REQUEST for PROPOSAL CP17-DJ-1103 Data Standardization

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS

President’s Office

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CP17-DJ-1103 Data Standardization

Answers to Bidder Questions

Question 1

Please provide a ballpark budget allocated for this project. We are hoping that you will provide this transparency because we don’t want to go down the path of putting together a detailed proposal to find out that there is a mismatch in your desired budget and our estimates.

UMass Answer to Question 1

The pricing should be based on effort required to complete the agreed upon scope of work. The scope of work includes gathering and verifying the relevant data to understand the UMass system campus by campus, organizing the data in one accessible “binder” and gathering relevant data to allow the UMass system to make strategic choices for program and expense based on strategic discussions between UMass and the consultant. This project should not be considered or priced as an IT or data warehouse project.

Question 2

Is all data to be reviewed maintained at the UMass System Office or will there be a need to visit or interact with the six operating campuses?

UMass Answer to Question 2

Some of the data is available at the central office, but much of the data is available on the local campuses. Accordingly, interaction with the campuses will be required to complete this assignment.

Question 3

What are the different types of systems (ERP, CRM, databases) in which data is currently maintained and stored?

UMass Answer to Question 3

Our primary systems are PeopleSoft ERP – 5 campus HR & Fin, 3 campus Student Information System (Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses). We also have a data warehouse and support a number of ancillary systems, including a workflow based Document Imaging system. The campuses are actively investing in CRM (Salesforce, Target X primarily)

Question 4

What is the current volume and the format of data?

UMass Answer to Question 4

The volume of the UMass data is extensive and organized on a campus by campus basis with some coordinated data collection at the UMass office.

Question 5

Will you provide the selected vendor with access to the systems in which the data resides?

UMass Answer to Question 5

The University will ensure that the awarded vendor has access to the necessary data to complete the agreed upon scope of work. That may be direct access or exported to the vendor by University personnel, TBD.

Question 6

What percentage of the work is to be performed on-site?

UMass Answer to Question 6

Whatever effort is required to meet the requirements of the scope of work, however, this will require work with both the central office as well as work at each of the campuses.

Question 7

How many hours is this project estimated to take and what are the projected start and end dates?

UMass Answer to Question 7

Duration is determined by agreed upon scope of work. Projected start date February 2017, subject to change.

Question 8

Who will the vendor interface with at the System Office?

UMass Answer to Question 8

Senior members of the University management team.

Question 9

Who will be the primary point-person / project coordinator within the UMass system office?

UMass Answer to Question 9

Senior members of the University management team.

Question 10

Is there a defined working group with whom the consulting firm will be working with / reporting to? Or will the project coordinator play this role?

UMass Answer to Question 10

TBD

Question 11

At each campus, who are the specific individuals designated to provide support in the data aggregation efforts?

UMass Answer to Question 11

TBD, however, vendor will have access to appropriate personnel to meet requirements of scope of work.

Question 12

Who is the data intermediary at the UMass system level with whom the consultant will be working?

UMass Answer to Question 12

Not relevant to assignment

Question 13

Does the scope for this RFP include the assessment of all available data sets at the system level, or is it confined to any one category (e.g., academic, finance, etc.)?

UMass Answer to Question 13

All data sets. Additionally, based on experience, vendor will recommend data sets to be established based on best practices implemented at other University Systems.

Question 14

Which third party / national higher education data sets does the UMass system want analyzed?

UMass Answer to Question 14

Awarded vendor to recommend best practices and places to review and compare based on relevant experience

Question 15

WillUniversity of Massachusetts provide any staff (such as Project Manager other than Stakeholders of the project)?

UMass Answer to Question 15

TBD, however, vendor will have access to appropriate personnel to meet requirements of scope of work.

Question 16

Is there a system in place today that accomplishes the said goals in any limited way that needs to be "Re-Engineered"?

UMass Answer to Question 16

There is currently a high volume of data that needs to be verified, organized and made “user friendly” for a variety of constituencies.

Question 17

Does the interface be supported by smart devices or simply have a simpleWeb/GUI component?

UMass Answer to Question 17

Not relevant

Question 18

Can we get a brief overview of the databases, applications currently used?

UMass Answer to Question 18

Question 19

Will there be any SMEs from the university to ask questions about the data?

UMass Answer to Question 19

TBD, however, vendor will have access to appropriate personnel to meet requirements of scope of work.

Question 20

Can the data be exported into raw files for analysis?

UMass Answer to Question 20

Yes

Question 21

Can we visit the campuses to meet with the IT & Business staff during the analysis?

