REQUEST FOR BID - King County Library System

King County Library System 960 Newport Way NW Issaquah, WA 98027

February 24, 2021 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #21-01 JD Edwards Improvements and Professional Services

Proposals Due:

March 10, 2021 @ 4:00 P.M.

KCLS RFP #21-01- JD Edwards Improvements 02/24/2021 Page 2 | 28

Table of Contents

I. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND ................................................... 4

A. JDE Improvement Project ................................................................. 4

B. Current KCLS JDE Technical Structure ............................................... 5

C. Current Modules In Use / Under Contract ........................................ 6

D. Identified JDE 2021 Improvements ................................................... 6

E. KCLS Team Members ........................................................................ 9

II. STATEMENT OF WORK................................................................. 10

A. Professional Service/Support ............................................................ 10

B. Technical Service/Support ................................................................ 11

III. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ....................................................... 12

A. Proposer Qualifications .................................................................... 12

B. Prime Proposer Information ............................................................. 12

C. Project Management ........................................................................ 13

D. Budget/Cost Matrix .......................................................................... 13

E. Timeline ............................................................................................ 14

IV. PROPOSAL OUTLINE / REQUIREMENTS .................................... 15

V. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ............................................................. 21

A. Submittal .......................................................................................... 21

B. Other Requirements ......................................................................... 21

C. Proposer’s Conference Call ............................................................... 22

D. Requests for Clarification .................................................................. 23

VI. EVALUATION ................................................................................. 24

VII. SPECIAL CONDITIONS .................................................................. 25

VIII. PROTESTS TO AWARD ................................................................. 26


IX. PROPOSAL SCHEDULE ................................................................ 27

X. APPENDIX A: KCLS JDE Requirements Matrix ......................... 28

Tables and Figures

Figure 1. Potential 2021 JDE Improvement Project Components ........................... 9

Table 1. Cost Matrix .............................................................................................. 14

Table 2. Proposal Outline/Content........................................................................ 20

Table 3. Proposal Schedule ................................................................................... 27


I. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The King County Rural Library District, (dba King County Library System), is seeking proposals from qualified vendors for the purpose of obtaining information and firm bids for JD Edwards Enterprise One 9.2, Improvements and Professional Services.

The King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the largest circulating libraries in the United States. Located in the Puget Sound area, KCLS serves over one million residents at its 48+ community libraries, one institutional library, and various Outreach services. KCLS provides access to a broad array of information resources ranging from electronic databases to books to music and video. KCLS is

also the community resource for a wide variety of programs and activities for people of all ages. Established in 1942, KCLS is a special purpose government that is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees and operates under the constitution and laws of the State of Washington. The King County Library System consists of the KCLS Service Center (Issaquah),

KCLS Materials Distribution Services (Preston), and multiple library locations described at: http://www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/locations/.

A. JDE Improvement Project

The current KCLS JDE system was deployed 20+ years ago, when the needs of KCLS were vastly different and the number of libraries in its network were far fewer. KCLS has just completed the analysis phase of its JDE Improvement Project.

In 2020, KCLS implemented a new Human Capital Management

(HCM) system, completed an RFP cycle for a Procure-to-Pay/Automated Invoicing solution (decision on hold), and began a Data Warehouse implementation project.

More recently, in January 2021, the project team spent a week

viewing demonstrations that highlighted JDE functions which could potentially address items on the KCLS JDE Improvement – Requirements matrix (Appendix A).

The result of these efforts is a better definition around:

http://www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/locations/


What gaps might be addressed with JDE improvements and business policy changes. (Addressed within this RFP)

What should be addressed by a separate tool for invoice automation and vendor contracting. (Will be addressed in a future RFP)

What should be addressed by a separate budget forecasting and planning tool/interface. (Will be addressed in a future RFP)

This RFP will address the professional services and software changes needed to 1) undertake a formal gap analysis and validate the KCLS

Requirements matrix, 2) define necessary changes to the architecture and chart of accounts, 3) define the implementation plan/schedule, 4) evaluate role security changes, 4) collaborate with our staff to implement the planned changes, interfaces, and reporting, and 5) develop “how to” job aids for new functions. A detailed statement of work is provided in Section

II. The project goal is for KCLS to 1) update, improve, and expand its use of JDE capabilities to support greater tracking, transparency, visibility, and reporting, and 2) to reduce its dependency on existing excel spreadsheets tracking various detailed information.

