RFP 14-004 Implementation of Oracle’s Hyperion
Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service
May 23, 2014
1. 2.1 indicates a partnering role of Central Washington University. Can you explain what that
entails?
Answer: Collaboration between consulting partner and project team. Also reference
Section #4 Scope of Work - 4.1 General Overview.
2. There were no cost estimates provided in the RFP. Does the University have a planned
budget amount for this project or a budget estimate?
Answer: Funding for this project has been identified but a specific budget has not been
established.
3. Is training something that the University foresees as part of this installation?
Answer: Training responsibilities for the selected vendor include cross-training project
team members through collaboration and knowledge transfer sessions. End user training
will be a responsibility of the project team and CWU Training Services.
4. Is the location of the work on campus?
Answer: Project work will be in Ellensburg, Washington.
5. Project Planning: Understanding that CWU's implementation of Oracle's Hyperion Planning
& Budgeting Cloud Service will be an integrated part of a larger project whereby CWU will
redesign their chart of accounts, PeopleSoft Financial System and their accounting and
budgeting processes.
In order to facilitate timing and planning and to ensure a successful Planning Cloud Service
project, can CWU please provide a general roadmap and timeline outlining the sequencing
and timing of the larger initiatives given the inter-dependencies of implementing a Hyperion
Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service as a component of the larger initiative?
Answer: The CWU Chart of Accounts redesign project started in January of 2014. CWU
is concluding the Analyze and Design Phase of the project at the end of May, with a
validated and confirmed new Chartfield String defined by June 2014. This will be the basis
for all remaining project activity and the implementation of Hyperion Planning and
Budgeting Cloud Service. The new accounting structure will be used in production systems
with the beginning of the next Fiscal Year on July 1, 2015. The Hyperion budgeting system
will need to be ready for deployment by January of 2015 to support the budget process for
the next fiscal year.
6. Process: How does CWU currently budget for and manage fixed capital expenditures? Does
CWU anticipate requiring a capital budgeting module in the future to manage their new
construction projects, restorations, and remodeling mentioned in the RFP?
Answer: Capital budgeting is integrated within the operating budget. We do not
anticipate purchasing a specific module but we need to isolate capital expenditures from
the operating costs.
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7. Process: Does CWU currently have a long range, multi-year financial forecasting model for
projecting out full financial statements? If yes, how is this process currently being handled?
If no, does CWU wish to implement such a process whereby the bottoms up departmental
budget process is aligned and integrated with their multi-year 10 year forecast?
Answer: No, CWU does not have a long range, multi-year financial forecasting model.
Yes, multi-year forecasting is needed and bottoms up departmental budget flow. It is also
expected that the operating and capital budgets accumulated in the Hyperion Planning and
Budgeting Cloud solution will enable CWU to project future changes to cash, net invested,
net assets/position, and in plant.
8. Process: What are the most important scenarios that CWU wishes to run (e.g., tuition rate
increase, merit increases, workforce reductions, across-the-board expense reductions,
federal/state funding decreases)? This will help us understand the types of inputs/drivers that
are crucial to CWU.
Answer: The above is a partial list but should be fully defined during project discovery
phase.
9. Operational Budget: Do the units budget full revenues, expenses, and transfers? Are there
any revenues or expenses that are budgeted "centrally" and subsequently allocated to the
units P&L's?
Answer: CWU needs to be able to budget full revenues, expenses, and transfers. CWU is
working towards a functioning RCM model by July 2014 and that model needs to be
supported by the Hyperion Planning and Budgeting Cloud solution.
10. Operational Budget: What type of Operational Budget Methodologies are in place and
expected to remain in place with the redesign of the budgeting process (e.g., IncrementalBased Budgeting, Zero-Based Budgeting, Priority-Based Budgeting, Incentive-Based
Budgeting, etc.)?
Answer: CWU is currently using incremental-based budgeting. CWU is working towards
a RCM model and needs to be supported by the Hyperion Planning and Budgeting Cloud
solution.
11. Operational Budget: Does CWU currently leverage and expect to continue leverage any
driver-based budgeting (e.g., Tuition or enrollment models - in-state, out-of-state; domesticinternational; freshman-transfer; undergraduate–graduate) etc.)? If so, what models are
currently in place?
