City of Santa Maria, CA
R
equest for Proposal
for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Software and Implementation Services
Issue Date: 10/3/2022
Closing Date: 11/7/2022 at 5:00 PM Pacific Time
RFP documents available:
https://www.cityofsantamaria.org/bids
Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory) on 10/12/2022 at
11:00 AM Pacific Time:
Send email to [email protected] requesting the meeting link
ATTACHMENT B
ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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Proposal Submission
Proposal Due Date: Submit to City by 5 PM local (Pacific) time on 11/7/2022 Submit to City: Both Hard Copy and Digital format of 1 technical proposal and signed addenda, including the following files:
• ERP Software and Implementation Services - Specifications.xlsx • ERP Software and Implementation Services - Pricing Forms.xlsx • ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx • ERP Software and Implementation Services – Terms and Conditions.docx
Electronic submissions will be electronically received by email [email protected]. The City is not responsible for electronic submissions not received by the deadline due to technical failures of its or the proposer’s systems.
Physical copies of the pr oposal should be sent to the address below. .
Proposers must send one (1) o riginal signed version and one (1) copy of the proposal. Proposals must be clearly marked as RFP for ERP Software and Implementation Services Submissions.
City of Santa Maria
Attn: Mary Harvey
206 East Cook Street
Santa Maria, CA 93454
Vendors must submit both a physical proposal and electronic submission.
Important Notice:
Effective immediately upon release of this request for proposal (RFP), and until notice of contract award, all official communications from proposers regarding the requirements of this RFP shall be directed via email to: [email protected] The City of Santa Maria or designee shall distribute all official changes, modifications, responses to questions or notices relating to the requirements of this RFP. Any other information of any kind from any other source shall not be considered official, and proposers relying on other information do so at their own risk.
ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 6
1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 Definitions ........................................................................................................................ 6
1.3 City and Project Background ........................................................................................ 9
1.4 Current Application Environment .............................................................................. 10
1.5 Application Interface Table .......................................................................................... 13
1.6 Current Technical Environment ................................................................................. 15
1.7 Other Planned City Initiatives ..................................................................................... 15
1.8 Expected Scope of System Solution ............................................................................ 15
1.9 Software Scope ................................................................................................................ 16
1.10 Services Scope ................................................................................................................. 17
1.11 Summary of Organization Metrics ............................................................................. 18
1.12 Overall Evaluation Process .......................................................................................... 22
2. Vendor Proposal Guidelines .................................................................................... 24
2.1 Intent ............................................................................................................................... 24
2.2 Deadline for Proposals ................................................................................................. 24
2.3 Intent to Propose........................................................................................................... 25
2.4 Preparation of Proposals ............................................................................................. 25
2.5 Requirements for Signing Proposal .......................................................................... 25
2.6 No Ex-Parte Communications during Competitive Bidding Period ................... 25
2.7 RFP Clarifications and Questions .............................................................................. 26
2.8 Vendor Pre-Proposal Meeting .................................................................................... 26
2.9 Consideration of Proposals ......................................................................................... 26
2.10 Basis for Award, Evaluation Criteria and Questions .............................................. 26
2.11 Advice of Omission or Misstatement ......................................................................... 27
2.12 Confidential Information ............................................................................................. 27
2.13 Confidentiality Statement ............................................................................................ 27
2.14 Award of Contract ......................................................................................................... 28
2.15 Tax Exempt Status ........................................................................................................ 28
2.16 Reserved Rights ............................................................................................................. 28
2.17 Advertising ..................................................................................................................... 28 ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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2.18 Trademarks .................................................................................................................... 28
2.19 Right to Request Additional Information ................................................................ 28
2.20 Right of Refusal ............................................................................................................. 28
2.21 Proposal Preparation Costs ......................................................................................... 29
2.22 System Design Costs ..................................................................................................... 29
2.23 Pricing Eligibility Period ............................................................................................. 29
2.24 Additional Charges ........................................................................................................ 29
2.25 Turnkey Solution .......................................................................................................... 29
2.26 Data Storage ................................................................................................................... 29
2.27 Purchase Quantities ...................................................................................................... 30
2.28 Rights to Pertinent Materials ..................................................................................... 30
3. Proposal Response Format ....................................................................................... 31
3.1 Executive Summary (Section 1) ...................................................................................32
3.2 Company Background (Section 2) ...............................................................................32
3.3 Application Software (Section 3) ................................................................................. 33
3.4 Technical and Vendor Hosted/Cloud Information ................................................. 34
3.5 Implementation Plan (Section 5) ................................................................................ 34
3.6 Functional System Requirements (Section 6) .......................................................... 40
3.7 Staffing Plan (Section 7) ............................................................................................... 40
3.8 Ongoing Support Services (Section 8) ........................................................................ 41
3.9 Client References (Section 9) ....................................................................................... 41
3.10 Subscription and Maintenance Agreements (Section 10) ...................................... 42
3.11 Exceptions and Deviations (Section 11) ..................................................................... 42
3.12 Other Required Forms and Attachments (Section 12) ............................................ 42
3.13 Addenda (Section 13) ..................................................................................................... 43
3.14 Separate Cost Proposal ................................................................................................. 43 Pricing Format ....................................................................................................................... 44
4. Functional Requirements ........................................................................................ 46
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 46
5. Minimum Criteria .................................................................................................... 48
ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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Listed below are specific and estimated dates and times of actions related to this request for proposal (RFP). The milestones with specific dates must be completed as indicated unless otherwise changed.
If it is necessary to change any of the specific dates and times in the calendar of events listed below, an addendum to this RFP will be issued.
Milestone Timeframe
RFP issuance 10/3/2022
(Optional) Vendor pre-proposal meeting 10/12/2022 at 11:00 AM Pacific Time Deadline for clarification questions (all must be sent to [email protected])
Via email on 10/26/2022 by 5 PM
local time
(Optional) Vendor intent to propose via email 10/31/2022 City posts addendum on City website with responses to
Vendor RFP clarification questions
Final addendum will be released by
11/2/2022
Vendor proposals due (both electronic and physical copy) 11/7/2022 by 5 PM Local Time Demonstrations of software on-site at the City (date
subject to change and will vary based on the number of
responsive vendors)
Expected January/February 2023
Contract negotiations and award Expected March/April 2023 Estimated start date of contract Expected May/June 2023 ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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1. Introduction
1.1 Overview
The City of Santa Maria is soliciting proposals from qualified providers of ERP software for municipalities whose product offering meets or exceeds current City requirements and whose complete product offering provides a robust solution set that will allow the City to continue to leverage this investment well into the future as the needs of the City grow and evolve.
1.2 Definitions
The following definitions are used in the RFP:
• Bidder, Vendor or Proposer means a firm, company, or organization responding to the RFP document to provide services to implement the software described in the RFP. • Business Days means Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time in Santa Maria, excluding City of Santa Maria holidays.
• Business Function means business functional areas such as finance, budget, procurement, human resources, and payroll.
• Change Order means a written document signed by the City, and issued to the Bidder, which alters the scope of the Work to be performed by the Bidder, changes of the schedule for performance of the Work, increases or decreases the Bidder’s compensation, or any other change to the Contract.
• Client or City means City of Santa Maria, CA.
• Completion means fulfillment of all the Bidder’s obligations under the Contract. • Confidential Information means information that may be exempt from disclosure to the public or other unauthorized persons under City, state or federal statutes and regulations.
Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, any information identifiable to an individual that relates to a natural person’s health, finances, education, business, use or receipt of governmental services, names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, driver license numbers, financial profiles, credit card number s, financial identifiers and any other identifying numbers, law enforcement records, City source code or object code, or City security information. • Configuration means the use of application features to establish business rules in the application to meet the City’s business needs.
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• Contract means the written agreement entered between the City and the Bidder evidencing the terms and conditions related to the Project. The Contract includes the Bidder-submitted Response, including executed bid/Response forms, pricing, specifications, and other attachments; Notice(s) to Proceed; and all Amendment(s) issued prior to, and all Modifications (Change Orders) issued after execution of the Contract. • Core/Required Functionality means the software functionality the City intends to implement as part of this project.
• ERP Application Software means the software solution for which the successful Bidder will be responsible for providing software integration and implementation services. • Holdback or Retention means the payment amounts held back by the City from each Deliverable’s Charges.
• Key Staff means Bidder’s personnel or subcontractor staff whose experience, skills, abilities, or background make them uniquely valuable to the City and who are named as Key Staff in this Contract or a Statement of Work.
• Outside Agency/3rd Party Interface an interface or integration with an outside agency or organization.
• Personal Data includes, but is not limited to, any information identifiable to an individual that relates to a natural person’s health, finances, education, business, use or receipt of governmental services, names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, driver license numbers, financial profiles, credit card numbers, financial identifiers and any other identifying numbers, law enforcement records, the City ’s source code or object code, or the City’s security information. • Plante & Moran, PLLC is the City’s ERP Procurement Assistance consultant for the project. • Preexisting Material means proprietary products, software, methods, devices, or the like delivered by the Contractor to fulfill its obligations under this Contract. Preexisting Material does not originate from this Contract but may be incorporated into or be required to properly support Deliverables under this Contract. Preexisting Material may be owned by the Contractor or a third party that has given permission for its use hereunder. • Price means charges, costs, rates, and/or fees charged in United States dollars for the Services under this Contract.
• Project means City’s overall objective or endeavor of which this RFP document forms a part. • Proprietary Information means information owned by the Contractor or City to which the Contractor or City claims a protectable interest under law. Proprietary Information includes, but is not limited to, information protected by copyright, patent, trademark, or trade secret laws.
• Software means the licensed software application, including third -party software applications that are intended to be implemented by the City.
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• Software as a Service (SaaS) means the software vendor’s supported and managed software solution provided as a remote service to the client. The software implementer will work with the software vendor to implement the software solution chosen by the City. • Software Integrator means the Bidder selected through this RFP process to implement the software solution chosen by the City.
• Software Vendor means the company providing the software to the City through Software as a Service.
• Subcontract means any agreement, including purchase orders (other than one involving an employer/employee relationship), entered between the Bidder and a Subcontractor calling for services, labor, equipment, and/or materials required for the performance of the work required by the RFP document, including any modification thereto. • Subcontractor means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, joint venture, or other entity, other than an employee of the Bidder, which contracts with the Bidder or a Subcontractor to furnish services, labor, equipment, or materials required for the performance of the work required by this RFP document, including any modification thereto. • Supplies, Materials, and Equipment as used herein shall include, without limitation, all items, tangible or intangible, to be incorporated in the work or otherwise delivered to the City hereunder.
• System means the fully installed, configured, and implemented software application(s), including any third-party software, necessary to meet the City ’s requirements and defined work.
• System Interfaces defines where the City has identified an integration is needed. • System Requirements means functional and technical requirements for the software solution chosen by the City. These system requirements and the software vendor’s response form are available in the attached ERP Software and Implementation Services – Requirements.xlsx.
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1.3 City and Project Background
The City of Santa Maria was incorporated on September 12, 1905 and is located in Santa Barbara County on the west coast of California in what is known as the Central Coast. The City has a population of approximately 110,000 and a harmonious balance of maintaining coastal and agricultural lands while promoting business. Santa Maria has been recognized nationally as an All- America City by the National Civic League and offers reasonably priced housing, community festivals, quality schools, and is in close proximity to beaches, cultural arts, a local airport, wineries, and higher education institutions. Santa Maria is the largest City by population and geographic area in the County. The City provides a full range of municipal services including police and fire services, engineering and planning, street maintenance, recreation and parks services, water and wastewater utilities, solid waste collection and disposal, and general administrative activities. The City is organized into 10 departments. The information technology functions of the City are centralized.
The City recently conducted a comprehensive assessment of their legacy ERP system, Tyler Eden, and related business processes. The assessment identified numerous gaps that can be filled by replacing Eden with a modern ERP system, such as improved reporting and analytics, improved workflows, and better ease of use. Therefore, the City is seeking qualified vendors to submit a proposal for an ERP system and implementation services.
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1.4 Current Application Environment
Legend for Current Applications
Legend Code Description
R Replacement City intends to replace this application with the selected solution.
C Consider City is considering replacing this application with the selected solution, based on the strength of the finalist Vendor offering and cost / benefit of the replacement module.
M Maintain City intends to retain the application, not replacing it through this effort.
I Interface City intends to keep the application and interface/integrate it with the selected solution.
C/I Consider/Interface City is considering replacing this application with the selected solution based on the strength of the finalist Vendor offering and cost/benefit of the replacement module. In the event City maintains this application, it would require an interface to the ERP. Therefore, the vendor must provide interface experience and pricing for these applications.
System Department Owner Description Future Plan
ActiveNet Recreation and Parks Recreation and Parks Management I AssetWorks Public Works Fleet Management/Asset Management I/C Authorize.Net Finance Credit card processor C
Bank of America Portal Finance Direct deposit upload I
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System Department Owner Description Future Plan
CalPERS Finance Retirement reporting M
Data Ticket Code Enforcement Code enforcement fee tracking M DCSS Finance Garnishments reporting M
Eden Multiple Core Financial, Human Resources, and
Payroll System R
ESRI Utilities GIS I
Fuel Master Public Works Fuel tracking I
IRS Reporting Finance Payroll Tax Reporting M
Linko Utilities FOG & Pretreatment Management Software I Microsoft Access Finance Collections tracking database R Microsoft Excel Utilities Project deposit tracking spreadsheet R Microsoft Excel Finance Budget Template R
Microsoft Excel Finance Credit Card Log R
Microsoft Excel Finance Fixed asset tracking spreadsheet R Microsoft Excel Finance Treasurer’s trust tracking spreadsheet R Microsoft Excel Human Resources FMLA tracking R
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System Department Owner Description Future Plan
Microsoft Excel Finance Asset replacement schedules R
Microsoft Excel Multiple Various departmental budget and purchase tracking spreadsheets R
Microsoft Excel Multiple Departmental grant tracking spreadsheets R Microsoft Excel Public Works Facilities asset inventory R Microsoft Excel Public Works Service request tracking R Microsoft Excel Utility Billing Construction water meter tracking R NeoGov Human Resources Applicant Tracking, Recruitment, and Onboarding System I/C
Portalogic Utilities Septage billing I
Progressive Solution Finance Business license management system I/C Routeware Utilities Solid waste collection management R State of California Reporting Finance Payroll Tax Reporting M Streetsave Public Works Street condition tracking I
Syncta Utilities Backflow prevention software I
Telestaff Police / Fire Public Safety scheduling and time entry I CentralSquare Community
Development (TRAKiT) Community Development Community development system I ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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System Department Owner Description Future Plan
Tyler Cashiering Finance Cash Receipting System R
Vector Solutions (previously
Target Solutions) Human Resources Training management I/C Wasteworks Utilities Scale house management I
WebXtender Code Enforcement Document scanning for
community development M
ZoomGrants Community Development Grant reporting and tracking R
1.5 Application Interface Table
Data Flow Description Source Application Direction Target Application Rec and Parks cash receipts ActiveNet Future ERP Solution Fleet costs Assetworks Future ERP Solution
Direct deposit information Future ERP Solution ↔ Bank of America Portal GIS Data ESRI ↔ Future ERP Solution
Fuel costs Fuel Master Future ERP Solution
Pretreatment charges to generate bills Linko Future UB Solution New hire information NeoGov Future ERP Solution
Employee data such as position
numbers, department ID, job title, hire
date, etc. sent to NeoGov. Personal
information, performance reviews,
etc. sent to ERP.
