HomeMy WebLinkAboutIII. COW Agenda Item ERP Project Management
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
Mouot Prospect
Village of Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect, Illinois
TO:
MICHAEL E. JANONIS, VILLAGE MANAGER
FROM:
FINANCE DIRECTOR
DATE:
MARCH 18, 2009
SUBJECT:
ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) PROJECT MANAGEMENT
CONSULTANT RECOMENDATION
PURPOSE:
Present for the Board's consideration a recommendation to retain the services of a project
management consultant to support the analysis/design and vendor selection phases for a village-
wide ERP system. Enterprise resource planning is an enterprise-wide information system designed
to coordinate all the resources, information, and activities needed to complete business processes.
ERP software works to promote integration and process automation and better provides for tools
and data useful for the end user.
BACKGROUND:
The Village currently utilizes a suite of software applications to administer its general ledger, payroll,
accounts payable, utility billing, accounts receivable and other financial management systems. In
addition, there are several other third-party and internally written programs that assist the Village in
managing its various business processes. The main suite of programs is over 10 years old and has
reached the end of its useful life. Connectivity and similar obsolescence issues are apparent with
the third-party and internally written programs which have also reached the end of their useful life
necessitating replacement as well. The 2009-2013 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) identifies
budget needs for the replacement of this software. In the 2009 and 2010 Capital Improvement
Fund budgets there are monies allocated for the hiring of a consultant to take the Village through
the steps of selecting and implementing the new software.
DISCUSSION:
In February, Request for Proposals (RFP) were sent out to twelve (12) ERP project management
consultant firms to solicit their interest in assisting the Village with the selection and implementation
of a village-wide ERP system. We feel that a village-wide ERP system, in lieu of the current system
configuration, will permit improved connectivity throughout the departments and increase
efficiencies in operations. Tasks to be provided by the selected firm include assessment of the
Village's current business information system, identify the computing needs and associated
applications of its users, recommend a system design, develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) for
the new integrated ERP system, evaluate the vendor's proposals, recommend a vendor solution,
and manage the implementation. The project is broken down into three phases. Phase 1 is for
analysis and design of the existing system and proposed ERP system. Phase 2 is for vendor
selection which includes preparation of an RFP. Phase 3 covers the implementation of the selected
software. A copy of the RFP is included as Attachment 1. The RFP strictly stated that only
independent consultants would be considered for the engagement. Consultants could not have an
affiliation or be a reseller of any software or enterprise system proposed.
ERP Project Management Consultant Recommendation
March 18, 2009
Page 2 of 3
The Village received responses from five (5) firms. The five firms that returned a proposal were
Clerestory, Conlon Group, IT Advocates, KPMG and Plante & Moran. Each of the firms has
performed the scope of services listed above for other governmental entities. After a review of the
proposals, four firms were invited for interviews before a core selection team. The core team
included Dave Strahl and Mike Dallas from the Manager's Office, Joan Middleton from IT and Lynn
Jarog and myself from Finance. A set list of questions was asked each firm to easily compare
qualifications and experience. In addition, several follow-up questions were asked related to the
proposals and information that came out during the interview process. After the interviews there
was consensus among the core team of a first and second choice to provide the consulting service.
Calls were then made to listed references to further assess the firm's capabilities and get insight
into their interaction with staff. Finally, the fee structure and time commitment section of the
proposal was addressed. Attachment 2 lists the total fees and hours allocated for each phase of
the project.
Some of the factors considered when determining the most qualified, best suited firm include
staffing and other resources available to the firm, experience in providing similar services for other
clients, understanding of and approach used to address the Village's needs outlined in the RFP and
compatibility with Village staff. Based on these factors it was decided that Plante & Moran (P&M)
was most qualified and best suited to provide the consulting services for this engagement. Below
are some of the ways P&M was able to address the needs outline in the RFP.
. Staffing and Resources: P&M is a management and consulting and public accounting
firm with a staff of over 1,600 professionals, 150 of which support the Management
Consulting Services Group. The project team that would have a part in the engagement
with the Village includes professionals from the consulting, governmental accounting,
technology and software sectors of their organization. Based on the size and complexity of
the engagement we felt that the resource demands would not overwhelm P&M as it could
some of the other firms interviewed. The core team also felt the number of hours allocated
to the project were sufficient for a successful completion within the desired timeframe.
