This is Addendum 001 to RF-P00027 Implementation of SAP R/3.
On September 20, 1999, a pre-proposal conference was held to allow potential vendors an opportunity to ask questions of clarification about our expectations of the successful vendors in the performance of the requirements of the proposal. In addition, if a requirement was ambiguous or not understood, the opportunity was provided to ask questions of clarification about the requirement. For your information, the following questions were asked and answers are furnished. Also, a list of firms represented is available for review.
RFP SECTION |
QUESTION/ANSWER |
| 1.3 | To what extent will the consultants be involved in end-user training and documentation? |
| Answer | The consultant is expected to support the development of end-user training and the documentation but not to conduct the training. The University staff will conduct the training (see section 2.2.4, bullet 6). |
| 2.1.2 | What legacy data does the University have that will need to be converted? |
| Answer | Our legacy data resides primarily on the IBM mainframe in IMS and DB2 databases and in sequential files. The consultant will be expected to assist in the development of program specifications and data mapping for the conversion. The University staff will write the associated programs (see section 2.2.4, bullet 3). Our objective is to move from the University's mainframe; consequently, all relevant data must be converted. Whether detail data is converted into R/3 or into BIW will be determined during the implementation. The size of the conversion effort can be inferred from the system sizing attributes listed in section 2.1.5. |
| 2.1.2 | Does the fifteen-month implementation period include the go-live and support? |
| Answer | The fifteen-month implementation period includes the go-live and support for the pilot unit. (see section 2.1.8) NOTE: The fifteen-month period is for determining the fixed price for the implementation. Any deviation from the fifteen month period will be determined during contract negotiations between the vendor and the University. |
| 2.1.2 | What is meant by "continued SAP presence"? |
| Answer | The prime contractor must provide at least one experienced SAP employee on-site full-time to ensure a continued SAP presence and involvement with the project (see section 2.2.1, bullet 5). |
| 2.1.4.1 | What version of SAP R/3 does the University expect to implement? |
| Answer | The University expects to configure and implement version 4.6B. |
| 2.1.4.3 | What are the University’s expectations for using BIW? |
| Answer | The University expects to use BIW for maintaining historical and current data and to provide a reporting database facility. |
| 2.1.4.4 | What functionality does the University expect to implement? |
| Answer | The University expects to implement functionality of the modules identified in section 2.1.4.2 and section 2.1.4.3. |
| 2.1.4.5 | To what extent does the University expect to use workflow? |
| Answer | The University expects to use workflow in financial, purchasing, and human resource areas. The implementation proposal should include all delivered workflows. |
| 2.1.4.7 | Does the University plan to implement the standard SAP Employee Self Service or other web-enabled processes? |
| Answer | The University plans to implement the Employee Self Service features available in SAP R/3 and configure to support web features available in 4.6B. |
| 2.1.4.7 | Will web access to enter time be conducted through intranet or is internet/extranet involved (potential security/firewall issues)? Does the "Anticipated SAP Concurrent Users" count of 500 include concurrent Web users to input time (ability to size/architect web interfaces vs. Sapgui access to system)? |
| Answer | The University expects to collect time both through the internet and intranet. The University anticipates 500 concurrent users, to include time entry and reporting. |
| 2.1.6 | Is the University responsible for all hardware and communications requirements? |
| Answer | Yes, the University will assume responsibility for all hardware and telecommunications equipment. |
| 2.1.7.1 | Could the University furnish a break down of the qualifications and backgrounds of the personnel assigned to the implementation team: eighteen functional staff members and nine technical? |
| Answer | The eighteen people currently assigned to the functional team are equally divided between Financial and Human Resources, with an average of 15 years experience in their respective fields. The nine FTE on the technical team will be split with six FTE ABAP programming and three FTE Basis/database support. Currently no one on the implementation teams has any experience with SAP products. The technical staff has moderate experience with Oracle database and UNIX system administration. |
| 2.1.7.2 | What is the expected length of the workday for the implementation team and will be team be devoted full-time to the project? |
| Answer | The implementation team is expected to work eight-hour days with a flexible work schedule, anywhere from 7 am to 6 pm. The team will work four days a week on the project, with Friday spent at their home office. The University expects to work with the vendor to determine a schedule for the consultants. |
| 2.1.7.4 | When does the University expect to attend training and what are the University’s expectations of the partner for training? |
| Answer | The University expects to work with the vendor to determine the best timing for training. The vendor is not expected to provide the training. |
| 2.1.8 | Has The University of Tennessee considered how they will implement the SAP R/3 software and identified who the pilot will be? |
| Answer | The software will be configured to support the entire University. A pilot unit will be determined in conjunction with the implementation partner, representative of University users and of manageable size, for the purpose of validating and demonstrating all the functionality of the configured system. Section 2.1.8 sets forth the completion criteria. |
| 2.1.8 | How many interfaces with SAP R/3 will be required to be developed? |
| Answer | Asynchronous interfaces will be needed between SAP R/3 and our campus student systems, external agencies such as banks and government agencies, and existing University ancillary systems. At this time we are not aware of any real-time interfaces for SAP R/3. |
| 2.1.8 | Has The University of Tennessee determined how it will measure the "adequate transfer of knowledge?" |
| Answer | The ongoing transfer of knowledge occurs as the consultants mentor and advise University staff in the configuration of the system, the development of ABAP programs, and Basis support. The University staff will actually do the configuration, ABAP programming, and Basis support; however, the consultants will be expected to mentor University staff throughout the entire project. The measurement of the transfer of knowledge will be based on our ability to support R/3. |