The following information is provided to help potential vendors understand the current KCLS instance of JD Edwards (JDE) more thoroughly.

B. Current KCLS JDE Technical Structure

On-Prem; Server Infrastructure

JDE Production Enterprise/Database server

JDE Test Enterprise/Database server

JDE Production Web server - WebSphere

JDE Test Web server - WebSphere

1 Deployment server -Weblogic

Microsoft Windows 2016

Microsoft SQL 2016 – 13.0.4259.0

Microsoft Hyper-V

JD Edwards E1 9.2

Tools Release 9.2.2.5 (1Q 2021 upgrade planned for Tools 9.2.5)

IBM WebSphere 9.0


Reports Now Data Access Studio V 7.0.78 (8.0 upgrade in March)

Visual Studio 2012

MS Office and Exchange 365

HTML Clients

Windows 10 – 64 bit

Internet Explorer

Dev Client

Windows 10 – 64 Bit

Visual Studio 2012

OC4j

Virtual Client Licensing Structure

Concurrent Licenses

C. Current Modules In Use / Under Contract

General Ledger

Banking

Taxes

Accounts Payable

Accounts Receivable

Fixed Assets

Purchase Orders/Purchase Requests

Budgeting (not forecasting or planning)

Address Book

Job Costing (Limited)

Historical Functions (now using Dayforce HCM for these functions) o Payroll o HR

o Benefits

D. Identified JDE 2021 Improvements

The following summarizes what may potentially be included in the 2021 improvement project. The expectation is that the consultant provided

through this RFP/contract will conduct a gap analysis to validate the


assumptions below, and the requirements in Appendix A, to scope the implementation effort more thoroughly. (See also Figure 1) Technical

JDE Orchestrator (procure, deploy, and identify use cases for

implementation – e.g., connection to new data warehouse; automation of interfaces with Evergreen (the KCLS Integrated Library System (ILS)), Lansweeper (table entries in the KCLS data warehouse), the yearly budgeting spreadsheet, etc.).

Evaluate Role Security and make changes as needed to support new

functions and better serve current needs.

Assess webserver capacity with greater use of attachments for invoices, receipts, W-9s, contracts, etc.

Chart of Accounts Structure

Review general ledger structure and coding scheme against the needs for 1) the implementation of Job Costing to gain lower level project details/granularity, 2) better integration for real-time budget to actuals visibility, and 3) more flexible reporting. Provide recommendations,

gain approval from the KCLS Steering Team, and make changes as needed.

Module Implementation/Updates

Expanded use of Purchasing, Job Costing, Vehicle/Maintenance for

Facilities, and the tracking of contract details. Elimination of ‘shadow’ excel spreadsheets currently used for tracking.

JDE Job Costing (full implementation) to support all types and sizes of projects.

Expanded use of Inventory/Asset Management and POs/PRs for the

KCLS ITS department; interface with table entries from Lansweeper (in the KCLS data warehouse), and support ITS asset transfer application uploads.

Expense Management implementation (conference reimbursement to

employee, mileage reimbursement, company credit card statement receipt matching, cash advances, etc.).

Investigation of the JDE Position Control capabilities, and what it would take to integrate with the KCLS HCM information (Dayforce) using


Orchestrator or the KCLS Data Warehouse and Power BI; possible implementation.

Revision of business rules around Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders for other KCLS functions (increase use to support upcoming

invoice automation project/tool – 3/4Q 2021). Business Process Support

Development of future state process flows for each functional area of the implementation plan prior to implementation.

Development of job aids to support communication and training on new and revised functions/policies.

Identification of new and/or revised policies, thresholds, rules, etc., that need to be incorporated into KCLS manuals and guides.

