RFP Response

RFP No. 2014-106

PeopleSoft HCM 9.2 Upgrade
Collin County, Texas

Oracle CRM On Demand

Implementation

Apex IT Practice Director, Workforce Service Delivery: Brett Jesperson

Phone: (720) 258-6560
Email: brett.jesperson@apexit.com

Apex IT Vice President: Bryan Hinz

Phone: (612) 964-5596
Email: bryan.hinz@apexit.com

Client Representative:

Courtney Wilkerson
Senior Buyer Purchasing
972-548-4113
cwilkerson@co.collin.tx.us

1
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

Apex IT is pleased to present the following response to Collin County’s request for PeopleSoft Production
Support and Staff Augmentation.

Apex IT has been invited to participate in the RFP response based on industry expertise, unparalleled
experience implementing, enhancing, supporting and upgrading PeopleSoft applications. Apex IT
understands the value of efficient and robust PeopleSoft application suite.

Apex IT’s demonstrated history of achieving user base adoption and success helping clients complete
engagements on time and on budget provides confidence that Apex IT can help IT and business
stakeholders achieve their objectives leveraging PeopleSoft HR applications.

The following plan provides Collin County an opportunity for quick wins, continuous improvement, and
easier user adoption and training.

All questions related to the contents of this response should be directed to Brett Jesperson.

Warmest regards-

Brett Jesperson
Practice Director, Apex IT

2
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

1. Firm Overview

1.1 Descriptive background of your company’s history.

Apex IT Response:
Apex IT is uniquely qualified to successfully partner with Collin County to help maintain, enhance and
upgrade the PeopleSoft Human Capital Management (HCM) applications that are in scope for this RFP.
Apex IT has successfully partnered with Collin County, TX for multiple PeopleSoft application
implementations as well as application enhancements. In addition to the existing working relationship
between our organizations, Apex IT brings qualified resources with experience working with PeopleSoft
applications since their inception. Apex IT truly understands the capabilities, complexities and nuances of
PeopleSoft Human Capital Management applications and environments.
Consider the following information related to Apex IT’s PeopleSoft Human Capital Management consulting
practice:
 Apex IT has implemented PeopleSoft HCM applications over 200 times for both private and public
sector clients in North American and across the world.
 Apex IT was hired by Oracle/PeopleSoft to help develop their Workforce Service Delivery
application in 1999/2000.
 Apex IT advises Oracle on PeopleSoft HCM applications (HR Help Desk) for enhancements and
guidance based on customer experiences and requirements.
 Apex IT delivers over 20 expert presentations and webinars at various events and conferences per
year.

1.2 State your principal business location and any other service
locations.

Apex IT Response:
Apex IT is headquartered in Edina Minnesota with consulting staff spanning the entire US.

1.3 What is your primary line of business?

Apex IT Response:
Primary lines of business include consulting engagements and implementation services for PeopleSoft and
Oracle solutions. Apex IT’s core competency lies in PeopleSoft CRM, HCM and HR Help Desk practice.

1.4 How long have you been selling product(s) and/or providing
service(s)?

Apex IT Response:
Apex IT has been providing services for PeopleSoft solutions (Vantive prior to PeopleSoft) since 1997.

3
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

1.5 State how many and the locations where your product/services are
in use

Apex IT Response:
Apex has worked with on over 1,250 PeopleSoft and Oracle engagements throughout the US and
Worldwide.

2. Proposed project team/Staff

Qualifications/Experience/Credentials

2.1 Offeror is requested to provide qualifications as well as experience

information on Offeror’s key personnel that will be assigned to this
project. This will include any technical certifications required to
complete the project

Apex IT Response:
Apex IT staff are highly qualified consultants with an average of 6.5 yrs experience implementing,
maintaining, supporting and upgrading various PeopleSoft applications. Many consultants have been
involved with the earliest versions of PeopleSoft applications and several previously worked for PeopleSoft
in product strategy, development or consulting roles.