Future ERP Solution
↔
NeoGov Perform Module
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Data Flow Description Source Application Direction Target Application Cash receipts DataTickets Future ERP Solution
Cash receipts Genfare Future ERP Solution
Cash receipts SmrtPay Future ERP Solution
Septage billing amounts Portalogic Future UB Solution Business license payments Progressive Solution Future ERP Solution Street condition information Streetsave Future ERP Solution Backflow devices information to UB,
customer information to Syncta
Syncta
↔
Future UB Solution
Public safety time entries Telestaff Future ERP Solution Community development and
Engineering payments
Community Development
(CentralSquare product)
Future ERP Solution
Training records Vector Solutions Future ERP Solution Scale house payments Wasteworks Future UB Solution
Meter Reads to UB and customer data
to Sensus Sensus ↔ Future UB Solution
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1.6 Current Technical Environment
The information below provides Vendors with a current summary of the City of Santa Maria’s network and computing environments and standards. The City of Santa Maria is considering only vendor-hosted or cloud solutions. As part of the proposal process Vendors will be required to submit significant technical detail about their proposed solution detailed in section 4.4 of this RFP. In preparing responses, Vendors must remain diligent in referencing this table to assure that responses clearly identify:
• Areas of known or potential conflict between the Vendors proposed solution and the City of Santa Maria’s defined environments
• Recommendations of how best to implement and operate the proposed solution within the City of Santa Maria’s defined environments
An assessment of the City’s technology infrastructure was performed to identify technology related requirements and standards for a new ERP system to operate effectively in the City’s technology environment. The server and virtualization environment primarily consists of Windows servers and VMware hypervisor running on VxRail hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI). The City primarily leverages Active Directory (AD)/Azure AD for identity management and authentication.
Authorization to the new ERP system and all applications should be tied to Azure AD, providing single-sign-on (SSO) functionality to allow users to manage a single password for accessing all resources. The current application environment consists of a mix of on- premises and cloud-based applications such as Microsoft Office365, Kronos, GovQA, and NeoGov, to name a few. The City also has a list of applications that they would like to interface with the new ERP system which are identified in section 2.5. The City leverages redundant Internet connections from diverse carriers at 1Gbps and 500Mbps respectively. The perimeter also utilizes next generation firewall and associated capabilities. End user computing environment is comprised of a mix of desktops, laptops, and tablet/mobile devices running modern operating systems and browsers.
1.7 Other Planned City Initiatives
The City is upgrading TRAKiT to the CentralSquare Community Development application. The expected completion is by end of year 2022.
1.8 Expected Scope of System Solution
The City is requiring that responding vendors propose a fully integrated ERP vendor -hosted/cloud solution, including software, hardware specifications, implementation and project management, and other technology services for the entire scope of the project that may or may not include components owned by the vendor. The City recognizes that this project will have a significant impact on the City’s staff and is looking to minimize that impact insofar as possible. To the extent vendor ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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is able, the City is looking for the vendor to conduct a thorough business analysis at the start of each module and to provide the City with a pre-configured system using its best practices and experience as a model. The City is expecting to review and test this pre-configured system, requesting minimal changes as required.
The following definitions should be considered relative to the list below: MORAN: Update this table based on requirements for core + expanded or not.>
• Core (required) - Components of the solution that are required to be fulfilled and proposed by responding vendors.
• Vendors can respond to modules with their own products, or they may partner with other vendors to submit a proposal that meets the expanded software scope listed below.
1.9 Software Scope
Core/Required Application Software:
• Financials:
o Accounts payable
o Accounts receivable
o Bank Reconciliation
o Budget
o Cash Receipting
o Contract management
o Fixed assets
o General ledger
o Grant and Project Accounting
o Inventory
o Purchasing
o Treasury
• Human Resources:
o Core HR
o Employee benefits
o Employee Self-Service
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o Learning management
o Onboarding
o Performance management
o Personnel actions
o Position Control
o Recruiting
o Succession planning
• Timekeeping and Payroll
o Payroll
o Time and Attendance
• Utility Billing:
o Account Management
o Billing
o Customer Portal
o Delinquency
o Device Management
o Rates
o Reporting and Analysis
o Service Orders
• Data Analytics and Reporting
• Document Management
• Any other necessary software components to support the proposed Core Application Software solution
1.10 Services Scope
Required Services
• Project Management
• Software Installation / Set-up
• Security Design and Configuration
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• Business Design / Software Configuration
• Technical Design and Standards
• Data Conversion and Migration
• Business Analytics, Report and Form Development
• Integration and Interface Development
• Software Modifications (if proposed to meet functional requirements) • Testing
• Training Services (functional and technical)
• Change Management
• Knowledge Transfer to Staff
• System Documentation Development
• Deployment
• Ongoing Support and Maintenance Services
• Ongoing Hosting Services
Additional details and descriptions related to the specifics of the expected scope can be found in Proposal Response Format – Section 4 in this RFP.
1.11 Summary of Organization Metrics
A summary of organization metrics and standards is included below. These volumes and standards reflect actual and estimated amounts for the current environment.
Metric Current
Population 109,910 (as of Jan 1, 2022)
Form of Government City
Jurisdictional Area (Square Miles) 23.42
Number of Departments 10
Budget (General Fund) ~99 million
Budget (Central IT) ~10 million
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Metric Current
Budget (All Funds) ~$216 million
Number of Expected Users Per Area
Finance/Procurement Power Users 12
HR/Payroll Power Users 20
Department end-users of purchasing, time and attendance, self-service, etc.
