, completeness, and clarity of content. All parts, pages, figures and tables should be numbered and clearly labeled. The responses should be organized into the following major sections: Section Title Title Page Letter of Transmittal Table of Contents 1.0 Executive Summary 2.0 Function Grid 3.0 Interfaces 4.0 Required Information Section Title 5.0 Pricing Schedule 6.0 Recorded Demonstration of Product 7.0 3rd-Party Products/Optional Software 8.0 Client References 9.0 Addenda Instructions relative to each part of the response to this Request for Proposals are defined in the remainder of this section. 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (three page maximum) This part of the response should be limited to a brief narrative highlighting the vendor s responses. The summary should contain as little technical jargon as possible and should be oriented toward nontechnical personnel. The Executive Summary should not include cost quotations. 3. FUNCTION GRID This section describes major product functionality being considered. All items on the grid must be completed; however, the vendor may add additional items for clarification or when additional functionality is being proposed. 4. INTERFACES This section lists most external programs being considered for interfacing with the ERP system. Each third party application is being considered separately based on the functionality present, or lack thereof, in the ERP proposal. Based on this functionality, a decision will be made regarding replacing or interfacing with existing third party software. Not all third party systems will require integration. The vendor should describe any existing interfaces, or the ability to develop an interface; how the interface will operate and who would provide maintenance and support. As the discussion can become highly technical, vendor responses should be limited to their knowledge and experience as it relates to their products and past integration with previous clients. Vendors should assume third party applications are being maintained at the third party vendor s current release level. 5. REQUIRED INFORMATION Page 9

10 Santa Clara County Open Space Authority The vendor must include comprehensive answers to the questions in this section, which may include tables, charts, etc. Answers must be comprehensive and concise while providing enough detail that Agency staff will understand. 6. PRICING SCHEDULE The vendor must include pricing for all proposed solutions (SaaS, hosted, and/or on-premise) and include a breakdown of costs for licenses, installation, implementation, training, etc. Pricing schedule should also distinguish recurring and non-recurring costs. Any discounts for multi-year contracts may be included for consideration. 7. RECORDED DEMONSTRATION OF PRODUCT The vendor will provide access to a prerecorded demonstration of some of the product s features utilizing the actual software proposed to show the Agency what using the software would look like. This demonstration should be no longer than 30 minutes. This can be either via physical media such as a DVD or CD or downloaded from the Internet. 8. THIRD PARTY PRODUCTS/OPTIONAL SOFTWARE The vendor should explicitly state the name of any third party products that are being suggested or discussed in this Request for Proposals. For each third party product, there should be a statement about whether the vendor s potential contract would encompass the third party product and/or whether the Agency would have to enter into a separate contract directly with the third party vendor for the product and maintenance. 9. CLIENT REFERENCES Vendors should provide a list of at least three (3) local government installations in California. Submit references for fully-completed installations to the extent possible or note the current status of partiallycompleted installations. List the breadth of the software solution (e.g., GL, AP, Payroll/HR, etc.) and the version currently operating. 10. ADDENDA If revisions become necessary, the Agency will provide written addenda to all vendors who have registered as vendors for this Request for Proposals. All addenda issued by the Agency must be so noted on any responses that are submitted to the Agency. Page 10

11 Santa Clara County Open Space Authority EVALUATION OF RESPONSES 1. EVALUATION METHOD The Agency will evaluate all submissions deemed responsive to this Request for Proposals. Vendors may be asked to provide on-site Proof of Capabilities and set up site visits to local governments currently using the vendor s product. The Agency will review responses. The Agency may consider the vendor s proven track record of successful implementations in similarly sized California special districts or local governments, and knowledge of California laws and work rules. Page 11