UMass Answer to Question 21

Yes, vendor will have access to appropriate personnel to meet requirements of scope of work.

Question 22

What is the anticipated timeline for the completion of the project?

UMass Answer to Question 22

Duration is determined by agreed upon scope of work. Projected start date February 2017, subject to change.

Question 23

Is there any proposed budget allocated for this project?

UMass Answer to Question 23

The pricing should be based on effort required to complete the agreed upon scope of work.

Question 24

Does the university have any preference on the data collection mechanisms?

UMass Answer to Question 24

TBD

Question 25

What are the Source systems for System office?

UMass Answer to Question 25

Question 26

Can you provide the list of users or consumers for this data?

UMass Answer to Question 26

University Senior Leadership, trustees, campus leaders-broadly used potentially and selectively

Question 27

What resources would the UMass system office make available to the contractor to complete the inventory of availability and use? To what extent is that information available online or documented in print, and to what extent would it be necessary for the contractor to interview staff to complete the inventories?

UMass Answer to Question 27

TBD, suggested best practices based on experience will be considered. Awarded vendor will have access to appropriate personnel and data to complete the requirements of the scope of work.

Question 28

What security clearances must the contractor obtain in order to gain access to the data?

UMass Answer to Question 28

TBD

Question 29

What are examples of current quality concerns related to the data available at the system level?

UMass Answer to Question 29

UMASS wants to develop organized, verified and functional data that will be useful to determine strategic direction and make decisions tactically on a broad range of items.

Question 30

What are the primary current uses of data by the UMass system office? Please specify any publicly available reports and administrative protocols using the data in question.

UMass Answer to Question 30

Public information at your disposal

Question 31

What are the sources of information for Task 3, cataloguing the most commonly requested and used data sets and evaluating their effectiveness for decision making?

UMass Answer to Question 31

Industry best practices, standards implemented at other Academic Institutions/systems, TBD

Question 32

What are the main shortcomings of the data currently available to the UMass system office?

UMass Answer to Question 32

Organization, consistency, veracity, ease of access, strategic application of the data sets.

Question 33

Which national Higher Education data sets are of particular interest to UMass and what are the main questions UMass is interested in addressing with those data?

UMass Answer to Question 33

To be recommended by consultant based on experience

Question 34

What are some examples of recent third party analyses of national Higher Education data sets regarding the UMass system?

UMass Answer to Question 34

To be recommended by consultant based on experience

Question 35

Which other state higher education systems are likely to be included in the inventory of peer data sets?

UMass Answer to Question 35

To be recommended by consultant based on experience

Question 36

What are the primary audiences for analyses and reports based on the data sets maintained by the UMass system office?

UMass Answer to Question 36

University Senior Leadership

Question 37

Is there an incumbent for this work, and if so, who is the incumbent?

UMass Answer to Question 37

No company retained previously; many internal resources to be engaged and consulted with.

Question 38

Is there a targeted cost estimate and level of effort for this work?

UMass Answer to Question 38

The pricing should be based on effort required to complete the agreed upon scope of work.

Question 39

What are the key metrics already collected by the UMass system referred to in Task 2?

UMass Answer to Question 39

Standard metrics that a top tier State school would utilize

Question 40

What is the standardized format used by the UMass system referred to in Task 2?

UMass Answer to Question 40

Publically available

Question 41

What is the expected full period of performance? And more specifically, is there a date by which UMass would like this work completed?

UMass Answer to Question 41

Duration is determined by agreed upon scope of work. Projected start date February 2017, subject to change.

Question 42

One of the proposal requirements is to “provide a complete list of other universities, similar in size and complexity to the University of Massachusetts, where you have completed similar projects.” If a vendor has data collection, assessment and standardization experience, but in sectors other than higher education would they be automatically disqualified from consideration?

UMass Answer to Question 42

NO, however experience with Academic Institutions is preferred.

Question 43

How many systems and databases (DBs) are currently considered by the System Office to be part of its data set inventory? Provide approximations if exact figures are unavailable.

UMass Answer to Question 43

We are not sure we understand the question.

Our ERP systems (Listed above) are “source” systems by definition. They have a large number of outbound interfaces and a smaller number of specific inbound feeds (examples – Kronos timekeeping, SAT scores)

Our data warehouse is sourced from HR, Finance, eprocurement, SIS and other systems

Our Identity and Access management System captures and reconciles identity information and provisions to some campus directories

Question 44

What DB technology (e.g. SQL, Oracle, IBM, etc.) is currently in use within the UMass system office in regards to its current data set inventory?