Answer: Yes, currently uses estimates enrollment by type and references the various
tuition rate tables. In the future, CWU expects to use driver based budgeting.
12. Operational Budget: What level of Fund budgeting is currently in place and expected to
remain with the budgeting redesign? Does CWU need to budget all funds, or mainly General
and Auxiliary funds as an example?
Answer: Currently CWU budgets nearly all funds and plans to continue with minor
exceptions. In addition to general and auxiliary, CWU would like to budget capital, grants,
internal service, and loan funds, etc.
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13. Operational Budget: For CWU's current multi-year budget process, does CWU anticipate the
need to also plan out Balance Sheet and Cash Flows?
Answer: It is expected that the operating and capital budgets accumulated in the
Hyperion Planning and Budgeting Cloud solution will enable CWU to project future
changes to cash, net invested, net assets/position, and in plant.
14. Position Budgeting: Does CWU require a process to determine merit eligibility within the
Position Budget module (e.g., performance evaluation ratings, hiring date, effective date,
etc.)
Answer: Yes we currently have classified staff grade/step increases based on their
anniversary month.
15. Position Budgeting: Does CWU also plan for vacant positions?
Answer: CWU budgets for full workforce expenditures annually; however, CWU would
like to incorporate attrition in planning.
16. Position Budgeting: Does CWU require a process for position transfers during the budget
process?
Answer: Yes
17. Position Budgeting: Define the number and types of positions expected to be budgeted at
CWU. Does CWU budget positions at the Employee level, Position level, Position ranks or
some combination of position/employee level?
Answer: CWU budgets at the position level. We have approximately 590 classified
positions, 225 administrative position and 375 faculty positions. In addition to this, we pool
positions for students, temps, and adjunct positions.
18. Reporting: What are the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that CWU currently tracks and
expects to continue to track?
Answer: CWU expects to track/measure academic, financial, human resources,
enrollment, cost structures, and others will be determined in the discovery phase.
19. Integration: Define the integration needs of budgets built in Hyperion Planning & Budgeting
Cloud Service to other systems (e.g., final budgets to PeopleSoft).
Answer: PeopleSoft is CWU’s primary ERP system. Other integration requirements will
be determined during the project discovery process.
20. Integration: Aside from CWU's PeopleSoft ERP, does CWU have any other source systems
(or shadow systems) where data needs to be sourced from into Hyperion Planning? If yes,
please provide the list along with software versions.
Answer: PeopleSoft is CWU’s primary ERP system. Other source systems will be
determined during project discovery.
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21. Integration: Can CWU please provide the dimensions in PeopleSoft (e.g., funds, orgs/depts.,
accounts, programs, etc.)?
Answer: Account, student type, year, version, period, scenario, department, fund,
employee (drivers/metrics such as grade, hire date, step, title), position, other chartfields
that will come from the Chart of Account design such as program, sub-program, and
project. It is possible during discovery that we will identify more required dimensions.
22. Training: How many end users need access to Hyperion Planning for the (1) Operational
Budget and (2) Position Budget? Similarly, how many end users does CWU anticipate will
need to be trained as part of the rollout of Hyperion Planning?
Answer: We have purchased 250 user licenses for Hyperion Planning and Budgeting
Cloud Service. Training responsibilities for the selected vendor include cross-training
project team members through collaboration and knowledge transfer sessions. End user
training will be a responsibility of the project team and CWU Training Services.
A. Project Team
23. Identify the project team members, roles, and level of participation, percent of availability.
Include both functional and IT members
Answer: Project team members will include Project Management, Subject Matter
Experts, Technical Analysts, Training and Change Management. These resources will be
dedicated as necessary upon completion of the project plan.
B. Project Overview and Definition
24. What key business issues and challenges does your Company/Department
wish to resolve?
Answer: Some our challenges are reporting and analytics, system flexibility,
ability to create scenerios/forecasting, time consuming processing, and
position management.
25. Describe your Company/Department project objectives and goals for the
implementation?