. Relative Experience: Each of the members of the consultant team has considerable
experience working with governmental clients. The scope of work for projects P&M team
members have been involved in matches what the Village is looking to accomplish with its
village-wide ERP system.
. Project Approach and Understanding: Through the interview process P&M was best
able to convey their business approach to our project. They were able to outline their
project work plan that addressed the requirements outlined in the RFP. The project work
plan proposed by P&M is very methodical and includes measurable objectives for each
phase of the project. Defined roles and expectations were outlined for staff as well as for
the consultant.
. Compatibility: Understanding the importance of complete buy-in by the end user has on
the success of the project we wanted to make sure that the consultants would be able to
interact well with staff while balancing the need for the project to move along. Phase 1 of
the project is for analysis and design of the existing system and proposed ERP system.
This phase will consist of inter-department and inter-function meetings with end users. A
high level of interpersonal skills will be needed by the consultant. Based on the interviews
and reference calls we believe that P&M staff possesses the needed skills in this area.
H:\ACCT\Financial Software RFP\ERP Consultant Recomendation.doc
ERP Project Management Consultant Recommendation
March 18, 2009
Page 3 of 3
As staff worked through the proposals and firm interviews it became apparent that to address all
three phases at this time might not be cost effective for the Village. There are currently a number of
questions regarding the final phase that are dependent on the system configuration and software
that is ultimately chosen. The difficulty among the firms in pricing and setting hour commitments for
this final phase is obvious in the pricing proposals received. Hours ranged from 76 to 2,330. The
number of hours that P&M has allocated for Phase 3 (576) appears to be most in line with the
successful completion of the project. However, since it is not necessary to commit to the Phase 3
work at this time we felt it is in the best interest of the Village to delay final decision for this work
until better information is available. P&M and the Village have agreed to hold off on setting the
scope and pricing on Phase 3 activities until a software vendor is selected.
The original fee proposed by P&M for Phases 1 and 2 is $114,720. This is based on 478 hours of
consultant staff time. The average number of hours allocated for the first two phases by all five
firms was 590 with a low end commitment of 162 hours and a high end commitment of 1 ,100. Staff
has had follow-up conversations with P&M and their final fee is negotiable while we firm up roles
and responsibilities between the Village and the consultant. Results of our discussion with the
consultant will be provided to the Board at the Committee of the Whole meeting. Although the fee
for P&M is not the low quote we feel that there is better overall value being received from a more
qualified firm.
The 2009 and 2010 budgets includes $90,000 for consulting services. The original scope of work
that the budget was based consisted of a simple village-wide financial management system, similar
to what we currently have, along with the implementation of an integrated suite of programs for
Community Development. The scope as presented in the RFP was expanded to address the
issues we are having with the third-party and internally written programs that are best addressed
using an ERP system. As a result the budget will need to be adjusted to accommodate the
additional work. Funds to support the additional cost are available from the Community
Development budget for Other Professional Services. These funds are intended for process review
in the Building Division that will now occur in the analysis and design phase of the ERP project.
RECOMMENDATION:
Request authorization from the Board to retain the services of Plante & Moran to provide ERP
project management consulting services for an amount not to exceed $114,720.
{ft~-u/& ~
David O. Erb
Finance Director
DOE!
H:\ACCT\Financial Software RFP\ERP Consultant Recomendation.doc
Attachment 1
~
VILLAGE OF MOUNT PROSPECT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Professional Services/
ERP Project Management Consultant
February 18, 2009
Summary
The Village of Mount Prospect (Village) is seeking proposals from a qualified ERP Project
Management Consultant to assess the Village's current business information system, identify the
computing needs and associated applications of its users, recommend a system design, develop a
Request for Proposals (RFP) for the new integrated ERP system, evaluate the vendor's proposals,
recommend a vendor solution, and manage the implementation.
Background
The Village desires to replace its core business information systems with a new suite of integrated
systems. The Village has been running the current business applications for the past 10 years.