| 2.1.8 | How does The University of Tennessee envision stress testing to occur for 500 concurrent users? Will a software tool such as Mercury Interactive, etc. be utilized to simulate user load and transactions? |
| Answer | The University expects to use a third party tool for regression and stress testing. |
| 2.2.1 | Does the University want a list of the subcontractors the vendor expects to use for the implementation? |
| Answer | A list of subcontractors is not required. |
| 2.2.2 | Does the University have a standard project management tool that will be used for the project? |
| Answer | No. |
| 2.2.4 | Please clarify what will constitute "acceptance". |
| Answer | Acceptance means that the system’s functionality, stability and performance have been demonstrated satisfactorily as determined by the University and verified by the pilot unit. |
| 3.2.1.1 | Will the University accept less than three references in higher education and public sector? Are references from Canada and Europe acceptable? |
| Answer | Three references are preferred as specified in section 3.2.1.1. |
| 3.2.4 | Does the University want resumes for the specific consultants expected to be assigned to this project? |
| Answer | Specific resumes are not required other than for the proposed vendor project manager (see section 2.2.2). |
| 3.3.4 | Should the vendor provide ABAP consulting support prices? |
| Answer | As part of the fixed price, the vendor is expected to advise and mentor University staff on all aspects of ABAP programming (see section 2.2.6). The hourly rates requested are for additional programming support, if needed. |
| 4 | Does the University have weights for the evaluation criteria? If so, will the weights be provided? |
| Answer | Weights have been identified for the evaluation criteria and included in a write-up of the evaluation process (see section 4). This write-up will be made available to all vendors after an award recommendation has been made by the selection committee. |
| 6.13.3 | What is the anticipated award date? |
| Answer | The University anticipates making a decision and entering into contract negotiations in mid- to late November 1999. |
| 6.26 | What type of workspace will the University provide? |
| Answer | The implementation team will be located at the UT Conference Center in Knoxville. Adequate workspace and equipment will be provided. |
| 6.26 | Are consultants expected to work exclusively in Knoxville or can some of the work be done off-site (for example, in a competency center)? |
| Answer | The majority of the work is expected to be conducted in Knoxville to facilitate knowledge transfer. The University will work with the vendor on any exceptions. |
| General 1 |
Is organizational change management included in this proposal? |
| Answer | The University wants advice and consultation on preparing for organizational and procedural changes resulting from the implementation of the SAP R/3 software. |
| General 2 | Will the vendor be able to take advantage of state and/or university hotel rates? Can the University provide these lodging rates? |
| Answer | Yes. The daily rates will be in the range of $60 to $75 dollars based on current rates available to the University. |
| General 3 | Will the vendor be responsible for furnishing a consultant at every campus for payroll? |
| Answer | No. All consultants will be located in Knoxville. |
| General 4 | Is the University using C.A.T.S? |
| Answer | No |
| General 5 | Does The University of Tennessee currently manage and administer all of its benefit plans? Please specify which plans are administered internally. |
| Answer | The approximately 25 plans are administered internally, including retirement, medical insurance, life insurance, long term disability, tax deferred annuity, flexible spending accounts, and dental. The University is not subject to ERISA requirements. |
| General 6 | Does The University of Tennessee plan to utilize resume scanning functionality such as provided by Resumix? |
| Answer | The University does not expect to utilize scanning functionality as part of this fixed price implementation. |
| General 7 | How many unions/bargaining units does The University of Tennessee have, if any? Can these be detailed by site? |
| Answer | The University does not have any unions/bargaining units. |
Clarification for Performance Bond: According to the minimal requirements of the RFP, if requested, the successful vendor may have to furnish a performance bond. Submission of a performance bond with the RFP submission is not a requirement of the RFP and should not be submitted with your proposal. However, a cost for the performance bond should be included in your price submission. If requested, the performance bond shall be equal to 100% of the contract price covering and including labor and materials. The premium for the bond shall be paid by the successful contractor. The bond shall be executed on a University of Tennessee "payment and performance bond" form as issued at the pre-proposal meeting. Submission of a performance bond on other than the University’s performance bond form will be subject to approval by the University of the terms and conditions of the alternate performance bond as submitted. Personal checks are not acceptable in place of performance bonds. However, a bank cashier’s check payable to the University will be accepted for this purpose. An irrevocable letter of credit or a certificate of deposit, to be held by the University, from a state or national bank or federal savings and loan association having its principal office in Tennessee may also be accepted in lieu of a performance bond, subject to approval by the University of the terms and conditions of said irrevocable letter of credit or certificate of deposit.
Special Bid Condition 6.12 Proposal Rejection is modified to read as follows: The University of Tennessee may reject any proposal that does not comply with the terms, conditions, and performance requirements of the RFP. The first two sentences of the original condition are deleted.
Clarification on the Identification of your Proposal: At the pre-proposal meeting, red label stickers were furnished to be placed on the outside of your proposal submission in order to identify and properly log in your proposal as being received. If you do not have a red label sticker (or it is impractical to use a sticker because of the shipping containers to be used), please identify your proposal submission by indicating the RFP number (RFP 00027) and the name of your company on the outside of the shipping container (i.e. box, UPS envelope, etc.).
With the exception of any changes listed above, the terms, conditions, requirements of the RFP remain the same with no changes. The due date for the proposal has not changed.