Many Apex IT consults holds the most recent PeopleSoft and industry certifications including:
 PeopleSoft Human Resources 9.x Consultant Certified Expert
 People Tools 8.x Developer Certified Expert
 PeopleSoft CRM 9.x Consultant Certified Expert
 Project Management Professional (PMP)
 Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Additionally, as a part of the Oracle Platinum level partner qualifications, each year Apex IT must certify
for relevant PeopleSoft applications, People Tools and industry specializations.

2.2 Offeror is requested to provide a project timeline showing both the

County and Offeror staff required for this project.

Apex IT Response:
Apex IT can provide an accurate project timeline and resource plan after the required amount of discovery
and requirements gathering has been conducted.

4
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

2.3 Provide the ability to host an environment for testing of the

application and describe the process.

Apex IT Response:
Based on the vendor discussion call with Collin County regarding the upgrade project, Apex IT understood
an upgrade lab would not be needed because hardware will be in place prior to project start.

2.4 How many PeopleSoft 9.2 upgrades has your company completed or
currently in process. Please describe.

Apex IT Response:
An Apex IT consultant was involved with a PeopleSoft 9.2 upgrade that included Time and Labor, HR.
Payroll as well as Benefits. See attached resume for EtheAnn Gary for details. Apex IT consultants have
been involved in multiple PeopleSoft HCM upgrades for previous versions.

Chad Rasque - EtheAnn Gary - Rosie Hudak - Apex

Apex IT Skills Summary
ApexIT
01-14.pdf
Skills Summary
IT Skills
12-2013.pdf
Summary 10-2012.pdf

2.5 What is your approach to customers who have extensive

customizations to their system?

Apex IT Response:
Apex IT consultants follow a methodology for upgrading applications with extensive customizations which
includes: gathering requirements/future state goals for the upgraded application, evaluating compare
reports to understand the deltas between the current and upgrade environment, analyze opportunities to
retire customizations, retrofit customizations that will be moved forward into the new environment,
conduct test moves for each enviorment, move to production and monitor in production for issues.

2.6 Does your company have staff located within the DFW metroplex?

Apex IT Response:
Yes, Apex IT has PeopleSoft consultants located in the DFW metroplex as well as the TOLA region.

3. REFERENCES

3.1 Offeror is requested to include at least three (3) references with

names, addresses and telephone numbers.

Apex IT Response:
A sample of Apex IT customers and engagement descriptions are listed below. Reference calls can be
arranged based on Collin County’s interest in speaking with a specific customer.

5
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

Organization Description/Scope
PeopleSoft Application Upgrade, Enhancements and Support

 PeopleSoft Human Capital Management 9.0

 Enterprise Learning Management
 Enterprise Portal
 PeopleSoft Financials 9.0

Technical Support:
 Support of the IBC PeopleSoft environments (Enterprise Portal, Human
Capital Management, Enterprise Learning Management)
 Troubleshooting reported Production Issues
 Application of PeopleSoft Maintenance Packs, Bundles and Tax Updates as
required.
 Perform technical updates to PeopleSoft Components (PeopleTools patches,
Weblogic updates, etc.) as required
 Support Portal, HCM and ELM integrations
 Development of new enhancements or integrations to support IBC business
requirements
 Development of Approval Workflow processes
 Security Issues – Single Signon, LDAP
 Develop new or enhance existing reports

Functional Support:
 Application Maintenance Planning
 Support both delivered and custom business processes/functions
 Support End Of Year Processing
 Perform life cycle deployments for business requested functionality
 Install tax updates as necessary
 General PeopleSoft support of the IBC end user community
 Improve and/or streamline existing business processes through automation,
e.g. Termination, New Hires, etc.
 Support migration from paper-based to electronic transactions, e.g.
Electronic Paystubs, Electronic W2s, Paycards.
PeopleSoft Application Support
 PeopleSoft Financials 9.0
 PeopleSoft Human Capital Management /Campus Solutions 9.0

Technical Support:
 Perform System Administration tasks that include: Creation, Maintenance
and Monitoring of Application, Batch and Web Servers utilized by the
PeopleSoft Campus Solutions and Financials applications; Performance
Tuning; Installation of Performance Monitor
 Provide System Administration and Support for the Demo, Dev, Test1, Test2
and Prod environments for both Campus Solutions and Financials.
 Perform System Administration tasks that include: Creation, Maintenance
and Monitoring of Application, Batch and Web Servers utilized by the

6
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

PeopleSoft Campus Solutions and Financials applications; Performance

Tuning; Installation of Performance Monitor.
 Provide System Administration and Support for the Demo, Dev, Test1, Test2
and Prod environments for both Campus Solutions and Financials.