These applications along with several custom enhancements and system integration points have
served the Village very well, but the core suite of applications purchased in 1999 need to provide
improved functionality.
Importantly, the new business information system must improve service to residents and
increase employee productivity. Moreover, it must be secure, and reliable. The Village would
like to reduce its administrative expenses by implementing a system that takes advantage of the
most current system technology and network services. The new system must maintain its current
capabilities, while providing additional features such as department budgeting, reporting
features, electronic time management, etc.
Project Objectives
There are three main objectives to be accomplished with this project. The first is the replacement
of all Government E-management Solutions (GEMS) finance modules/applications currently used
within the Village. The GEMS modules include Financials, Purchasing, Payroll/Personnel,
Budgeting, Utility Billing, and others.
The second objective is to provide an integrated suite of business applications that will enable
improved sharing of data and faster access to information across the Village. A modern,
integrated public administration information system solution will streamline business processes,
reduce duplicate data entry, increase employee data accuracy, allow for faster management
decisions, improve workflow, and enhance business efficiencies, which will all provide improved
results and better customer service.
The third is to reduce our dependency on custom developed applications and system integration
points required to run the business.
Village of Mount Prospect RFP for Professional Services I ERP Project Management Consultant
Page 1 of 7
February 18, 2009
It is absolutely necessary to hire a qualified professional consultant to assess the current public
administration business information systems, identify the needs of the users, prepare an RFP,
evaluate the vendor's proposals, make a recommendation, and manage the new system's
installation. The scope and scale of this proposed project will be limited by available funding.
Project Scope
The project has been split into three phases: "Analysis and Design", "Vendor Selection" and
"Implementation". This request for qualifications and proposals is for providing project
management services for all three phases. At a minimum, the consultant will provide
professional consulting services for the following three phases:
1. Analysis and Design
This phase will include a detailed function-by-function review of current operations and
information systems. The focus of this phase is to gather functional requirements needed to
run and streamline the business processes. Departments will be interviewed to gather
requirements and discuss industry best practices. A summary of current department
functions is provided in the "functions" section of this document. The outcome of this phase
will be a requirements specifications document approved by the departments.
Tasks:
(1) Develop and gather requirements. A detailed function-by-function review of current
operations and information systems as identified in the "functions" section of this
document. Interview each department and gather requirements and discuss
industry best practices.
(2) Research/Present Available Information Systems. Research available information
systems and present options for use in conducting the Village business. Conduct on-
site visits with vendors or users of software.
(3) Conduct a Needs Analysis. Meetings with departments must include the staff which
actually uses software to perform their specific job functions and operational needs.
Produce a requirements specifications document approved by the department.
(4) Create a Request for Proposal. The Request for Proposal shall include the following
elements:
(a) Comprehensive list of functions identified
(b) Cost - including purchase, lease, or a combination of lease purchase
(c) Technical specifications required
(d) Installation costs
(e) Migration from old system to new cost and timeline
(f) Training cost and timeline
(g) Identify existing software and hardware to ensure compatibility
2. Vendor Selection
This phase will include the development of evaluation criteria (metrics) with which to assess
responses, evaluation of RFP responses based on the pre-defined list of metrics, evaluate
vendors proposed implementation approaches, conduct reference evaluations of software,
assess vendor market presence, and provide technical assistance on contract negotiations.
The consultant will provide assistance with project demonstrations and customer site visits
that will be conducted with a narrowed list of vendors.
Village of Mount Prospect RFP for Professional Services I ERP Project Management Consultant
Page 2 of 7
February 18. 2009
Tasks:
(1) Review all specifications with the Village of Mount Prospect authorities, including
system training requirements.
(2) Identify qualified vendors for required systems and services.
(3) Solicit proposals from vendors, answer vendor questions on system requirements.
(4) Prepare and distribute addendum to bid specifications as required.
(5) Clarify proposals with vendors.
(6) Vendor Evaluation.
(a) Review vendor responses and determine non-responsive bids.
(b) Perform a comparative review of all responsive bids for initial evaluation by
selection committee.
(c) Prepare evaluation matrix for use by selection committee.
(d) Identify questions regarding vendor responses which require clarification.
(e) Present comparative review of all qualified vendor responses for selection
.committee use in scoring evaluation matrix.