Investigate/Prepare:

Define/document assumptions and interfaces for the addition of an Automated Invoice Processing and Contract/Vendor Management tool, which may also require a Signature platform (e.g., JDE Sign -

Circular Edge Product, w/DocuSign, Nitro Sign (KCLS current license), or other) for JDE functions. For example, when redefining the GL string and elements for Job Costing, define what data will be passing from the automated invoicing system into JDE.


Figure 1. Potential 2021 JDE Improvement Project Components

E. KCLS Team Members

The KCLS upgrade project team will consist of the following Subject Experts:

1 Project Manager

1 Finance Director

1 Finance Controller

5 Other Finance Function Resources

2 Facilities/Purchasing

1 KCLS Circulation

1 KCLS Library Perspective

1 HR Learning/Conference Admin

2 IT Business Applications

1 IT Inventory/Asset Management


Other staff as needed

II. STATEMENT OF WORK

KCLS is looking for a vendor to provide the following services. Ensure that there is direct correlation between the services outlined below and the estimated hours and cost in Section IIID.

A. Professional Service/Support

1. GAP ANALYSIS. Conduct a gap analysis of the KCLS JDE system against the list of requirements in Appendix A and outlined in Section 1D above.

This should include interviews with key KCLS JDE subject experts that use and manage the applicable functions and/or the tool, and

additional subject experts that have identified the gaps KCLS hopes to satisfy.

The analysis should be accomplished by a) an acknowledged expert consultant in JDE implementation, assisted by b) another resource who is a certified public accountant (CPS) familiar with

Washington State regulations, with Government-related entities, and the implications of 501(c)(3) partnerships and grant accounting.

KCLS expects that the analysis of the Chart of Accounts will be a priority and that there will either be a validation of the current

structure, or a recommendation for change based on the needs identified in this RFP and in Appendix A.

2. RECOMMENDATION REPORT. Effort should culminate in a report to the project team and the leadership steering team that outlines the suggested plan for improvements.

Recommendations will be presented to the KCLS Project Team

and the Steering Team for approval to move forward with implementation.

The report should clearly identify KCLS tasks versus those of the consultant team. (e.g., activities, software procurements, etc.).

Recommendations should also confirm the costs of implementation for each improvement topic (hours, materials, hardware/software, etc).

3. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND SCHEDULE. The plan should prioritize JDE improvement activities, provide a proposed timeline (schedule) for


implementation based on the improvements outlined in Section 1D above and the results of the Gap Analysis.

B. Technical Service/Support

1. JDE ORCHESTRATOR a. Assess the capabilities of Orchestrator against the future

features of JDE. Identify and recommend how to use this tool to enhance automation of interfaces with JDE and reporting needs.

b. Purchase, installation and configuration of Orchestrator.

c. Use Orchestrator, as appropriate, to support any orchestrations and interfaces identified in the implementation plan.

2. STORAGE a. Review the current system architecture to ensure that it can

support future plans to upload invoice copies, receipts, etc. Add findings and recommendations to the overall implementation plan and costs.

3. INTERFACES a. Automate connection between Evergreen, the integrated

library system (ILS), and JDE using electronic approvals within

JDE. This would replace existing Z-file import and paper approval process.

b. Eliminate need for current ‘shadow’ spreadsheets. Review spreadsheets currently used by Facilities and Finance to track information related to budget, projects, vehicles, build

projects, maintenance, and related encumbrances and retainage. Develop an implementation plan that strives to eliminate these manual processes.

c. Automate the upload of budgets (from Excel) to JDE, and the set-up of related Job Costing elements for each project.

Develop standard reporting that tracks actuals to budget. d. Automate a regular data feed from Lansweeper (real-time

computing asset tracking) to update the JDE Asset/Inventory information; and/or create the data structures needed within the KCLS data warehouse to automate uploads controlled through Lansweeper and the ITS asset transfer application.

Eliminate the need for manual upload of Excel or .csv file.


e. Evaluate the KCLS SharePoint performers page and determine if there is any benefit to moving the information to JDE. If not, determine a common location for the upload of vendor W-9 forms and implement that option. (This item may be affected by the choice of AP Automation software chosen 3Q 2021).

f. Define and implement the elements needed to accomplish Single Sign On (SSO) for JDE.

g. Evaluate the needs to integrate and/or sync data with the Dayforce HCM system for Payroll, Benefits, organization, etc. information. Develop connections as needed.

h. Use the KCLS data warehouse, as needed, to merge information for reporting.

III. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposal submittals should address all of the following.

A. Proposer Qualifications

1. Vendor must describe their expertise and knowledge of JDE capabilities

(modules, associate tools, and integration functions). 2. Vendor must describe the number of similar JDE updates/revisions

activities have been performed; describe how many were public sector customers.

3. Vendor must describe proficiency in providing similar statements of

work. 4. Vendor must describe the methodology to be used for the gap analysis. 5. Vendor must provide 3 references (city, county, government, library,

etc., preferred).

B. Prime Proposer Information

KCLS intends to make a single award to a Proposer who will be responsible for the performance of the JDE Improvement project pursuant to the final contract. KCLS will consider the contracting Proposer to be the sole point of contact, regarding all contractual matters, including any and all contract performance issues and obligations.

1. Proposers may partner with others provided that a single Proposer is identified as the “Prime Proposer” and all other partners in the proposal as identified as “subcontractors.”


2. Proposers who are acting as a Prime Proposer are limited to submitting one proposal. A single Proposer may be named as a subcontractor on multiple proposals submitted by other Prime Proposers.

3. The Prime Proposer must ensure that appropriate contractual relationships are established with all subcontractors. The Prime

Proposer will be contractually responsible to KCLS for providing and implementing the solution, services, and support and maintenance services, even if such products or services are provided by subcontractors.

C. Project Management

Proposal should address the following areas: 1. Project Planning

a. Create and include a project plan agenda and timeline with milestones and roles/responsibilities.

b. The gap analysis must occur in April, with Implementation phased out through July.

2. Project Management a. Specify the project manager who will be the primary contact for

the project. b. Define your methodology for communicating the progress and

status. c. Estimate time requirements of KCLS staff during each

implementation topic. 3. Contracting

a. Due to the unknowns in this project until after the gap analysis,

the expectation is that the contract will be in phases:

Phase I -Gap Analysis/Recommendation Report – Firm fixed cost.

Phase II - Implementation – Estimate at proposal, with firm

fixed cost to be approved by the KCLS Steering Team after reviewing the Recommendation Report and plan (prioritization, schedule).

D. Budget/Cost Matrix

Provide an estimated amount of time for each line item (Section 1D and Section 2), with the goal of a total budget (hardware, software, consulting costs, etc.) of $275,000. Be very clear what is to be provided through this


contract, verses anything KCLS may need to procure separately. The goal is for all elements supporting these improvements (KCLS and proposer) to not exceed the budget target outlined above. However, it is acceptable to identify any costs over the target as “options”.

Topic/Module* Time (hrs)

Rate (if applicable)

Proposer Procured/ Provided Cost ($)

KCLS to Procure Cost ($) (if applicable)

Project Management

Gap Analysis

Recommendation Report

Technical Services

Role Security Update

Software (e.g., Orchestrator)

Hardware (e.g., Storage)

Consulting

Testing

Implementation Plan & Schedule Development

List individually by topic in 1D & Section II

Training – Job Aids

Business Process Support

Total Cost (not to exceed $275k) $

*Ensure that all topics in Section IIID and Section II are covered

Table 1. Cost Matrix

E. Timeline

KCLS would like to accomplish the Gap Analysis during March 2021, with Implementation from April thru July. It is understood that the timeline for

Implementation may adjust based on the results of the Gap Analysis and the proposed Implementation Schedule. Any changes to cost, scope, or schedule after contract award must be reviewed and approved by the KCLS Project Manager and the KCLS Steering Team. After the contract has been signed, any contractual cost/schedule/technical changes will need to be documented and

approved/signed by KCLS with a formal Change Authorization.