UMass Answer to Question 44

Oracle, MS SQL Server

Question 45

What Business Intelligence (BI) and/or data management technology software provider products (e.g. Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Tableau, etc.) are currently being used by the UMass system office in regards to its current data set inventory?

UMass Answer to Question 45

Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE), IBM Datastage (ETL), Tableau

Question 46

May the vender assume that their team will be granted at least read only remote access to the systems and DBs currently considered by the System Office to be part of its data set inventory in order to conduct its analyses?

UMass Answer to Question 46

No, TBD, suggested best practices based on experience will be considered. Awarded vendor will have access to appropriate personnel and data to complete the requirements of the scope of work.

Question 47

How many source systems currently feed the systems and DBs currently considered by the System Office to be part of its data set inventory? Provide approximations if exact figures are unavailable. How many third party utilizers of UMass system office data will need to be analyzed? Provide approximations if exact figures are unavailable.

UMass Answer to Question 47

Our data warehouse is sourced from HR, Finance, eprocurement, SIS and other systems

Our Identity and Access management System captures and reconciles identity information and provisions to some campus directories

Question 48

Who are currently the biggest third party utilizers of UMass system office data in terms of data volume or frequency of data requests?

UMass Answer to Question 48

This data project is intended to provide data for Senior University Leadership.

Question 49

How many key metrics does the UMass system office currently use? Provide approximations if exact figures are unavailable.

UMass Answer to Question 49

Many, to be refined through this project.

Question 50

Are the calculation requirements of all the key metrics currently used be the UMass system office well documented and unambiguous? If the answer to this question is “no”, will the vendor be required to document calculation requirements and/or facilitate the resolution of any calculation unambiguity as part of this project?

UMass Answer to Question 50

No, this is the heart of the project.

Question 51

Is there an existing method for tracking data set requests and usage or will such a method need to be created from scratch as part of this project?

UMass Answer to Question 51

Each campus separately and the system too.

Question 52

How many peer data sets of UMass system office data will need to be analyzed? Provide approximations if exact figures are unavailable.

UMass Answer to Question 52

Numerous

Question 53

Will there be an existing UMass system office working or steering group comprised of individuals capable of answering vendor detail questions about its current data set inventory systems & DBs, data set source systems, key metrics, third party utilizers of UMass system office data, current data related pain points, and critical questions leaders and other data users are trying to answer currently/in the future? If not, is the UMass system office open to creating such a group at the start of the project so that UMass resources needed support and complete this project could be estimated and there will be a relatively structured way for the vendor to interact with them?

UMass Answer to Question 53

TBD. Awarded vendor will have access to appropriate personnel and data to complete the requirements of the scope of work. Please include recommendation based on experience/expertise.

Question 54

Will the vender be allowed to setup Q&A discovery meetings with UMass system office data set users and source system operators and administrators on each of the UMass distinct operating units or will interactions be limited to UMass system office officials and a project related workgroup (if one is created)?

UMass Answer to Question 54

TBD. Awarded vendor will have access to appropriate personnel and data to complete the requirements of the scope of work. Please include recommendation based on experience/expertise.

Question 55

Does the fixed cost proposal need to include specific travel cost estimates or would it be acceptable to note that reasonable travel costs have not been factored into the cost proposal and will be billed to the client at cost if/when they occur?

UMass Answer to Question 55

Please provide as much detail as required to understand all costs associated with the project.

Question 56

Will the selected vendor be provided access to business analysts and data analysts/system owners to allow us to gain access to all of the data required to meet current end user needs. For planning purposes, are there any constraints/limitations on the amount of time they can spend with the team?

UMass Answer to Question 56

TBD. Awarded vendor will have access to appropriate personnel and data to complete the requirements of the scope of work. Please include recommendation based on experience/expertise.

Question 57

Will the selected vendor have access to data owners from all of the affiliate schools and will we be required to review and analyze their data as part of this engagement:

Amherst Campus
Boston Campus
Dartmouth Campus
Lowell Campus
President’s Office – Central Administration (includes UMass On-Line)
Worcester Campus

UMass Answer to Question 57

Yes. Awarded vendor will have access to appropriate personnel and data to complete the requirements of the scope of work.

Question 58

Will the selected vendor be provided a list of all of the third party entities UMass currently is provided data from? Are there key stakeholders that will help the project team understand these third party data sets throughout the duration of the engagement?

UMass Answer to Question 58

Yes. Awarded vendor will have access to appropriate personnel and data to complete the requirements of the scope of work. Please include recommendation based on experience/expertise.