(f) Compile selection committee matrix scores and create a summary report for
presentation at the proposal review meeting.
(g) Facilitate selection committee meeting to determine vendor semi-finalist
(7) Vendor Demonstration.
(a) Draft proposed agenda for use in vendor demonstrations.
(b) Provide sample demonstration scripts.
(c) Prepare vendor demo evaluation forms for use by selection committee.
(8) Reference Checking.
(a) Provide templates for selection committee phone interviews of semi-finalists.
(b) Assist in due diligence review of vendor finalist to confirm vendor qualifications.
(9) Finalist Selection.
Attend meeting to facilitate discussion to select vendor finalist.
(10) Contract Negotiations.
(a) Participate in meeting to discuss contract negotiating strategy.
(b) Review finalist vendor's contract and recommend changes.
(c) Assist in negotiation of final contract.
(11) Attend all appropriate Board meetings.
3. Implementation
The implementation phase will include assisting the Village in the development
implementation, managing the plan and facilitating project status meeting between Village
and Vendor project teams.
Tasks:
(1) Prepare an activity-level implementation plan.
(2) Prepare and implementation management approach.
(3) Meet with vendor representatives to communicate timetables and expectations.
(4) Monitor vendor compliance to the negotiated contract.
(a) Participate in project status meetings and subsequently:
i. Provide feedback on project issues
ii. Comment on project risks
Village of Mount Prospect RFP for Professional Services I ERP Project Management Consultant
Page 3 of 7
February 18, 2009
(5) Review project change orders that are initiated either by the Client of Software
Vendor.
(6) Provide guidance in conducting acceptance testing of the implemented system.
(7) Review and comment, as needed, on progress towards achieving activities and
milestones defined in the project timeline.
(8) Authorize system acceptance.
4. Functions
The functions that the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) will cover are all GEMS
applications as well as additional application/functions based on returned business value. A
summary of the covered functions are listed below.
Function' .. .'. "'".. ... ....j 'Applic~ti()n . .. ...... ...'; BHefDestriDH6n'!f~rin. j^';
.< "
Finance
Financial Software GEMS
General Ledger (GL) Fund Accounting program -
interfaces with other
applications.
Accounts Payable (AP) Tracks money owed by the
Village to vendors.
Accounts Receivable (AR) Tracks money owed to the
Village.
Cash Receipts (CR) Billing program for Misc.
Services.
Budget Preparation Fund accounting program.
Purchasing Application (PO) Purchasing - Provides for
authorization of Village
purchases.
Fixed Assets (FA) Tracks fixed assets.
Utility Billing (UB) Water/Sewer and Refuse
accounts.
Payroll (PR) Produces paychecks for all
Village employees, Police, Fire
and Village Pensions.
Cash Management System Internally Developed Program Track all cash received by
Village, calculate interest
allocation.
Cash Register Internally Developed Program Records all transactions at
Finance Front Counter.
E-Pay PaymentTech Electronically initiate services,
Program/Internally Developed present the bill or invoice, and
Program make payments electronically.
Investment Management Excel Spreadsheet Track investments.
Escrow Management Internally Developed Program Tracks all Escrow accounts,
produces refund checks.
Food & Beverage Tax Payments Internally Developed Program Records all Food & Beverage
Tax Payments from Village
businesses.
Village of Mount Prospect RFP for Professional Services I ERP Project Management Consultant
Page 4 of 7
February 18, 2009
, ~1'A , we' ',C:" ,,;, '-- .'; c.;
Municipal License Internally Developed Program Tracks all business licenses,
elevator, vending, contractor,
and vehicle issued by Village.
Liquor License Manual Process Tracks all liquor licenses issued
bv the Villaqe.
Police Tickets Internally Developed Program Tracks and bills all Police
Parking and Compliance
Tickets.
Real Estate Transfer Tax Internally Developed Program Tracks and records all Real
Estate Transfers throughout the
Villaqe.
Refuse Disposal Internally Developed Program Multi-Family Refuse accounts.
Utility Billing Bills Internally Developed Program Prints copy of utility bill and past
due notices on demand.
Vehicle License Internally Developed Program Tracks all Vehicle Stickers
issued bv Villaqe.