IV. PROPOSAL OUTLINE / REQUIREMENTS

A. Firms interested in providing the services described in this RFP are

requested to submit the following information (Table 2). B. Proposals must be written in English and submitted as outlined in Section V. C. Proposals must provide information in the same order as presented in

Table 2 with the same headings. This will aid reviewers evaluating the

proposal. This will also ensure the Proposer prepares a thorough response. Please follow the Proposal Response Order outlined below in the first two columns of Table 2.


1.0 Proposal Response Additional Clarification

Section ID

Proposal Content /Title

1.1 Cover Letter Each proposal should be accompanied by a Cover Letter not exceeding one page and which is signed by an officer of the firm who is responsible for committing the firm’s resources. Clearly state the company name,

address, telephone, email address, fax, website information. Also provide contact information for the person to whom KCLS should direct proposal correspondence including full name, phone number, email

address and physical mailing address. Present a clear statement describing the type of legal establishment of the organization, the state in which the firm is headquartered, and the state in which the firm is legally established.

The proposal should clearly state that the organizational representative has carefully reviewed the RFP and that the firm has the ability and willingness to provide all of the necessary services and materials.

1.2 Table of Contents

1.3 Prime Proposer Overview Include statements which summarize key points of the proposal and how the firm

expects to provide the necessary services and materials. Project Understanding: Include statements by the proposer describing their understanding and/or

assumptions regarding the goals, critical issues, constraints and risks for the effort.


1.3.1 Prime Proposer’s Company History

Please include company information detailing longevity, principals, relevant financial information, number and type of staff, etc.

1.3.2 Prime Proposer’s Financial Information

Clearly state the company’s ability to work within the state of Washington and history with local clients. Provide historical

information supporting the financial stability of the company.

1.3.3 Prime Proposer’s Qualifications

Provide a brief company background as it pertains to this project. Is this a core service of the organization? What differentiates you from other partners of Oracle? What is the project methodology? What is the level of

experience in the specifics listed in this RFP? How will the project be staffed? Reference former projects, client base, areas of specialization or differentiation. Include any other information to make your case. See Section IIIA & IIIB.

1.3.4 Prime Proposer’s Product Overview

1.4 Proposed Partner(s) /

Subcontractor(s) Overview

1.4.1 Partner(s) /

Subcontractor(s) Company History

1.4.2 Partner(s) / Subcontractor(s) Financial Information

1.4.3 Partner(s) / Subcontractor(s) Qualifications

1.4.4 Partner(s) / Subcontractor(s) Product

Overview

1.5 Customer References List at least three entities (city, county,

government, library) for which similar work has been conducted. Provide the name, title,


email and telephone number of persons who may be contacted for reference concerning the services you provided. Give dates and types of services performed.

1.5.1 Prime Proposer’s References

1.5.2 Partner(s) / Subcontractor(s)

References

Same as Prime Proposer requirements.

2.0 Cost Proposal

2.1 Detailed Cost Matrix Costs should be provided in an easy to read

format providing a break-out of specific costs for all associated services, including rate, total estimated time, and total amount for each. Provide a total project cost quote that details hours and labor rates applied, and any additional expenses. See Table 1.

2.2 Price Guarantee Clearly state the total length of time during

which the services and any related prices presented in the proposal are valid and reliable.

1.6.3 Cost and Billing Details

a. Provide the standard hourly rate schedule for proposed staff by discipline or role.

b. Proposals should specify total costs for all known services, deliverables, including

sales tax. Outline the cost information by each individual improvement topic in the Implementation Plan.

c. There will be no travel costs paid by KCLS. d. The vendor shall be responsible for

applying accurate taxes and fees in effect

on the date of proposal submission. Each tax and fee to be paid by KCLS should be listed as a separate line item.

e. The vendor shall be responsible for the payment of business registration fees,

permits, licenses, business and occupation taxes and all other taxes except


Washington state sales tax payable to the vendor by KCLS.

f. Costs and services subcontracted to other providers must be specified. Make it clear if the Proposer will be procuring the

service or if KCLS will procure the service. g. Provider must describe their billing terms

and refund process and policy.

3.0 – Statement of Work Response See Section 1D & Section II of this document.