~700
Utility Billing Users 10
Utility Billing Service Orders Users 10
Technical Administration Users 9
General Ledger/Bank Reconciliation
Current Chart of Accounts Structure:
Expenditure: Fund – Dept – Division –
Object – Sub object
e.g. 100-100-100-10-10
Revenue: Fund – Category – Sub
Category – Sub Object
e.g. 100-100-10-10
Balance Sheet: Fund – Class – Sub-
account
e.g. 100-100-10
Fiscal Year End June 30th
Number of Funds 75
Number of Department Codes Dept = 18; Division = 60
Number of Expense Accounts 7,744
Number of Revenue Accounts 1,469
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Metric Current
Number of Manual Journal Entries (Monthly) 50
Number of Bank Accounts 5
Budgeting
Position Control? Yes
Budget Entry Model (Future State) (Centralized or
Decentralized):
Decentralized
Number of Approval Levels 5
Budget Frequency Biennial, but mid-cycle adjustment is
done prior to start of second year
Number of Funds Budgeted 75
Fixed / Capital Assets
Number of Capitalized Fixed Assets 3,687
Fixed asset tagging? Yes
Fixed Asset Capitalization Threshold
Unmovable fixed asset: > or = 3-year
useful life and > or = $50,000
Moveable fixed asset: > or = 3-year
useful life and > or = $5,000
Project / Grant Accounting
Do Projects/Grants Cross Funds? Yes
Do Projects/Grants Cross Departments? Yes
Purchasing / Contract Management
Use of NIGP/Commodity Codes? Currently not used
Number of Requisitions per Month 250
Number of Purchase Orders per Month 250
Number of Vendors in Purchasing System 8,149
Accounts Payable
Number of Invoices Input Annually 17,925
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Metric Current
Frequency of Check/EFT Runs weekly (on average)
Check Signature Method Embedded in the system
Payment Types Supported (Current) Manual Checks and Wires Payment Types Supported (Future) Manual Checks, Wires, and ACH Number of 1099s Processed Annually 97
Cash Receipting
Receipting Model: Decentralized
Number of Current Cash Registers / POS Terminals 20
Number of Current Cash Registers / POS Terminals to be
replaced with new solution
12 Human Resources / Payroll / T&A
Total Number of Employees ~700
Number of Annual Applications 4,694
Payroll Frequency Bi-Weekly
Number of Labor Units 7
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1.12 Overall Evaluation Process
Responses to this RFP will be evaluated by a committee consisting of various process owners within the City. The City’s intent is to acquire the solution that provides the best value to the City and meets or exceeds both the functional and technical requirements identified in this RFP.
The City will be using the following process to reach a finalist Vendor decision:
1.12.1 Minimum Criteria: As part of the Vendor's RFP response, the following minimum criteria must be met for a proposal to be considered for further evaluation. Failure to meet all criteria will automatically disqualify the Vendor's response from further consideration:
Minimum Criteria Checklist
□ Minimum Client Software Installations
Must have provided software for at least three previous municipalities of similar size, complexity, and scope.
□ RFP Response
RFP response is submitted by the due date and time.
□ Response Authorization
The RFP response is signed by an authorized company officer. □ Authorization to do business in State of California
The vendor must be authorized to do business in the State of California. □ Response Completeness
Vendor complied with all instructions in the RFP and provided a response to all items requested with sufficient detail, which provides for the proposal to be properly evaluated. Any deficiencies in this regard will be determined by City of Santa Maria ’s Purchasing Agent or his/her designee to be either a defect that the Agent will waive or that the proposal can be sufficiently modified to meet the requirements of the RFP. □ Vendor Hosted / Cloud Solution
Vendor responses must be vendor hosted and/or in the cloud. T he City will not consider an on-premises proposal.
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1.12.2 Round 2 Evaluation: For those Vendors whose proposals pass the minimum criteria, the following categories of criteria will be used to further evaluate the proposals in the following order of preference from high to low:
Round 2 Evaluation Criteria
Ability to meet functional requirements 40
Ability to meet technical requirements 20
Implementation services and ongoing support 30
Vendor viability 10
Total 100
1.12.3 Round 3 Evaluation: The top Vendors in the second -round evaluation will then proceed to an additional level of due diligence that may include the following activities:
• Follow-up questions and answers with the Vendors.
• Vendor demonstrations to include module/functionality demonstrations, technical demonstrations, service presentation, and other due diligence. • Reference checking with comparable entities using the Vendor's product.
At any point in time during the third round of evaluation, a Vendor may be eliminated from further consideration. At the conclusion of the round three activities, the finalist Vendors will be evaluated on all information collected to date against the following criteria in order of preference:
Round 3 Evaluation Criteria
Functionality 35
Cost 15
Vendor Viability 10
Implementation services and ongoing support 25
Technical requirements 15
Total 100
1.12.4 Final Round Best and Final: City may choose to request a Best and Final Offer during the proposal evaluation process.
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2. Vendor Proposal Guidelines
2.1 Intent
It is the intent of the City, through this request for proposal and the contract conditions contained herein, to establish to the greatest possible extent complete clarity regarding the requirements of both parties to the agreement resulting from this request for proposal.
Before submitting a proposal, the Vendor shall be thoroughly familiarized with all contract conditions referred to in this document and any addenda issued before the proposal submission date.
The selected Vendor’s proposal and any additional documentation (e.g., including vendor questions and responses) provided by the Vendor d uring the solicitation process will be integrated into the final contract for services entered between the City and the selected Vendor. It shall be the Vendor's responsibility to ascertain that the proposal includes all addenda issued prior to the proposal submission date.
2.2 Deadline for Proposals
Proposals must conform to the requirements set forth in the RFP. Proposals not conforming to these guidelines may be rejected as non-responsive.
Proposals must be submitted by the date specified in Section 1. Timeline Overview in this RFP.
Electronic submissions will be electronically received through the site specified in Section 1.
Timeline Overview in this RFP.
Proposals received after the deadline will not be accepted. The City is not responsible for electronic submissions not received by the deadline due to technical failures of it’s or the proposer’s systems or delivery services.
The electronic proposals should also include the following files:
• ERP Software and Implementation Services - Specifications.xlsx • ERP Software and Implementation Services - Pricing Forms.xlsx • ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx • ERP Software and Implementation Services – Terms and Conditions.docx
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The Vendor’s technical proposal response shall include the completed specification worksheets and pricing worksheets that have been provided in Microsoft Excel . The City wishes to keep pricing information separate from the technical proposal. Pricing should be provided in the Pricing Forms released with this RFP.
2.3 Intent to Propose
The City requests that vendors notify the City of their intent to propose to this RFP by the date listed in the timeline of section 1 of this RFP. However, failure to notify the City of their intent to propose will not disqualify a vendor from submitting a proposal.
2.4 Preparation of Proposals
Proposals shall be prepared in accordance with the proposal response format, provided in Section 4 Proposal Response Format . Proposals not complying with this format may be considered non- responsive and may be removed from consideration on this basis.
2.5 Requirements for Signing Proposal
• Each proposer, by making a proposal, represents that this document has been read and is fully understood.
• The proposal must be signed electronically using an industry-standard digital signature (e.g.
DocuSign, Adobe Acrobat, etc.) by an individual authorized to legally bind the person, partnership, company, or corporation submitting the proposal. • All signatures must have the name and title typed directly under the line of the signature. • The above requirements apply to all RFP addenda.
2.6 No Ex-Parte Communications during Competitive Bidding Period To insure the proper and fair evaluation of a response, the City prohibits ex-parte communication (e.g., unsolicited) initiated by the proposed Vendor to a City official, City-Council members, or an employee evaluating or considering the responses prior to the time a formal decision has been made.
Questions and other communication from vendors will be permissible until 5 :00 pm on the day specified as the deadline for questions. Any communication between responder and the City after the deadline for question s will be initiated by the appropriate City official or employee to obtain information or clarification needed to develop a proper and accurate evaluation of the response. Ex- parte communication may be grounds for disqualifying the offending responder from consideration or award of the solicitation then in evaluation, or any future solicitation.
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2.7 RFP Clarifications and Questions
If any person contemplating submitting a proposal is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of this RFP, he/she may submit a written request to the City for an interpretation thereof. The person submitting the request will be responsible for its prompt delivery.
Any interpretation will be made only by an addendum. Vendor will acknowledge receipt of each addendum issued by stating so in his/her proposal. No oral explanation or instruction of any kind or nature whatsoever given before the award of a contract to a Vendor shall be binding.
All inquiries regarding this proposal must be submitted to the site listed in Section 1 – Timeline Overview. Responses to questions will be posted to the bid site listed in Section 1.
2.8 Vendor Pre-Proposal Meeting
A non-mandatory Vendor pre-proposal meeting will be held virtually on the date and time listed in Section 1 – Timeline Overview. Please email [email protected] to request a link for this meeting.