Grant Management Manual Process Track all State and Federal
Grants.
Master Address Internally Developed Program Provides owner history, PIN
numbers, water provider
information, address.
Community Development
Building Permits Black Bear Permit Software.
Code Enforcement Internally Developed Program Housing and Code Enforcement
Software.
CDBG Grant Program IDIS Reporting - Manual Track CDBG program
Process drawdown's.
Public Works
Public Works Software Hansen
Work Order System Maintenance/Request work
order system
Corrective/Preventative water
d istri bution/collection
maintenance software.
Facility Management Corrective and Preventative
maintenance facility
manaqement proqram.
Fleet Data Base/Maintenance Currently being moved into Track fleet
Hansen from CFA Corrective/Preventative
maintenance.
Tree Inventory Currently being moved into Corrective/Preventative tree
Hansen from Tree Manager inventorY.
Pavement Street Management
GIS ERSI Graphic Information System.
Parking Lot Payments Collects payments for daily
parkinq fees and debit cards.
Automatic Meter Reads (AMR) Badger Trace - Connect Uploads AMR into Hansen and
Software GEMS.
Village of Mount Prospect RFP for Professional Services I ERP Project Management Consultant
Page 5 of 7
February 18, 2009
Proposed Project Schedule
The schedule below is tentative and based on the Village's current expectations. The dates are
subject to change as the project develops.
March 3,2009
Response deadline for ERP project management consultants
March 6, 2009
Interviews with selected firms
March 9, 2009
Interviews with selected firms
March 24, 2009
Recommendation of ERP project management consultant to
Village Board at Committee of the Whole Meeting
April 8, 2009
A ward contract for ERP project management consulting services
April 9, 2009
Issue Notice to Proceed for ERP project management consulting services
April 13, 2009
Begin Analysis and Design Phase
Proposal
Consultants eligible for Request for Proposal must not have affiliation or be a reseller of any
software or enterprise system proposed. The Consultant's proposal shall be organized so that the
outline generally follows the format of this Request for Proposals. The proposal shall cover the
approach and the methodology the Consultant intends to use in carrying out the project.
The proposal should also include statements setting forth the Consultant's line of business,
organizational structure, summary of past experience and specific descriptions of at least three (3)
projects completed in the Chicago metropolitan area that are similar in subject, size, and
complexity to the scope of services specified herein. These descriptions must include contact
information for reputable references that can attest to the Consultant's representations.
The consultant will quote a not-to-exceed price for each phase of the services described under
Scope of Services. At a minimum, the proposal must be broken down by the hourly rate and
number of hours for each phase. Proposals should be submitted in a sealed envelope marked:
Proposal for ERP Project Management
Consulting Services for Village of Mount Prospect
Proposals due 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Present Work Load
A complete tabulation of the Consultant's current project workload is to be included. Each
project shall be identified by name, type, size, duration, and personnel assigned and expected
completion date.
Personnel
Professional resumes, including education, work experience, professional credentials, and
employment status (e.g. full-time, part-time, years with the firm, job description) for each
individual to be assigned to the project described herein should be provided.
Village of Mount Prospect RFP for Professional Services I ERP Project Management Consultant
Page 6 of 7
February 18. 2009
Disqualification of Proposals
More than one proposal for the same work described herein from an individual, firm or
partnership, a corporation or an association under the same or different names, will not be
considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that any party is interested in more than one
proposal for the work contemplated will cause the rejection of all proposals in which said party is
interested. If there are reasonable grounds for believing that collusion exists among the parties
submitting proposals, the proposals of the participants in such collusion will not be considered.
Licenses
Each party submitting a proposal shall possess all necessary federal, state, and local licenses as
are required by law, and shall furnish satisfactory proof to the Village upon request that the
licenses are in effect during the entire period of the Contract.
Award of Contract
The award of any Contract may be made to the Consultant who submits the proposal which is in
the best interest of the Village as evaluated by Village staff. Such evaluations will include the
experience of the Consultant, capability of the Consultant, and other factors deemed by Village
staff to be in the best interest of the Village. In addition, the Village reserves the rights to accept
or reject any and all proposals, to waive any informality in any proposals, and to accept any
proposals considered advantageous to the Village.
