BOARD MEETING DATE: August 1, 2003
AGENDA NO. 9

Execute Contract to Obtain Technical and Functional Support for Upgrading PeopleSoft Financials System Software

SYNOPSIS:

On May 2, 2003, the Board approved release of an RFP to obtain technical and functional support for upgrading AQMD’s PeopleSoft Financials System Software to a new release. Keeping relatively current on new software releases is important for enterprise software systems such as PeopleSoft. Without upgrading to new releases, AQMD will not benefit from delivered software enhancements and technology advances that improve productivity, flexibility, and efficiency. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, manufacturer’s technical support for the Release 7.5 modules will end in December, 2004. This action is to execute a contract for technical and functional support during the upgrade process. Funds for this purchase are included in the FY 2003-04 Budget.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, July 18, 2003, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with The Implementation Partners for technical and functional support for upgrading PeopleSoft Financials System Software to Release 8.4 in a total amount not to exceed $146,100.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

On May 2, 2003, the AQMD released RFP #2003-30 to obtain technical and functional support necessary to migrate AQMD’s PeopleSoft Financials from Release 7.5 to Release 8.4. The purpose of the RFP is to select vendors capable of upgrading AQMD’s Financials software modules cost effectively and in a timely manner.

The purpose of the upgrade is to keep current on PeopleSoft software. Keeping relatively current by upgrading to new software releases is critical for enterprise software systems such as PeopleSoft. Without upgrading to new releases, AQMD will not benefit from delivered software enhancements and technology advances that improve productivity, flexibility, and efficiency. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, routine technical support provided by PeopleSoft (including regular updates of system tax tables used in Payroll calculations, on-line issue logging and resolution, downloadable patches and bug fixes, bundled patches to simplify implementation, etc.) may be terminated if the software is not upgraded by a certain date.

In the four years since the implementation of PeopleSoft software at AQMD, the manufacturer has released five major software upgrades, with the most recent being Financials 8.4 in March 2002: AQMD has upgraded twice, from Release 7.0 to 7.5 (Human Resource Management System Software [HRMS] and Financials simultaneously) and from HRMS Release 7.5 to 8.3. Because upgrading to major releases is costly, AQMD plans to upgrade to every other major release; thus, we are skipping Financials Release 8.0 and upgrading directly from Release 7.5 to 8.4.

Staff recommends beginning the upgrade process, with the goal of moving the Financials modules onto Release 8.4 by February, 2004, before technical support for AQMD’s current release ends in December 2004.

Outreach

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, a public notice advertising the RFP and inviting bids was published in the following publications:
 

1.	Antelope Valley Press	10.	Korea Central Daily	19.	Precinct Reporter
2.	Black Voice News	11.	La Opinion	20.	Press Enterprise
3.	Chinese Daily News	12.	La Prensa Hispana	21.	Rafu Shimpo
4.	Desert Sun	13.	La Voz Publications	22.	San Bernardino Sun
5.	Eastern Group Publications	14.	Los Angeles Daily News	23.	State of California Contracts
6.	El Chicano	15.	Los Angeles Sentinel		Register
7.	El Informador	16.	Los Angeles Times	24.	The Excelsior
8.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	17.	Orange County Register	25.	The Signal
9.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	18.	Philippine News	26.	Wave Community Newspapers

Additionally, potential bidders were notified utilizing the Los Angeles County MTA Directory of Certified Firms, the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business & Professional Directory; and AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors. Notice of the RFP was mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations; and placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site [http://www.aqmd.gov, "Business and Job Opportunities" icon, or http://www.aqmd.gov/busjob/ ] and AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

Bid Evaluation

Eighty-two copies of the RFP were mailed out and 21 vendors attended the mandatory bidders conference held on May 22, 2003. Six bids were received in response to the RFP when final bidding closed at 1 p.m. on June 11, 2003. Of the six bids, none were from disabled veteran-owned or women-owned business enterprises, one was from a certified minority-owned business, and one was from a certified small business enterprise.

One of the six bids was deemed non-responsive to the bid requirements and three of the remaining five bids did not achieve the minimum 56 points required to pass the technical criteria. Attachment 1 reflects the evaluation of the remaining proposals and the respective ratings. Staff recommends that the Board award the contract to The Implementation Partners, LLC, for targeted technical and functional support necessary to migrate AQMD’s PeopleSoft Financial modules from Release 7.5 to Release 8.4.

Panel Composition

The bid evaluation panel consisted of four AQMD staff and one external specialist: a Technology Implementation Manager; a Systems and Programming Supervisor and a Database Administrator from IM; a Controller from Finance; and a Business Applications Engineer from Avery Dennison. Of these five panelists, one is African-American, three are Asian-Pacific Islander, and one is Caucasian; three are female and two are male.

Resource Impacts

Funds for this contract are included in the FY 2003-04 Budget.

Attachment(s)

Attachment 1 - Evaluation of Respondents to RFP #2003-30.
 

ATTACHMENT 1

Summary of Evaluation of Respondents to RFP #2003-30
 

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