Answer: Fully leverage the capability of the product.
26. Define the project success criteria.
Answer: Completion of project on time and on/or under budget while meeting the
mandatory features outlined in Section #4 Scope of Work - 4.1 General Overview.
27. What is the target go-live date? List any key dates that the project team should be aware of
including training.
Answer: January 2015
C. Project Methodology and Communication
28. Frequent and quick 15-minute status meetings are recommended to assure adequate
communication across the team. At least twice a week should be the minimum frequency.
What times work best for the project team to meet twice a week for 15-minute project
updates?
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Answer: CWU has methodology that provides for weekly status meetings.
29. Activity reports may be produced and delivered on a weekly basis at the end of each
Monday. Who is the primary recipient of the report and should anyone else be copied on the
communication?
Answer: CWU has methodology that provides for weekly status reports and updates.
30. Who is the primary recipient of outstanding item communication?
Answer: CWU has methodology that provides for issue management and escalation
process.
31. Project resource availability can be challenging due to business demands of project team
members. In the case of resource availability constraints, who should the primary system
integrators work with to address the resource constraint?
Answer: Project Manager > Resource Manager > Project Sponsor
D. Software Solution
32. How many users will use the Software and type?
Answer: CWU has purchased 250 user licenses for Oracle Hyperion Planning and
Budgeting Cloud Service. User types to be determined.
33. What Software products were purchased and list the license count.
Answer: CWU has purchased 250 user licenses for Oracle Hyperion Planning and
Budgeting Cloud Service.
34. Has anyone had experience with any of the software products listed above and are there
plans to send anyone to administrative or power user training?
Answer: No practical experience but training options are being considered.
E. Application Requirements
35. What are the primary software/application requirements for this phase? (In-Scope)
Answer: Refer to Section #4 Scope of Work - 4.1 General Overview
36. What are some notable application requirements for any additional phases? (Out-of-Scope)
Answer: Implementation of other modules.
37. Describe the Data Categories or Primary Fields you will need and approximate number of
records or members for each category or field. Examples may include: Actual, Budget,
Forecast, Working Version, Pass 1 Version, Pass 2 Version, Department, Cost Center.
Answer: This should be defined during the discovery phase of the project.
38. What types of features, functionality, business processes, and analytics do you require that
will affect this application? Examples may include: Reporting, Financial Planning,
Consolidations, Activity-Based Costing, Capital Planning, Workforce Planning, Currency
Conversion.
Answer: This should be defined during the discovery phase of the project.
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39. How many months, quarters, or years will be included in your application? Are quarters and
time relevant for this application?
Answer: CWU is a higher education institution that operates on an annual Fiscal
Calendar starting on July 1st and concluding on June 30th. We have twelve regular
accounting periods corresponding to the months of the year plus additional adjustment
periods (currently 3) for annual yearly close processes. Twelve months and four quarters
per year will be relevant. State appropriations and capital budgets operate on a biannual
basis with budgets that span two years. The Academic Calendar at CWU currently has
four terms (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) per year, starting with Fall classes in
September.
40. How many years of historical and future years are required? And, why?
Answer: CWU would like a 3 to 5 year trending model. This will assist with RCM
(Responsibility –center management).
41. What month does your Company fiscal year begin?
Answer: July
42. Do you report or plan on a 4-4-5, 4-5-4, 5-4-4 or evenly distributed (Calendar) quarterly
basis?
Answer: CWU works an evenly distributed calendar basis.
43. Will this application/software use more than one currency? If so, please list the currencies.
Answer: US Dollar
44. For OLAP based software models, a “Dimension” is a slice of how you plan, analyze, or
report Company data. Some examples of dimensions are Cost Centers, Company,
Department, Customer, Geography, Project, Employee,.... List as many possible dimensions
as you think will be required for this application.
Answer: Account, student type, year, version, period, scenario, department, fund,
employee (drivers/metrics such as grade, hire date, step, title), position, other chartfields
that will come from the Chart of Account design such as program, sub-program, and
project. During discovery we will identify more required dimensions and members.
