Title
Chief Technology Officer, Auditor-Controller, Information Technology Steering Committee, Information Technology Investment Team, and the Chief Administrative Officer recommending the Board:
1) Authorize staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP), for the replacement of the Financial, Payroll and/or HR systems;
2) Adopt Resolution 035-2012 establishing the job classification of Sr. Departmental Systems Analyst, approving the job classification specification, establishing the bargaining unit, and adopting the salary range; and
3) Approve changes to the Authorized Personnel Allocation Resolution to provide staffing for projects associated with the replacement of countywide systems. (Est. Time: 30 Min.)
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the preparation and release of the RFP, as these tasks will be completed by existing staff. The cost of replacement systems and the staffing needs to implement new systems will not be known until after proposals have been received and evaluated. Funding is anticipated to come from the Capital Reserve for Capital Projects.
Background/Reason for Recommendation:
Current Systems:
The County's current financial system (FAMIS) is nearly 20 years old and is reaching the end of its useful life. It is written in old technology that is costly to maintain. The current HR system is not fully functional, and the financial, HR, payroll, and budgeting systems are not fully integrated.
The County is currently one of a relatively small number of public entities that are still using the FAMIS system. Most of the other public entities that previously used this system have either converted to new technology or are in the process of doing so. There is concern that as the current vendor continues to see a decline in agencies using this system, they will no longer provide services and we will be left without support, significantly increasing risk of catastrophic failure.
Replacement of the County's backbone financial systems may improve management's ability to quickly assess budget and have "real-time" budget information immediately available to multiple levels of the organization including revenue and expense status. In addition, replacement of existing systems should help to eliminate shadow systems and duplicative efforts that will increase overall efficiency in the County. New, fully integrated technology may allow the County to track budget, revenue and expenditures at Fund, Department, Project and Grant levels.
Investment Strategy:
On September 20, 2011, Agenda Item #2 (11-1075) the Board received an Investment Strategy Plan for fiscal years 2011-2016 from the Chief Administrative Officer. Included in that presentation was a discussion of how the replacement of these critical systems would help improve efficiency, which could result in significant cost savings and better customer service overall.
Evaluation Criteria:
* Integrated Functionality
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Best of Breed
* Customization
* Security
* Implementation Support, Conversion, Business Process Analysis
County Staff
Professional Services
Combination of both
* In house vs. hosted, Software as a Service (SAS)
* Availability - 24/7, web-based,
* Maintenance and Licensing
* Sustainable Technology
* Financial Acquistion Options
* Usability, Training, Accessibility, Reduced Paper
* Vendor Reputation and References, Financial Stability
Request for Proposals:
The RFP sets forth the County's technical and functional requirements for an enterprise financial, human resources, and payroll system. The RFP process is a competitive process resulting in sealed proposals from vendors. Vendors' proposals must clearly articulate how their systems will meet the County's needs as identified in the RFP, and must include detailed cost proposals. Vendors have the option to provide separate proposals for three different system structures: hosted, software-as-a-service, or on-premises. Each proposal must include a detailed cost breakdown of all software licensing fees, services, and required or recommended hardware. In addition, vendors are asked to provide estimates of the County's required staff time for the implementation.
Key County staff will be involved in the review process of all accepted responses. The responses will be narrowed down to no more than three key systems to undergo a more detailed review process. Upon completion, the selection committee will determine the system that will be brought back to the Board for approval.
The evaluation process will include a detailed review of proposals, reference checks and, and an assessment of proposers' financial viability. Vendors may also provide on-site demonstrations, and the evaluation team will visit sites where the systems of the finalists have been fully implemented. .
Concurrently with the RFP process, staff will be working with several departments on an an in-depth business process analysis to ensure that we are not implementing a system in the same way we are currently doing business, but instead, we will adopt best practices and improve our processes to create efficiency and better accountability.
The selection committee will be comprised of the following key County staff:
Joe Harn, Auditor Controller
Vern Pierson, Chief Technology Officer
Laura Schwartz, Chief Budget Officer
Karl Weiland, Investment Team Chairman
Don Ashton, Sheriff's Chief Financial Officer
David Russell, Assistant Director of Information Technologies
Laura Roth, Human Resources Investment Team Chair
Staffing Needs:
The Conversion process will require significant County resources. The goal is to temporarily backfill key staff with limited term employees for the term of the project. Initially, it is anticipated that additional staff will be needed in the Auditor's office and the Information Technologies Department. It is likely that as the project progresses additional needs will be identified and brought back to the Board.
The entire process is an integrated County approach that will include direct support from all departments at various times throughout the project. It is critical that key staff be available to work exclusively on the project at critical implementation points. In order to facilitate this process and the success of the implementation, it will be essential that some positions be backfilled.
The proposed personnel allocation changes include the addition three limited-term employees to backfill key positions in the Audtior-Controller's Office and Information Technologies Department:
1 FTE Accounting Systems Administrator (Auditor-Controller's Office)
1 FTE Sr. Departmental Systems Analyst (Information Technologies Department)
1 FTE Departmental Systems Analyst (Information Technologies Department)
The Auditor's office, as the primary fiscal officer, plays a significant role in managing the General Ledger and Payroll and setting and monitoring accounting standards. His staff will need to devote a significant amount of time analyzing departmental processes in order to prepare for conversion to a new system. It is anticipated that at least two additional staff will be required in the Auditor-Controller's Office for the actual conversion. The Information Technologies Department will play a key role in evaluating the proposed systems, analyzing the interfaces with existing County systems, and preparing the County for conversion to a new system. Additional staffing needs will be identified as the project progresses.
Approximate Timeline:
April 4 Release RFP
April 18 Questions from Vendors due
May 2 Answers to questions posted
May 16 Proposals due
May-September Proposal evaluation, vendor demonstrations, site visits
Action to be taken Following Board Approval:
Staff will return to the Board with recommendations and a complete project plan including anticipated costs and projected savings.