12 Santa Clara County Open Space Authority REQUIRED INFORMATION GENERAL 1. State the product, version and modules that you are recommending. Clearly indicate which products are from the prime respondent and which products are from other vendors. If other vendor products are proposed, please indicate the purpose of the product and if the other vendor products will be integrated with or interfaced to the prime vendor product. If interfaced, please indicate if the interface currently exists and works, or if it will need to be built as part of this project. Indicate how products proposed may integrate with existing applications, i.e. ADP and GIS. 2. Provide company background of the prime responder and other vendors involved in the project. Describe the vendor and the relationship of each to the prime responder, i.e. VAR, developer, connected service, etc. 3. Describe the financial condition of your company and if there are any issues or threats that may put it in jeopardy? Is there any outstanding litigation or threat of litigation? 4. Briefly describe the pricing and payment models of the proposed solutions, i.e. perpetual or subscription licensing, purchase or lease, software maintenance and support, professional services, etc. 5. Will the products/solutions proposed be supported in a virtualized environment and more specifically, VMWare? PRODUCT SPECIFIC 1. Describe the history of the primary product(s) being proposed including whether these product(s) were internally developed, acquired in-whole or in-part, or something different. 2. What is the current version? What is the product update history? 3. Please provide the upgrade or release plans for the next three years. 4. In regards to product lifecycle, please describe where the product you are proposing is in the current product lifecycle and how do you see the evolution or replacement of the current product evolving over the next ten years. 5. Please provide the hardware/software environment(s) for the solution, including operating system, database, etc. 6. Please provide the ratio of revenue that is directed toward research and development of your product. 7. Does your company provide a Software as a Service (SaaS) or hosted option? If yes, please describe how it would be hosted. Please describe clearly the options available and the number of clients currently using this option (particularly any California clients). Please list your server locations that would be providing primary hosting services 8. Please describe your product licensing method(s). Discuss end-of-life licensing options 9. Do you have customer user groups and if so, do you have one serving our geographical area. How often do they meet? How many entities participate? Page 12

13 Santa Clara County Open Space Authority IMPLEMENTATION 1. Discuss your project, implementation and testing plans. Do you use a standardized implementation model? How do you test the business processes and load test the system? 2. What is a realistic time-line for implementation using a phased approach? Describe the recommended steps or phases for the complete implementation. Discuss the implications of going-live at off-cycle times (i.e. payroll at quarter-end not calendar year-end; financials at other than end of fiscal-year). 3. Describe the typical team structure and skill mix required to execute the proposed solution. Include both Agency and Vendor resource requirements. 4. Discuss your end-user training strategy and training plan. How do you incorporate new business processes in this plan? 5. Discuss any failed implementations (of a similar scope), when they occurred, the reason for the failure and the eventual outcome. A failed implementation may include a complete failure, missing key milestones in the project plan or a less than satisfactory implementation. What changes have you made in your implementation model to address this? 6. Discuss your most successful implementations (of a similar scope) and what were the key factors that made this implementation successful? How do you measure success? 7. Discuss your approach to legacy data conversion and data quality? Do you have specific experience with data conversion from QuickBooks? 8. Discuss your approach to safeguarding client data during data conversion and implementation. 9. What are the high-level cost estimates for the solution and approach? Cite previous experience and related benchmarks if possible. REPORTING 1. Are reports and reporting tools built into the system or is a separate product like Crystal Reports required? If a separate product, please note product and product capabilities. 2. Discuss your methodology for creating reports including any 3rd party software requirements. PORTABLE DEVICE USAGE 1. Are any of your proposed features accessible from portable devices (e.g. tablets, smart-phones, etc.)? If so, please list the features and device requirements (e.g. timekeeping via an android tablet or work-orders via an iphone). 2. Are any of your features citizen-facing via an app thru a portable device? Page 13

14 Santa Clara County Open Space Authority FUNCTION GRID (example) Function Code Comments Core financial applications (G/L, A/P, A/R, P/O) Departments Funds Budgeting & budgetary controls Budget preparation Budget Document preparation Project Management Project costing Contract management Project scheduling CRM Document Management Requisitions and Approvals Approval routing Multiple fiscal year assignments Spending limits Project and cost code assignment Invoice pass through to ERP Equipment/Asset tracking Where located Condition/service Project assignment Operations Management Equipment management Facility management Executive Information System Business Analytics CODES I = Included in core application PA = Partner application; solution provided by a partner vendor O = Optional application P = Partial solution; only some features included NS = No solution offered Page 14

15 INTERFACES (example) 3rd Party Application Function Integration Plan Packaged/ Custom 1 Uni- or Bi- Direction 2 Batch or Real-time 3 Created by/ Supported by 4 Document Management ESRI GIS Requisition and Approvals Reporting Electronic Filing CRM Equipment tracking 1 Does interface already exist or will it need to be created 2 Describe the dataflow direction e.g. one-way, two-way, etc. 3 Describe the integration process e.g. batch, ftp upload, interactive/real-time, etc 4 List the party that created the interface and the party responsible for support/maintenance 5 List any prebuild or existing interfaces to 3 rd party parks/recreation applications e.g. Active Network, RecPro, RecDesk, etc