2.9 Consideration of Proposals
In cases where an item requested is identified by a manufacturer's name, trade name, catalog number, or reference, it is understood that Vendor proposes to furnish the item so identified and does not propose to furnish an "equal" unless the proposed "equal" is pre-approved by the City.
References to any of the above are intended to be descriptive but not restrictive and only indicate articles that will be satisfactory. Proposals on "equal" will be considered, provided that the Vendor states in his proposal exactly what he proposes to fu rnish, including sample, illustration, or other descriptive matter which will clearly indicate that character of the article covered by such proposal.
The designated City representative hereby reserves the right to approve as an “equal”, or to reject as not being an “equal”, any article proposed which contains major or minor variations from specifications requirements, but which may comply substantially therewith.
2.10 Basis for Award, Evaluation Criteria and Questions The qualification of proposal responders on this project will be considered in making the award. The City is not obligated to accept any proposal if deemed not in the best interest of the City to do so.
The City shall grant award to the qualified proposal responder based on fees submitted and responses to this RFP.
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Failure to include in the proposal all information outlined herein may be cause for rejection of the proposal.
The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals, in whole or in part, that are deemed to be in the best interest of the City at its sole discretion.
A proposal may be considered non- responsive at any time during the solicitation if conditions change.
The City reserves the right to waive any informalities or irregularities in proposals.
The City reserves the right to negotiate separately the terms and conditions or all or any part of the proposals as deemed to be in the City’s best interest at its sole discretion.
Information and/or factors gathered during interviews, negotiations and any reference checks, and any other information or factors deemed relevant by the City , shall be utilized in the final award.
The final award of a contract is subject to approval by the City Council.
2.11 Advice of Omission or Misstatement
In the event it is evident to a Vendor responding to this RFP that the City has omitted or misstated a material requirement to this RFP and/or the services required by this RFP, the responding Vendor shall advise the contact identified in this RFP on page 2 of such omission or misstatement.
2.12 Confidential Information
Information contained in the Vendor’s proposal that is company confidential must be clearly identified in the proposal itself. The City will be free to use all information in the Vendor's proposal for the City’s purposes. Vendor proposals shall remain confidential until the City’s Selection Team makes its recommendation to City Council. The Vendor understands that any material supplied to the City may be subject to public disclosure under the State of California Public Records Act (California Government Code Section 6250) and the City’s public records requests policies and procedures.
2.13 Confidentiality Statement
Any information, including materials, drawings, designs, documentation, and other property or data, disclosed to the proposal responder shall not be used, reproduced, appropriated, or otherwise disseminated to anyone other than the City.
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2.14 Award of Contract
The Vendor shall be deemed as having been awarded a contract when the formal notice of acceptance of the Vendor’s proposal has been duly served upon the intended awardee by an authorized agent of the City. Note that the successful Vendor, at the time of c ontract execution, must be licensed to do business in the State of California.
2.15 Tax Exempt Status
The City is not exempt from paying sales taxes.
2.16 Reserved Rights
The City reserves the right to waive any irregularities; accept the whole, part of, or reject any or all proposals; and to select the firm which, in the sole opinion of the City , best meets the City’s needs.
The City also reserves the right to negotiate with potential Vendors so that the City’s best interests are served.
2.17 Advertising
Vendor shall no t advertise or publish the fact that the City has placed this order without prior written consent from the City , except as may be necessary to comply with a proper request for information from an authorized representative of a governmental unit or agency.
2.18 Trademarks
The City warrants that all trademarks the City requests the Vendor to affix to articles purchased are those owned by the City and it is understood that the Vendor shall not acquire or claim any rights, title, or interest therein, or use any of such trademarks on any articles produced for itself or anyone other than the City.
2.19 Right to Request Additional Information
The City reserves the right to request any additional information that might be deemed necessary during the evaluation process.
2.20 Right of Refusal
The City reserves the right to refuse any or all proposals in their entirety, or to select certain equipment or software products from various Vendor proposals, based on the best interests of the City.
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2.21 Proposal Preparation Costs
The Vendor is responsible for any and all costs incurred by the Vendor or subcontractors in responding to this request for proposal.
2.22 System Design Costs
The successful Vendor shall be responsible for all design, information gathering, and required programming to achieve a successful implementation. This cost must be included in the base proposal.
2.23 Pricing Eligibility Period
All Vendor proposals are required to be offered for a term not less than 180 calendar days in duration. A proposal may not be modified, withdrawn or cancelled by Vendor during the 180 -day time period following the time and date designated for the receipt of proposals. It is City’s intent to procure that software solution that meets the long-term needs for the City. The City, during the selection process, may decide to purchase a subset of the Vendor’s proposal components with the initial contract. The City requires that Vendors agree for a period of (3) years from the date of the Vendor’s proposal to honor software and services pricing established within the Vendor’s proposal response for Vendor proposed components which are not included in City ’s initial purchase. The price of the proposed components can only be increased by the Vendor during such time period by an amount equal to the annual CPI -U adjustment for the Los Angeles -Long Beach- Anaheim, CA region or 3%, whichever is less.
2.24 Additional Charges
No additional charges, other than those listed on the price breakdown sheets, shall be made. Prices quoted will include verification/coordination of order, all costs for shipping, delivery to all sites, unpacking, setup, installation, operation, testing, cleanup, training and Vendor travel charges.
2.25 Turnkey Solution
All prices quoted must in clude all hardware, equipment, software, and services necessary to make the system specified fully operational for the intent, function, and purposes stated herein. The City reserves the right to purchase hardware separately.
2.26 Data Storage
All City data must be stored within the United States.
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2.27 Purchase Quantities
The City reserves the right to purchase any quantities of hardware or software items bid without altering the unit purchase price upon award and throughout the contract period.
2.28 Rights to Pertinent Materials
All responses, inquires, and correspondence relating to this RFP and all reports, charts, displays, schedules, exhibits and other documentation produced by the Vendors that are submitted as part of the proposal shall become the property of the Ci ty upon receipt, a part of a public record upon opening, and will not be returned.
The City reserves the right to accept any proposal, to reject any or all proposals, to waive any irregularities in the proposal process and to accept any proposal in the best interest of the City.
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3. Proposal Response Format
To facilitate the analysis of responses to this RFP, the Vendor is required to prepare their proposals in accordance with the instructions outlined in this section. Vendors must respond in full to all RFP sections and follow the RFP format (section number ing, etc.) in their response. Failure to follow these instructions may result in rejection.
For each question asked in the RFP, the proposer shall provide in their response, the question asked and their answer using the section numbering of the RFP.
Proposals shall be prepared to satisfy the requirements of the RFP.
EMPHASIS SHOULD BE
CONCENTRATED ON ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, AND CLARITY OF CONTENT. All parts, pages, figures, and tables should be numbered and labeled clearly. The proposal should be organi zed as follows:
Heading Title In addition to specified content,
provide
Proposal Signature Form
1 Executive Summary
2 Company Background Form A in attachment ERP
Software and Implementation
Services - Vendor Forms.docx
3 Application Software
4 Technical and Vendor Hosted / Cloud
Information
Form B in attachment ERP
Software and Implementation
Services - Vendor Forms.docx
5 Implementation Plan Form C in attachment ERP
Software and Implementation
Services - Vendor Forms.docx
6 Staffing Plan Form D in attachment ERP
Software and Implementation
Services - Vendor Forms.docx
7 Ongoing Support Services Form E in attachment ERP
Software and Implementation
Services - Vendor Forms.docx
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Heading Title In addition to specified content,
provide
8 Functional System Requirements Excel spreadsheet addendum to this RFP
9 Client References Form F in attachment ERP
Software and Implementation
Services - Vendor Forms.docx
10 Subscription and Maintenance Agreements
11 Exceptions and Deviations
12 Other Required Forms and Attachments
13 Addenda
Separate
Sealed
Document
Cost Proposal in separate sealed document.