45. List any dimension that will require security to be applied. Not all dimensions will require
security, such as a “Geography” dimension. Other dimensions such as “Cost Center” or
Department” typically do require security to limit user access to only data applicable for
their responsibility areas.
Answer: This should be defined during the project discovery phase.
46. If this system is a financial reporting system, will you require Balance Sheet and Cash
Flow?
Answer: It is expected that the operating and capital budgets accumulated in the Hyperion
Planning and Budgeting Cloud solution will enable CWU to project future changes to cash,
net invested, net assets/position, and in plant.
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47. Are you currently budgeting/forecasting today and if so, how frequent? Do you plan by
month, quarter, or year basis? Please describe your budgeting/forecasting process.
Answer: CWU is currently using an annual budget. Forecasting is outside of PeopleSoft.
In the future, CWU would like to budget and forecast monthly and quarterly.
48. How many Account members exist for each of the categories required within the scope of
this application?
Answer:
Current State (estimated):
Account Category
Income Statement
Revenue
Balance Sheet
Cash Flow
EBITDA Calc
Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Statistical Metrics
Driver Metrics
# of Members in Account
1129
285
234
750 (CF statement prep includes revenues,
expenses, and some asset/liability activites
TBD during discovery
Academic, financial, human resources, enrollment,
cost structures, etc.
None in Finance
None in Finance
49. Provide a preliminary list of your calculated accounts as opposed to direct inputs. Also
include key metrics to be included within the application. This list should contain all
calculations from the existing sunset system and future expected calculations desired within
the new system (Please use a separate spreadsheet if needed).
Below is a sample:
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Answer: This should be defined during the project discovery phase.
50. Will you be performing allocations in the new system? If so, please describe your current
allocation process and how many allocations you may have within the new system.
Answer: Yes. During the project discovery phase, we will identify allocations needed.
51. Do you have subsidiaries or partial ownership requirements? If so, please describe how you
are accounting for this today and provide high level requirements for the new system.
Answer: No.
52. Will you be performing eliminations in the new system? If so, please describe your current
elimination process and how may eliminations you may have within the new system.
Answer: CWU currently does not perform any budget elimination within the existing
system, but we would like to explore this capability within this project.
D. System Integration and Data Flow
53. What system is currently being used as your solution? Example: spreadsheets, G/L,
homegrown system?
Answer: Spreadsheets, commitment control, PeopleSoft HR Bolt-On customization.
54. If applicable, what general ledger(s) or source system(s) are used for your source of data?
Answer: PeopleSoft ERP (Finance 9.2, HCM 9.2, Campus Solutions 9.0)
55. What do you like about your current system?
Answer: Integration with PeopleSoft.
56. What are the weaknesses of the current system? What are the most critical issues today?
The following are some suggestions, but feel free to answer in your own words:
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Answer: All of the above plus inflexibility, lack of approval workflow, inability for
analytics/scenerios, position management/position budgeting, fund management (state,
tuition, auxiliary, financial aid, grants, self-support), and long range forecasting.
57. Provide a brief description of the current data flow process as it relates to this project?
Answer: PeopleSoft HCM > BPS (Budget Position Bolt-On) > PeopleSoft Finance
58. Will your Company resources be able to obtain flat file downloads for historical data from
all data sources? Do you anticipate any data translation to be required from source system
into Hyperion?
Answer: Yes. There is a potential need for data translation.
59. Will your Company resources be able to obtain a list of all members for any required
dimension for the application design?
Answer: Yes, resources will be available to provide dimension information based on the
new Chart of Accounts model for use in the application design.
60. Is there a requirement to export data from the system back to a relational database or ERP
system? If so, what is the target system for the data and load frequency?
Answer: Yes, extent and frequency to be determined during the discovery project phase.
F. Reporting
61. What is your current primary reporting tool(s)?
Answer: Excel, Nvision, peoplesoft query
62. If applicable, what are the financial statement reporting requirements and can you provide
electronic or hard copy examples?
Answer: Yes. Examples may be given to the awarded vendor.
63. Approximately how many unique reports will need to be created?
Answer: Unknown
64. Who are the intended audiences for your reports and the frequency of the reporting?
Answer: At minimum, executive appointing authorities and managers (directors, chairs,
deans, etc). Frequency of reporting --as needed, adhoc.