3.1 General Discuss approach to project management. See Section IIIC.

3.2 Gap Analysis

3.2.1 Proposed Overall Approach

Describe the approach proposed to successfully complete the statement of work. This section should address all the elements in Section II – Scope of Services. It should also provide a summary level schedule for

the overall project.

3.2.2 Response to KCLS Requirements (Appendix A)

a. Indicate how the proposed approach best assists the KCLS staff in satisfying the needs outlined in the Requirements Matrix (Appendix A).

b. KCLS has highlighted in green the rows that it believes can be addressed by JDE

improvements. This is also indicated by “JDE” being listed in Column H.

c. This matrix is intended to show the full suite of things KCLS is looking to address, either in the JDE improvements activity

(this RFP) or in future projects around invoicing automation, contracting, and budgeting.

d. In the Comments column, indicate which items will be addressed by the proposer in the implementation plan for this RFP.

3.3 Recommendation Report a. Describe what this report will contain

including how you will provide KCLS with


options, costs, and impacts (cost/schedule/technical).

b. Describe an initial prioritized plan that lays out the order and interdependencies of the various improvements.

c. Clearly identify any anticipated risks to the plan.

3.4 Implementation Plan

3.4.1 Implementation Plan & Schedule

Define an initial plan based on what is known today regarding KCLS JDE improvement needs. See Section 1D. It is understood that this will change as the gap analysis is completed. Address each

topic as outlined in Section IIID and Section II.

3.4.2 Approach to Addressing Interfaces

See Section 1D. Describe methodology for developing interfaces with JDE.

3.4.3 Testing Describe the methodology for testing interfaces, reporting, and new functionality.

3.4.4 Reporting Describe methodology for evaluating existing excel file tracking methods, adapting JDE, and developing reporting within JDE to replace the excel file tracking (e.g., for facilities related items in Section 1D).

3.4.5 Training Describe the format to be used to develop

“how to” job aids for the new/revised functions outlined in Section 1D.

3.4.6 Technical Support 4.0 Proposed Personnel List consulting personnel proposed for this

project. Indicate availability of the proposed team. Individual resumes should not exceed 2 pages. Provide the primary management contact for your firm for this project, and the day to day contact.

4.1 Proposed Personnel References

Limit to 1 page each.

Table 2. Proposal Outline/Content


V. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

A. Submittal

1. One digital copy in PDF format shall be submitted. The digital copy should be emailed to: [email protected] with the words “RFP #21-01 JD Edwards Improvements” in the email “Subject” line.

2. The digital proposals must be received no later than 4:00 P.M. on

March 10, 2021.

3. Proposals received by KCLS after this deadline will not be considered. Late proposals will be destroyed.

4. Proposals must be signed by a corporate official, owner or a person

who has been authorized to make such a commitment.

B. Other Requirements

1. KCLS does not conduct a public opening of proposals, nor are evaluation “progress reports” available. Notification of award will be sent to all

bidders.

2. The Proposal should clearly state the total length of time during which the services, and any related prices presented in the proposal are valid and reliable. It is required that this time period be no less than one

hundred twenty (120) days from the date the proposals are due.

3. Organizations shall respond to each and every requirement contained in the “Proposal Requirements” section of this RFP. Responses must be in the same order in which the points appear in the RFP. The proposal must be clear, unambiguous, and capable of being understood without

reference to other documentation. Failure to address a particular requirement shall be presumed to mean that the function or requirement is unavailable.

4. Vendors are advised that the submission of multiple proposals, or

alternative approaches to specific sections of the requirements will be

mailto:[email protected]


considered non-compliant and those proposals will be disqualified. We are relying on the vendor as the expert to identify in its proposal the approach which is believed to be the most effective to produce the required systems and services.

5. No substitutions will be accepted on any of the components unless the vendor can provide proof that the substitution meets or exceeds the specifications, reliability, and warranty of the component specified by the King County Library System.

6. Failure to comply with the requirements of this RFP may result in disqualification.

7. The organization must clearly state that the proposal submitted presents a true offer of services and/or materials. It must be clearly stated that the proposal is not a result of any direct or indirect

coordination or collusion with other firms submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

8. An organization may withdraw or modify its proposal in writing by email, delivery service, certified U.S. Mail, or by hand delivery at any time prior

to the RFP deadline for submission.