Instructions relative to each part of the response to this RFP are defined in the remainder of this section.
Costs for the Vendor’s proposed solution should be submitted on the proposal pricing forms provided in the included Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet. Costs should include the complete costs for the solution including travel and operating costs.
Section references below (in parentheses) refer to the section numbers for your proposal submission.
3.1 Executive Summary (Section 1)
This part of the response to the RFP should be limited to a brief narrative not to exceed two (2) pages describing the proposed solution. The summary should contain as little technical jargon as possible and should be oriented toward non-technical personnel. The executive summary should not include cost quotations.
3.2 Company Background (Section 2)
Vendors must provide information about their company so that the City can evaluate the Vendor's stability and ability to support the commitments set forth in response to the RFP. In addition to providing responses to the following items, the Vendor must complete the Company Background ERP Software and Implementation Services City of Santa Maria, CA Issue date: 10/3/2022
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Form A found in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx to this RFP.
Information that Vendors should provide in this section are as follows:
• The company's background including a brief description (e.g., past history, present status, future plans, company size, etc.) and organization charts. • Audited financial information for the past TWO (2) completed fiscal years that includes income statements, balance sheets, and statement of cash flows. • Privately held companies wishing to maintain confidential financial information must provide information detailing the company’s long-term stability. Please provide a current Dunn & Bradstreet report (D&B) as part of the Vendor proposal response. • If the Vendor is proposing to use subcontractors on this project, provide a response to the Company Background Form for each subcontractor, Vendor relationship with that firm and the specific services and/or products that the subcontractor will be providing on the project. A complete list of subcontractors is required. The City has the right to approve all sub-contractors of the Vendor at any time.
3.3 Application Software (Section 3)
The Vendor is required to provide a general description of the application program product and how it will meet requirements of this RFP. This section must address, at a minimum, the following items:
• Describe your overall proposed technology solution.
• Describe the product direction for the company, including time frames. • Describe unique aspects of the Vendor's solution in the marketplace. • Describe components of the solution that are industry standards versus being proprietary to the Vendor.
• If the Vendor’s solution includes functionality for enterprise asset management (i.e. work order planning and execution, asset lifecycle management, etc.) please list it in this section.
If not, please list any enterprise asset management solutions your solution has existing interfaces/integrations with.
For all Third-party products:
• List all third-party products proposed,
• Reason that this product is a third -party product versus being part of the software Vendor’s solution, and
• Extent to which this third-party product is integrated with the Vendor’s solution.
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3.4 Technical and Vendor Hosted/Cloud Information
Please describe your vendor hosted model, including hosting, integration, minimum hardware requirements for computers, deployment model (dedicated servers, shared environment, etc.), impact to and requirements of the City’s network and bandwidth, and any partners that may be involved in service delivery.
The Vendor must complete the Technical and Vendor Hosting Requirements Form B found in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx. The information will be used in the evaluation process. Vendors should identify where conflicts may exist between their solution and current technologies being used in the City as described in this RFP in Section 2.4 Current Application Environment . As the City is exploring vendor -hosted / clo ud solutions, vendors should clearly define if their software product is a private or public vendor -hosted / cloud solution in the sections below.
Vendors shall describe the methods by which they secure the development of their product, the deployment of the solution(s), as well as their secure hosted policies and procedures. Include a SOC 2 report, FedRAMP certification or other security certifications, if available.
3.5 Implementation Plan (Section 5)
The Vendor is to provide an implementation plan in narrative format supported by an activity-level project plan (e.g., Microsoft Project, or Microsoft Excel work breakdown structure) that details the tasks and activities for implementation of the proposed solution. This implementation plan should include a narrative on the following elements using the subsection reference numbers below:
• Subsection 5.1: General Implementation Approach
• Subsection 5.2: Project Management Approach (as well as Form C Project Ma nagement Approach and Form F Staffing Plan in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx)
• Subsection 5.3: Data Conversion and Migration Plan
• Subsection 5.4: Data Analytics, Report and Form Development (as well as Form D Report Development in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx)
• Subsection 5.5: Integrations and Interfaces
• Subsection 5.6: Training (as well as Form E Training in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx)
• Subsection 5.7: Organizational Change Management Approach • Subsection 5.8: Testing
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• Subsection 5.9: Operational Redesign Approach
• Subsection 5.10: System Documentation and Manuals
• Subsection 5.11: Disaster Recovery Plan
• Subsection 5.12: Knowledge Transfer
The Vendor should include additional elements in the Vendor’s proposal response if the Vendor feels it may add value to the overall implementation.
It is expected that the Vendor will lead the efforts in each of the implementation areas de scribed below unless stated otherwise. Further details on what is to be provided as part of the Vendors proposed implementation plan are included in the following subsections.
3.5.1 General Implementation Approach (Subsection 5.1)
Provide a general overview of t he implementation approach you plan to use for City that includes addressing the following items:
• Provide a detailed work plan or schedule in a work breakdown structure format as part of the proposal response.
• Describe key differentiators of the approach as it relates to implementing a solution on time, within budget and with the ability to meet the needs of a diverse client like the City. • Describe how you conclude on a preferred implementation phasing of software modules.
What is your recommended approach for this implementation? • Describe your approach towards running parallel systems, if necessary.
Any unique tools, techniques, or methods that you use should be described in this section.
3.5.2 Project Management Approach (Subsection 5.2)
As part of any significant engagement, the City desires a project management approach based on the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The City would expect responding Vendors to adhere to PMBOK standards as part of t he project. The City expects the Vendor to provide project management resources leading to the successful depl oyment of the system.
Briefly describe the contents and approach of each of these components:
• Project management plan
• Resource management plan
• Quality management plan
• Scope management plan
• Risk management plan
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• Budget management plan
• Change control plan
• Describe the approach to managing the project, such as a collaboration tool for document management,
The project manager will work as a team member with City of Santa Maria, CA ’s project team. This project manager can be an employee of the Vendor or a partner of the Vendor. In either case, the costs for the project manager should be clearly denoted in the pricing section of this RFP.
In addition to providing responses to the following items, the Vendor must complete the Project Management Approach – Form C, in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx and include it in this section of the response. • Provide an overall description of the Vendor project management approach towards this type of engagement and projected timing for major phases. • Provide a high-level work plan for achieving the successful deployment of your propo sed system.
3.5.3 Data Conversion and Migration (Subsection 5.3)
It is anticipated that data conversion will occur when migrating to the new application. The Vendor is expected to assist the City in the conversion of both electronic and manual data to the new system.
It is expected that the City will be responsible for data extraction from current systems and data scrubbing and data pre- processing and that the Vendor will be responsible for overall data conversion coordination, definition of file layouts, and data import and validation into the new ERP.
Please provide pricing for data conversions in the associated Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet. • Describe your general approach towards data conversion and how you would work with the City to conclude on the data structure for the new system including what should be converted, based on industry standards and best practices. • Please describe your organization’s recommended approach toward retention of legacy data.