65. Is there a requirement to build a web based Financial Dashboard?
Answer: Yes
66. Please add any additional information or comments relevant to this project.
Answer: N/A
End of Reporting Section.
67. How many users will Central Washington University (CWU) have of Planning and
Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS)?
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Answer: We have purchased 250 user licenses for Hyperion Planning and Budgeting
Cloud Service.
68. At this time PBCS integration with source systems is accomplished primarily using flatfiles. Please describe expectations around “Integration and ETL mapping design”.
Answer: Integration and ETL mapping design will be the project team responsibility and
the selected vendor would be required to lead and participate in the design.
69. How many years of historical actual data are required to be loaded to PBCS?
Answer: Potentially 1 to 3 years
70. Does CWU budget by position, or by both position and employee?
Answer: Budget by position.
71. Please describe CWU desired level of detail for compensation planning: merit, payroll taxes,
insurance, etc. Are these elements budgeted at the employee/position level or at the
department level?
Answer: Detailed compensation planning at position level.
72. CWU states the desire to do multi-year budgeting. How many years out does CWU budget?
Answer: Multi-year forecasting is needed (at minimum 3 to 5 years). Exact definition
should be determined during discovery phase of the project.
73. Is there a need to adjust or update the budget once it’s complete? If so, how often?
Answer: Yes. It is possible to have it done monthly at times.
74. Does CWU have a forecast process? If so, how often?
Answer: Yes. Currently done manually as needed.
75. How many reports are expected to be delivered via PBCS?
Answer: To be determined during the discovery phase of the project.
76. Please describe expectations for dashboards.
Answer: Refer to answer #65.
77. Please describe complexity of revenue and operating expense models. Are budgeted
revenues and expenses driver-based? Are there a significant number of calculations?
Answer: Our model has to accommodate multiple revenue streams and funding sources.
Yes, driver based. Yes, there are a significant number of calculations for various streams
and sources.
78. Does CWU anticipate PBCS supporting budgeting via decision packages? If so, please
describe expectations.
Answer: Yes, we would like to explore decision packages. CWU did not purchase
Hyperion Public Sector Planning and Budgeting.
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79. Does CWU anticipate budgeting capital projects in PBCS?
Answer: Yes, CWU will budget capital projects in Hyperion Planning and Budgeting
Cloud Service.
80. Does CWU do a long-term (e.g. 10 year) capital planning process? Is the long term capital
planning process expected to be done in PBCS?
Answer: Yes, CWU does long-term capital planning. Yes, CWU needs to have long term
capital planning within Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS).
81. Does CWU do allocations? If so, please describe senders, basis for allocations, and
receivers of allocations.
Answer: Yes, we do allocations currently, but would like to evaluate expansion. They are
based on percentages and receivers (revenue centers and other funds).
82. Please describe the major milestones of the PeopleSoft project. When does CWU expect
PeopleSoft design to be finalized, test data to be available, and the PeopleSoft project to be
live?
Answer: The CWU Chart of Accounts redesign project started in January of 2014. CWU is
concluding the Analyze and Design Phase of the project at the end of May, with a validated
and confirmed new Chartfield String defined by June 2014. This will be the basis for all
remaining project activity and the implementation of Hyperion Planning and Budgeting
Cloud Service. The new accounting structure will be used in production systems with the
beginning of the next Fiscal Year on July 1, 2015. The Hyperion budgeting system will
need to be ready for deployment by January of 2015 to support the budget process for the
next fiscal year.
83. Does CWU expect to prepare a budgeted statement of net position using PBCS?
Answer: Yes, it is expected that the operating and capital budgets accumulated in the
Hyperion Planning and Budgeting Cloud solution will enable CWU to project future
changes to cash, net invested, net assets/position, and in plant.
84. Does CWU expect to prepare a budgeted cash flow in PBCS?
Answer: Yes, it is expected that the operating and capital budgets accumulated in the
Hyperion Planning and Budgeting Cloud solution will enable CWU to project future
changes to cash, net invested, net assets/position, and in plant.