C. Proposer’s Conference Call

There will be an optional opportunity for prospective Proposers to meet virtually with KCLS staff for a Question and Answer session.

Proposers’ Conference Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2021 Time: 10:00 – 11:00am (Pacific) Location: Zoom information for the

proposer’s conference will be

provided upon receipt of RSVP

Participation at the Proposers Conference is not mandatory; however, if you are intending to participate please send an RSVP to Debbie Toy at [email protected] with RFP #21-01 Proposers Conference RSVP in the

Subject line.


Please provide us names and titles of those attending by 12:00 PM PT on Monday, March 1, 2021.

D. Requests for Clarification

Questions and requests for clarification concerning this RFP shall be submitted IN WRITING or EMAIL no later than 4:00 P.M. Pacific Time Zone, March 4, 2021 to: Email

The words “RFP #21-01 JD Edwards Improvements” should be in the email “Subject” line. [email protected] In Writing The words “RFP #21-01 JD Edwards Improvements” shall appear on the envelope.

King County Library System Attn: Purchasing/ RFP #21-01 JD Edwards Improvements 960 Newport Way NW Issaquah, WA 98027

1. Inquiries shall state the page and the applicable RFP section or

paragraph to which the question(s) pertain. Faxed requests for clarification will not be accepted. Confirming receipt of questions is the responsibility of the submitting organization.

2. The organization shall be responsible for requesting clarification

concerning the RFP to allow the organization to respond specifically, thoroughly, and clearly to every specification, requirement, or question presented in the RFP. KCLS shall in no way be responsible for any errors or ambiguities in the RFP. A failure of KCLS to respond to any request

for clarification shall not be considered by any organization that KCLS agrees or disagrees with any statement, which may be contained in the request for clarification.

3. All clarifications to the RFP will be posted online at

http://www.kcls.org/rfp by 4pm (Pacific), March 5, 2021. The source of an inquiry occasioning a clarification shall not be given.


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4. Any information provided after distribution of the RFP is for clarification

only and not binding on KCLS.

VI. EVALUATION

KCLS intends to select the proposal that is most advantageous to itself. The responses to this RFP will be evaluated by the JDE Improvement team and its leadership Steering Team. The evaluation will include a review of all proposals

based on the following criteria:

Responsiveness to KCLS’s needs as defined in Section 1D, Section II, and Appendix A.

Vendor experience with J.D. Edwards’ E1 9.2 and other upgrade/improvement experiences.

Total price and cost effectiveness of services.

Accuracy and quality of the deliverables, adherence to schedules and

budget, and relative success of programs implemented, as determined for reference checks.

Qualifications of vendor staff.

A. KCLS reserves the right to reject any and all proposals for any reason.

B. KCLS reserves the right to accept other than the lowest priced proposal and

to negotiate with any organization when the best interests of the Library are served by so doing.

C. KCLS may invite one or more representatives from any organization to

meet or talk with KCLS representatives for the purpose of clarification of the vendor’s proposal.

D. KCLS may at its sole discretion waive any irregularity or informality in a

proposal submitted by any organization.

E. KCLS reserves the right to award only a portion of the listed services.


VII. SPECIAL CONDITIONS

The Proposer’s responsibility and other conditions are described below.

A. Any proposer submitting a response agrees to all the rules and conditions required in this RFP. All materials submitted in response to the RFP shall become the property of KCLS. The organization’s proposal and the RFP

shall become part of any contract that is negotiated with the successful organization unless modified in writing by the contract.

B. The successful proposer shall be required to assume responsibility for

delivery of goods and/or services as defined in the contract.

C. The proposer shall be required to demonstrate that there is in effect all

licenses, permits and authorizations to provide all products and services it proposes.

D. It is the proposer’s responsibility to ensure that the RFP is not defective and does not inadvertently restrict competition. Protests to the RFP must be in writing and be made prior to the due date to permit time for revisions to be issued.

E. The cost for developing proposals in response to this RFP is entirely the

obligation of the proposer and shall not be charged to KCLS in any manner.