Instructions to Bidders
General rules and conditions that apply to all bids requested and accepted by the Village are
included with this Request for Proposal. Bidders are expected to fully inform themselves as to
the conditions, requirements, and specifications before submitting bids. Failure to do so will be
at the bidder's own risk. Submitting a bid is an assumption that vendor is familiar with all
conditions and intends to comply with them unless otherwise noted.
Proposals
Proposals should be addressed to:
Village of Mount Prospect
Attention: Lisa Angell, Village Clerk
50 S. Emerson Street
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Questions regarding the proposal prior to the due date should be directed to:
David Erb, Finance Director
Lynn Jarog, Deputy Finance Director
(p) 847-392-6000
(f) 847-818-5336
(e-mail) derb@mountprospect.org
* * *
IMPORTANT!
All proposals must be received at the Village of Mount Prospect,
Village Manager's Office no later than 10:00 A.M. CST on March 3, 2009
Village of Mount Prospect RFP for Professional Services I ERP Project Management Consultant
Page 7 of 7
February 18, 2009
""U^=100 --l ""U^=100
5l""U)>OCi) 0 5l""U)>OCi)
;:a..s::Q.~ro 5i ;:a..s::Q.~ro
COG)<goo (j) COG)<goo
o .-+ ...., o .-+
Qo OG)O Q Qo OG)O
s:: tll-.-< s:: tll-.-<
o COOO ""U o COOO
-. c 0 :T -. C 0
tll ~::J tll ~ ~ ::J ::!!
::J _ 00 00
CO -00 3
::J C ::J C
r 2: r a:
::J tll ::J
(0 ::J (0
Q.
""U
:T
tll
00
co
I\.)
:2:
0
~ II
-"I\.) -" 0 -" co
-"I\.)-+>-I\.)W -+>-1\.)-"-"-....1 co
-+>--+>--....11\.)1\.) ::J O....Jr..Q....Jr.......Jr. 00
'".....Jeooi-vo -< w:""i-v'tn'tn
1\.)0l\.)UlO 1\.)0WOl\.)
OOUlOO 00000 ""U
:T
tll
00
'l:t:CO 0
0 -"
...., 0
I ~
0 ""U
-" c -.
-+>-COI\.)-"-" -"Ul Ul Ul 0
-....II\.)COOlO OlOOlCOCO -0
COUlUlI\.)O CO 0 I\.)-+>-Ol 0
00
Q?.
(j)
c <
3 ==
3 tll
II tll(O
t\,)l\.)....Jr..--l......Jr.. -....IOW-"Ol co -< ~
co
-+>--+>-OlWI\.) -+>-WOlOO 00 ...., ....,
OWUl-....lO -""'".....J'".....J'".....J-"" S::Q s:: ~
00000 OOCOUlCO 9; m 0
00000 OOUlOO ""U lJ
:T o ;;0 C C'l
tll :T""U;:a.. ::T
00 _w ""U ""U 3
'l:t:CO I\.) (3 (3 (\)
0 I\.) ;:a..
...., o~. 00
I OCO-o I\)
CO 0 CO
0 .-+ 0
C S::""
W-+>-I\.) Ul Ul tll
-"1\.)1\.)-....10 ::J
OUlWCO-+>- tll ::J
(0 Q.
CO 00
3
CO
;:a..
II 0
-"Ul -" CO 0
WOl-"I\.)CO CO ::J
COUlI\.)W-....I 00 00
-1\.)'".....J'tn'tn'".....J C
-+>-0-+>-00l ""U [if
00000 :T a
tll
00
CD
'l:t:w
0
....,
I
0
I\.) C
UlW -"Ol -.
-....I W-....I CO-+>- 00
OlOOlOCO
1\.)-....1 W II
CO
UlCOUl-+>-1\.) CO
1\.)0 CO Ul CO 00
(O-Ul'tn'".....J'".....J
OlOOlUlOl
OOUlOO --l
0
5i
'l:t:
0
....,
I
0
-"W I\.) C
OI\.)WW-....I Ul
UlUlOl-+>--+>-
-+>-Ul-"I\.)CO