PeopleSoft Application and PeopleTools Upgrade

 PeopleSoft Financials 9.1

 General Ledger
 Accounts Payable
 Asset Management
 Project Costing
 Purchasing
 PeopleTools 8.5.1

PeopleSoft Application Enhancements/Support and PeopleTools

Upgrade

 PeopleSoft Human Capital Management 9.0

 Enterprise Learning Management
 PeopleSoft Financials 9.0
 People HR Help Desk 9.1
 PeopleTools 8.5.2

PeopleSoft Application Enhancements/Support

 PeopleSoft Human Capital Management 9.0

 Benefits Administration

PeopleTools Upgrade

 PeopleTools 8.5.1

PeopleSoft Application Upgrade

 PeopleSoft Financials 9.1

 General Ledger
 Accounts Payable

PeopleSoft Application Enhancements/Support

 PeopleSoft HCM 9.1

 PeopleSoft HR Help Desk 8.9

7
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

4. PRICING/FEES

4.1 State total price for project with option 1, Use of Offeror Lab, with
no data transfer.

Apex IT Response:
Based on the vendor call hosted by Collin County, an upgrade lab will not be needed as Collin County will
have the appropriate environments ready prior to start of the upgrade project.

4.2 State total price for project with option 2, No Lab, No data transfer.

Apex IT Response:
Based on the information provided in the RFP, the vendor call hosted by Collin County as well as follow on
Q&A, more information is needed in order for Apex IT to provide an accurate and realistic project
estimate. The consultant rate structure below will provide a guideline that can be used to estimate the
project cost once Collin County and Apex IT have completed thorough discovery, requirement gathering
and project sizing.

4.3 State hourly rates for each role associated with this project. Specify
on-site and off-site hourly rates.

Apex IT Response:
Based on the requirements for consultant rates that were stated in Collin County’s RFP, Apex IT has
created a consultant rate structure below which is comprised of an hourly consulting rate and multiplier
for resource level required for tasks. The hourly rate for Apex IT consultants for this project is
$135/hr. This will be a PeopleSoft consultant, working remotely.

Depending on the type of consultant and skill sets required for a particular work effort, an hour
multiplier will be applied. As the skill sets required for work are increased, a greater multiplier will be
applied. A multiplier based on the delivery model of the consultants (onsite vs. remote) may also be
included. Both are represented in the box below.

Onsite or Multiplier Effective

Resources
Remote Rate
PeopleSoft Consultant/Developer: Technical or Functional Remote $135/hr
PeopleSoft Consultant/Developer: Technical or Functional On Site 1.23 $166.05/hr
PeopleSoft Change Coordinator (Senior Consultant) Remote 1.23 $166.05/hr
PeopleSoft Change Coordinator (Senior Consultant) On Site 1.35 $182.25/hr
Project Manager Either 1.5 $202.50/hr
PeopleSoft Upgrade Specialist/System Admin Either 1.23 $166.05/hr

8
 RFP Response Collin County, TX

After hours support and consultant travel expenses are not reflected in the rates above. Apex IT can
structure a multiplier to ensure after hours support are included into the overall consultant rates.
Actual travel expenses, for on-site work, will be billed as incurred.

4.4 Include a not to exceed cost for travel related expenses.

Apex IT Response:
Apex IT will be able to deliver an accurate travel related expense total once the project plan is
completed, the project start date is established and Apex IT resources are assigned to the project.
Typical consultant travel expenses are around $1,500 per week, depending on consultant location,
airfare, etc. Based on previous Apex IT engagements with Collin County, TX, consultant travel
expenses averaged $1,300 to $1,400 per week, with the exception being a local consultant who’s
expenses were minimal.