3.5.4 Data Analytics, Report and Form Development (Subsection 5.4) For specific reporting requirements, it is anticipated that the Vendor will take the lead on developing any reports required as part of the initial deployment of the system. The Vendor is expected to provide specialized knowledge and information to the City staff during the development of needed reports, via technical training on the tools used for report d evelopment, database schema and architecture, etc. In addition to providing responses to the following items, the Vendor must complete the Report Development Form D, in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx of this RFP and include it in this section of the response.
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Provide information on your reporting approach including:
• A representative list of out-of-the-box reports
• Description of various methods of reporting including Business Intelligence • Methods for the City to identify, specify, and develop required custom City reports during the implementation.
3.5.5 Integrations and Interfaces (Subsection 5.5)
It is expected that information generally would need to be entered only once into the system.
Modules within the system should b e integrated in real -time with each other such that batch processes are not required to transfer information from one area of the system to another unless that is the preference of the City. Existing City interfaces between core modules that may currently exist (e.g., AP posting to GL) or shadow systems that will likely be replaced are not included as they are assumed to be included in an integrated ERP System.
The Microsoft Excel pricing sheet contains a listing of current and/or desired application interfaces.
Please provide pricing for interface development in the associated Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet.
In addition:
• Describe the extent to which the various modules are integrated together versus being purchased separately and interfaced
• Describe your approach towards interfacing and integration with other solutions including use of specific tools, methods and standards.
• Describe data exchange standards (e.g., XML, Web Services, or EDI) supported or provided by your product.
• As it pertains to the City’s current technical environment described previously, identify potential issues for integrating with specific technologies that are used within the City. • If local customizations are made, do you provide any tools or assistance to easily incorporate customizations into new version/releases of your software? The Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet contains a listing of desired City application interfaces and their likely need in a future integrated environment. Provide pricing for interfaces in the associated Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet and explain how the integration maps the data from the old system to the new system.
• Describe your approach to interfacing City applications listed with a migration plan of ‘interface’ in section 2.5. If you have experience integrating with these systems, include those references on the reference forms provided in this RFP.
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3.5.6 Training (Subsection 5.6)
In addition to providing responses to the following items, the Vendor must complete the Training Form E in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx of this RFP and include it in this section of the response.
• End User Training Approach: All end-user and technical training will be performed through implementation and be performed by the Vendor. End-user implementation training will be provided by the Vendor and include joint participation by the relevant City process owner team lead supporting the process area in the new software system.
Technical Implementation training will include training for City IT staff on the technologies required to support the new ERP system.
• Train the Trainer Approach: The Vendor will incorporate a “train the trainer” approach where only key City team leads will be trained through implementation on their modules and then they will train the remainder of City staff in their respective areas. o Specify expected number of training documents to be created o Specify responsibility of producing training materials, including both manuals, on- site help, and video support.
The Vendor should provide an overall description of the proposed training approach, including the following:
• Suggested approach (train-the-trainer, end-user, hybrid) • Suggested timeframes in which training will be conducted • The Vendor must list the nature, level, and amount of training to be provided for both options in each of the following areas:
• Technical training (e.g., programming, operations, etc.) • User training
• Other staff (e.g., executive level administrative staff) • Types of training documentation to be developed
• Ability to provide recordings of trainings
• Opportunities for on-going training.
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3.5.7 Organizational Change Management Approach (Subsection 5.7) The City recognizes that a movement from the current environment to a new solution will require an active change management program. The Vendor should clearly identify their approach towards Organizational Change Management including any unique approaches or tools that will be used.
3.5.8 Testing (Subsection 5.8)
The Vendor should describe their recommended approach to the following types of testing that are anticipated to be performed on the project and the type of assistance they anticipate providing to the City related to such testing:
• System testing
• Integration testing
• Stress/performance testing
• User acceptance testing (UAT)
• Security testing, penetration testing, vulnerability assessments
3.5.9 Operational Redesign Approach (Subsection 5.9)
With the deployment of a new application, the City wishes to take advantage of capabilities within the software that provide support for operational improvements. Vendors are requested to describe their approach towards operational redesign including discussion on the optimal time in which to conduct redesign as it relates to implementation of the new software.
In addition, describe your organization’s capabilities to assist in a City-wide redesign of the chart of accounts to best leverage the capabilities of the system in order to meet the City’s overall financial tracking and reporting objectives.
3.5.10 System Documentation and Manuals (Subsection 5.10) The Vendor is expected to provide user manuals and online help for use by the City as part of the initial training and on- going operational support. Additionally, the Vendor is expected to provide technical documentation.
• Describe what documentation (user guide, technical guide, training materials, etc.) is available on the system proposed and any related costs. • Describe what types of documentation you anticipate developing during the project.
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3.5.11 Disaster Recovery Plan (Subsection 5.11)
Please describe the services you provide around business continuity and disaster recovery, if any, as part of your proposed solution.
3.5.12 Knowledge Transfer (Subsection 5.12)
The Vendor should describe their process for ensuring that a transf er of knowledge occurs back to City staff such that staff can support and maintaining the application in the most proficient manner once the Vendor implementation engagement is complete.
Include:
• Methodologies to ensure that training has been successful and City staff know how to use the new system.
• Approach to ensuring that City personnel can operate, maintain, configure, and modify the new system, including operation of the testing tools, supporting infrastructure, and security.
3.6 Functional System Requirements (Section 6)
Vendors will use the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to provide responses to the requirements of this RFP must be provided in this section of the Vendor's response. Vendors must use ERP Software and Implementation Services - Specifications.xlsx addendum to this RFP and attach added explanation pages as necessary. Please include any costs associated with modifications in the Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet. Please note: The response to these requirements must be submitted in the exact format with no additional macros, formulas, new columns, modifications, passwords. Failure to adhere to this requirement can result in disqualification of the entire proposal.
3.7 Staffing Plan (Section 7)
In addition to providing responses to the following items, the Vendor must complete the Staffing Plan Form – F in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx to this RFP and include it in this section of the response. • The Vendor must detail the type and amount of implementation support to be provided (e.g., number of personnel, level of personnel, time commitment, etc.). Include resumes for all personnel that will be assigned to the project. If the Vendor is using a subcontractor, include information on subcontracting staff being used and their specific role on the project.
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• Please provide an overall project organizational structure for City staff involvement during the project . Identify the roles and responsibilities of each component of this structure.
3.8 Ongoing Support Services (Section 8)
In addition to providing responses to the following items, the Vendor must complete the Ongoing Support Services Form – G in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx to this RFP and include it in this section of the response. • Please specify the nature and conditions of any post -implementation support options including:
o Post-go live support that is included in the proposal response o Onsite support (e.g., system tuning, application configuration, interface issues, report development, network optimization, user training and tips to optimize the user experience)
o Telephone support,
o Help Desk services (If there is a service level agreement for you r help desk, provide a copy with your RFP response.) Specify days, hours and escalation options
o Toll-free support line
o Users groups
o Online knowledgebase (i.e. – how it is accesses, who updates it, etc.) • Describe your maintenance programs and options with associated pricing. • Please describe any ongoing utility billing management services that you provide (e.g. annual rate updates, etc.)
3.9 Client References (Section 9)
The Vendor must provide at least three references (maximum five) from clients within the last 5 years that are similar in size and complexity to the City . The format for Vendor references is provided in Client Reference form in the attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx. In addition, the City requests a listing of all municipal clients, and at least one reference must be a vendor hosted / cloud deployment.
