ERP Planning and Selection Support at the University of Central Florida

MTC helped UCF navigate an ERP planning and selection project over an aggressive three month timeframe.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a rapidly expanding research university in Orlando with over 72,000 students. UCF had been utilizing PeopleSoft HCM, Finance, and Campus Solutions for its ERP environment, but found that pressing needs for improved reporting and analytics, the need for business process evolution and streamlining of systems, and a universal recognition of the need for change from the current operating model created the right circumstances to look for its next platform. 

MTC was asked by UCF to help them navigate an ERP planning and selection project, primarily for HR and Finance solutions (negotiations for a future SIS purchase were also included). Due to the alignment of need, impetus for change, funding, etc., UCF aimed for the most aggressive RFR and selection timeline MTC has seen to date, beginning in July of 2020 and ending in October of 2020. UCF ultimately selected Workday as the vendor for its new Finance and HR/Payroll solutions on its desired timeframe. MTC provided a wide range of support on this project, including:

• Working with UCF to navigate State of Florida laws and policies for major systems procurements to meet an extremely expedited timeline goal. This included complying with an RFR approach leveraging piggyback contracts
• Advising UCF on contract negotiations with Workday
• Helping to develop a set of systems implementation requirements and a standardized statement of work
• Facilitating pre-RFR vendor demonstrations to familiarize UCF with different, modern ERP platform capabilities based on areas of particular need
• Helping to develop the formal RFR and review the standard legal contracts (as a business and technical reviewer, not as a legal counsel)
• Helping to evaluate the vendor responses and to short-list the vendors
• Facilitating the vendor ‘orals’ presentations and discussion
• Helping to negotiate the final Statement of Work and the SI contract

MTC synthesized functional and technical requirements and demonstration needs, facilitated demonstrations with major vendors, and designed and facilitated an RFR process.

Claire Gilbert

Moran Technology Consulting, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement

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Claire Gilbert leads ERP readiness and strategic planning engagements for higher education institutions across the country. She partners with CIOs, CFOs and functional leaders to prepare campuses for major system transformations, from governance and data readiness to change management. Before joining Moran, Claire spent more than a decade in university administration, giving her a practical, campus-side view of what makes technology initiatives succeed.