85. What current system is being used for budgeting?
Answer: PeopleSoft bolt-on modification
86. What is the reporting structure for the project? Will it report to Finance or to IT?
Answer: The project will report to Finance. Reporting structure as follows: project team
> project manager > sponsor > executive management
87. What resources will CWU commit to the project?
Answer: Subject Matter Experts, Project Manager, Technical Analyst, Sponsor, Change
Management, Trainer, etc.
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88. Project manager Requirements / Expectations (page 13) – What is CWU’s FTE expectation
of Project Manager?
Answer: Dependent on implementation approach, consulting staffing level and higher
education experience.
89. It is our assumption that the Chart of Accounts redesign project will be complete before the
start of the Hyperion project. This effort includes both new chart string definitions and data
mapping completed in PeopleSoft General ledger system (for Actual and Budget data) and
Human Resources system (Employee data). Please confirm this assumption for our scope
purposes.
Answer: The CWU Chart of Accounts redesign project started in January of 2014. CWU
is concluding the Analyze and Design Phase of the project at the end of May, with a
validated and confirmed new Chartfield String defined by June 2014. This will be the basis
for all remaining project activity and the implementation of Hyperion Planning and
Budgeting Cloud Service. The new accounting structure will be used in production systems
with the beginning of the next Fiscal Year on July 1, 2015. The Hyperion budgeting system
will need to be ready for deployment by January of 2015 to support the budget process for
the next fiscal year.
90. Training Deliverable (page 14) – How many end users will have access to Hyperion
Planning?
Answer: CWU has purchased 250 user licenses for Hyperion Planning and Budgeting
Cloud Service. End user training will be a responsibility of the project team and CWU
Training Services.
91. Training Deliverable (page 14) – There are several training approaches (i.e. “Train the
Trainer”, Consulting led Training, Web based training) and varying consulting cost per
approach. What is CWU’s preferred approach to training?
Answer: Training responsibilities for the selected vendor include cross-training project
team members through collaboration and knowledge transfer sessions. End user training
will be a responsibility of the project team and CWU Training Services.
92. Is Appendix A Standard Agreement (pages 20-21) provided for vendor review and reference
only or does it need to be completed and included in RFP response?
Answer: The Standard Agreement in Appendix A is the contract that will be used with the
awarded vendor and will not be completed prior to the award. It will be completed after
the awarded vendor has been notified.
93. Section 3.11 – Submitting Responses (page 9) – Are both an electronic copy and hard copy
required for submittal?
Answer: Answer: Per Section 3.11, respondents must submit their responses to the Central
Washington University Procurement Office by email, mail or hand-delivery (not by fax).
Per Section 1, one complete copy of the proposal if mailed or hand-delivered, and one
electronic copy. In other words, it is not necessary to submit an electronic and hard copy
unless you mail or hand-deliver your response.
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94. How many FTE’s are at the University, will all employees be included in position
management?
Answer: Approximately 1350 plus pooled positions.
95. How many End users will be using the PSPB Module?
Answer: 250 licenses purchased for Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS)
96. What is the ETL tool that is going to be used to extract and load into and out of the Cloud
Planning application?
Answer: Included in Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS) is an ETL tool
“FDMEE” (Financial Data Management Enterprise Edition). We will use this to
import/export data and metadata.
97. Will PSPB be utilized for position management and the budget book?
Answer: Yes, position management will need to be utilized in the Oracle Planning and
Budgeting Cloud Service. Budget books would not be included in the scope of this project.
98. Since PSPB is not offered as part of Oracle Cloud Services, is there an alternative in mind
for Cloud or Hosted Services?
Answer: CWU did not purchase public sector planning and budgeting. CWU purchased
licenses for the Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service.
99. Is the Oracle’s Hyperion Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service project contingent on any
segment of the broader Financial initiatives (COA redesign, Accounting & Finance Process
Transformation)?
Answer: Yes, as described in #5
100. What is the current timing of the Annual Budgeting, Forecast Process & Long-Term
Strategic Planning process?
Answer: Annual budgeting (early spring), forecast processing (monthly), long-term
planning (fall).
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