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3.10 Subscription and Maintenance Agreements (Section 10) Sample subscription and maintenance agreements must be provided in this part of the Vendor's response for all components of the recommended solution. Indicate the basis on how subscription fees are determined.
• How are local customizations or configurations maintained when installing new releases of the Vendor’s software? Describe the level of support that the Vendor provides to the City for identifying, validating, and testing scripts related to the latest software release.
3.11 Exceptions and Deviations (Section 11)
If the Vendor finds it impossible or impractical to adhere to any portion of these specifi cations and all attachments, it shall be so stated in its proposal, with all deviations grouped together in a separate section entitled, “ Exceptions/deviations from P roposal Requirements.” This section will be all - inclusive and will contain a definition st atement of every objection or deviation with adherence to specific RFP sections. Objections or deviations expressed only in other parts of the proposal, either directly or by implication, will not be accepted as deviations, and the Vendor in submitting a proposal, will accept this stipulation without recourse.
3.12 Other Required Forms and Attachments (Section 12)
Provide all forms in this section and ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx.
This section contains various forms for submissio n with the Vendor’s proposal. The intent of providing such forms is to ensure comparability between proposals. Included in this section are the following forms:
• Included in attachment ERP Software and Implementation Services - Vendor Forms.docx:
o Proposal Signature Form
o Non-Collusion Affidavit
o Minimum Criteria
o Company Background Form*
o Technical and Vendor Requirements Form
o Project Management Approach Form
o Report Development Form
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o Training Form
o Staffing Plan Form
o Ongoing Support Services Form
o Client Reference Form
• For Vendors who are proposing a hosted solution, supply a copy of your Independent Service Auditor’s Opinion Letter from your most recent audit for SSAE 16 Type II. * If a vendor includes a sub -contractor in their proposal response, each sub -contractor must complete this form.
3.13 Addenda (Section 13)
Include all original, signed copies of addenda in this section.
3.14 Separate Cost Proposal
One (1) electronic copy of the cost proposal must be submitted in a separate file, with the technical proposal. The electronic copy of the cost proposal response shall include the completed cost worksheets that have been provided in Microsoft Excel.
• The City will not consider time and materials pricing. Vendors shall provide firm and fixed pricing based o n the functionality described. For each item, indicate if the cost is one-time, annual, or other.
• The Vendor shall provide price information for each separate component of the proposed solution, as well as the costs of any modifications necessary to fully comply with the RFP specifications.
• In the event the product or service is provided at no additional cost, the item should be noted as "no charge" or words to that effect.
• In the event the product or service is not being included in the Vendor proposal, the item should be noted as "no bid".
• Vendors shall provide all pricing alternatives in these cost sheets. • Vendor shall provide prices in U.S. dollars.
• Vendor shall make clear the rationale and basis of calculation for all fees. • Vendors shall show separate subtotals for the required elements of the proposed solution, and for any layers of optional elements.
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In presenting software subscription fees, the Vendor shall:
• Explain all factors that could affect subscription fees, • Indicate which product versions, operating platform(s), and machine classes are included for each price,
• Indicate whether a product is for “server” or “client,” as applicable; and, • Make clear the extent of any implementation services that are included in the subscription fees (installation, configuration, training, etc.) To the extent possible, Vendors shall show any applicable discounts separately from the prices for products and services. The Vendor is encouraged to present alternatives to itemized costs and discounts, such as bundled pricing, if such pricing would be advantageous to the City.
The City reserves the right to pursue direct purchase of all items and services proposed, as well as to obtain independent financing.
Pricing Format
Please complete the pricing forms that have been provided in the associated Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet ERP Software and Implementation Services – Pricing Forms. It is the responsibility of the Vendor to ensure the accuracy of the pricing provided as part of your response. Any errors in providing an accurate price response due to inaccuracies in the provided templates are the sole responsibility of the responding Vendor. If there is not enough space to describe the pricing on these forms, please attach a separate pricing page and provide the pricing information in the same type of format so that it is easy to understand. The City requests a firm, fixed price for each of the components described below that are included on the attached Microsoft Excel pricing spreadsheet as separate tabs:
• Vendor Checklist (including Hosting/Licensing Model, Travel & Lodging Costs, and Discount) • Proposal Summary (no direct input required)
• Module Summary (no direct input required)
• Application Software
• Other Software
• Hardware
• Implementation Services
• Data Conversion
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• Train-the-Trainer Training
• Interfaces
• Other Implementation Services
• Managed Services
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4. Functional Requirements
4.1 Introduction
The requirements in this section contain the desired functionality of the requested software solution.
Identified in the attached Excel spreadsheet ERP Software and Implementation Services - Specifications.xlsx are the requirements/specifications that must be addressed by the Vendor's proposal.
Vendors must replace cells G2 in the instructions tab with the Vendor’s Company Name which will be repeated for each subsequent module.
Vendors should review the specifications listed and respond with their avai lability within the Vendor’s proposed solution. The responses should be entered under the Availability column of each form as follows:
Y
Functionality is provided out of the box through the completion of a task associated with a routine configurable area that includes, but is not limited to, user-defined fields, delivered or configurable workflows, alerts or notifications, standard import/export, table driven setups and standard reports with no changes. These configuration areas will not be affected by a future upgrade. The proposed services include implementation and training on this functionality, unless specifically excluded in the Statement of Work, as part of the deployment of the solution.
R Functionality is provided through reports generated using proposed Reporting Tools. Costs for this report MUST be included in the proposal.
T
Functionality is provided by proposed third party functionality (i.e., third party is defined as a separate software vendor from the primary software vendor). The pricing of all third -party products that provide this functionality MUST be included in the cost proposal.
M
Functionality is provided through customization to the application, including creation of a new workflow or development of a custom interface, that may have an impact on future upgradability.
The pricing of all proposed modifications MUST be included in the proposal. Indicate in the comments if this modification will be impacted by future software updates .
F Functionality is provided through a future release that is to be available within 1 year of the proposal response.
N Functionality is not provided.
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Use the Cost column for “M” or “R” responses to estimate the cost to be incurred by the City to secure the specification, if necessary. Use the Comment column to provide additional comments pertaining to your response for that item.
The Required Product(s) column is to be used to specify what product (e.g., product name or software module) is proposed.
Vendors proposing a multi -product solution should complete a General and Technical module specification response for each product.
Note: The response to these requirements should be provided in the exact format as provided (e.g., no additional macros, formulas, additional columns, modifications, passwords, etc.). Failure to do so can result in disqualification of the entire proposal.
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5. Minimum Criteria
As noted in Section 4, of this RFP, proposed solutions MUST meet all the following requirements.
Proposals not meeting these requirements will be rejected. Vendors should acknowledge acceptance of these terms and include the following checklist in their RFP response.
Minimum Criteria Checklist Comply?
□ Minimum Client Software Installations
Must have provided software for at least three previous municipalities of similar size, complexity, and scope.
□ RFP Response
RFP response is submitted by the due date and time.
□ Response Authorization
The RFP response is signed by an authorized company officer.
□ Authorization to do business in State of California
The vendor must be authorized to do business in the State of California.
□ Response Completeness
Vendor complied with all instructions in the RFP and provided a response to all items requested with sufficient detail, which provides for the proposal to be properly evaluated. Any deficiencies in this regard will be determined by City of Santa Maria’s Purchasing Agent or his/her designee to be either a defect that the Agent will waive or that the proposal can be sufficiently modified to meet the requirements of the RFP.
□ Vendor Hosted / Cloud Solution
Vendor responses must be vendor hosted and/or in the cloud. T he City will not consider an on-premises proposal.