F. Alternate Organization Selection. If KCLS fails to negotiate a contract with the proposer of first choice, KCLS shall reserve the right to enter into new contract negotiations with an alternate proposer(s).

G. Payment Schedule. KCLS payments, subject to negotiations, shall be made

to the proposer’s organization not more than forty-five (45) days after KCLS receives the organization’s invoice for goods/services received as specified in the contract between KCLS and the proposer selected.

H. Wages. The proposer shall be required to pay any wages or salary required by the laws or regulations of any government entity having jurisdiction.


I. News Release. Mention of KCLS, staff, or programs in advertising, customer

lists, photographs, or articles in the professional literature pertaining to an award resulting from proposals made in response to this RFP shall not be made by any organization without prior written approval from the KCLS

administration.

J. Written Contract. KCLS and the selected organization shall negotiate a contract and nothing shall be binding on either party until the contract is in writing and signed by both parties, except the organization is obligated to

keep its proposal in effect for period specified in this RFP.

VIII. PROTESTS TO AWARD

A. Protests concerning the award of this RFP shall be submitted in writing

to:

King County Library System

Attn: Director of Finance 960 Newport Way NW Issaquah, WA 98027 Protest to Award of RFP #21-01 JD Edwards Improvements

B. Organizations should clearly state the grounds for their protest and the

requested action.

Protest letters may be sent by email to [email protected]. Reference “RFP# 21-01 JD Edwards Improvements - Protest” in the subject header.

Faxed protest letters will be accepted if received by the deadline

below. Confirming receipt of fax is the responsibility of the protesting organization.

C. Deadline. Letters of protest must be received by KCLS no more than one

week after RFP award has been announced.

D. Response to Protest. Written response to protest letters will be

composed jointly by the project Steering Team and the Finance Director.



Responses will be available within approximately one week of receipt of protest. Written responses are mailed via certified mail to the protesting organization.

IX. PROPOSAL SCHEDULE

KCLS reserves the right to adjust the schedule in Table 3, as needed. All participating proposers will be notified of any changes.

Milestone Date (Pacific Time Zone)

RFP Release February 24, 2021

Proposer Conference RSVP Due 12pm, March 1, 2021

Proposer’s Conference 10am, March 2, 2021

Questions from Proposer Due 4pm, March 4, 2021

Answers Posted on KCLS Website 4pm, March 5, 2021

Proposals Due 4pm, March 10, 2021

Contract Award March 19, 2021

Deadline for Protests March 26, 2021

Table 3. Proposal Schedule


X. APPENDIX A: KCLS JDE Requirements Matrix

This appendix is included as a separate Excel File. This document is a collection of needs identified from various efforts to analyze the current KCLS Financial Systems. HISTORY

An RFP activity in 2020 to find a Procure-to-Pay (P2P) system resulted in a greater understanding of the market and the capabilities available. Unfortunately, no single solution was available to solve all the needs identified in this document. It became clear to KCLS that many of its needs could be satisfied by improvements made to JD Edwards (JDE). A new JDE Improvement project is now

in place to address those items before adding an automated invoicing system. The colors of the tabs relate to the progression of the overall Financial systems review. For example, the colorful tabs are from the original P2P project, and the dark grey tabs are part of the secondary analysis that happened at the beginning of the greater financial systems analysis.

After contract award, KCLS will share the various process maps that were developed during the analysis phase. These maps will need to be updated with the “future state” after the formal gap analysis planned in this RFP.

CURRENT EFFORT On the following tabs, the ROWS related directly to the RFP #21-01 JDE improvements project are highlighted in GREEN. FUTURE EFFORTS

In the Fall of 2021, KCLS will release an RFP for a Budgeting tool, and will re-release a revised RFP for Automated Invoicing & Vendor Management/Contracting (a smaller version of the original P2P RFP). Because many of the requirements/needs in this document cross over between all the projects, keeping the integrity of the full set of requirements is important.

Please clearly indicate which of the items the proposer intends on addressing during the JDE Improvement project. See the proposal outline in Section IV for more for details.

Documents

REQUEST FOR BID - King County Library System