REQUEST FOR
INFORMATION
Student Information System
Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
Contents
I – INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 3
II – SCHOOL DISTRICT INFORMATION ........................................................................................................... 4
III – CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF RESPONSES .......................................................................................... 5
IV – VENDOR PROFILE ................................................................................................................................... 6
V – TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................................... 7
VI – SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT ........................................................................ 8
VII – SYSTEM PROPOSAL ............................................................................................................................... 9
VIII – FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................... 10
Student Information System Functional Requirements ......................................................................... 11
Financial / HR Resource Management System Functional Requirements ............................................. 17
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
I – INTRODUCTION
This Request for Information is an invitation to a select group of companies to submit information for a
Student Information System and/or a Financial / HR Resource Management System for Cape Girardeau
Public Schools. The intent is to obtain information leading to the selection of a Student Information
System and Financial / HR Resource Management System that will best meet the student and staff data
management needs of Cape Girardeau Public Schools.
Respondents who are selected for further consideration will be requested to make on site presentations
and demonstrate their system.
Cape Girardeau Public Schools requires that all proposed software be installed for all sites as outlined in
this document.
Cape Girardeau Public Schools recognizes that not all vendors will provide a Student Information
System and a Financial / HR Resource Management System. Fulfillment of all RFI requirements is not
required to respond to this RFI.
All questions and inquiries regarding this RFI should be directed to:
Garett Dugan
Information Systems Specialist
Cape Girardeau Public Schools
301 N. Clark St.
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Phone: 573-335-1867
Fax: 573-335-1820
DuganG@capetigers.com
Anticipated Time Frames for Evaluation and Selection Process
Issue RFI to Vendors
Questions on RFI due
Responses to RFI due
On Site Vendor Demonstration
Possible Second On Site Vendor Demo Day
Finalists Selected
Site Visits and Reference Checks
Contract Signed
Commence Installation
5/10/2012
5/23/2012
6/06/2012
6/13/2012
6/14/2012
6/20/2012
6/27/2012
7/09/2012
7/10/2012
Please submit 3 copies of your response to the above address.
Responses received after 6/06/2012 will not be considered.
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
II – SCHOOL DISTRICT INFORMATION
District Name: Cape Girardeau Public Schools
The Cape Girardeau Public School District consists of 10 schools, including 1 high school, 1 junior high
school, 1 middle school, 5 elementary schools, 1 alternative education center, and 1 career and
technology center. We have approximately 4100 students and 600 staff members.
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System Project Scope
The scope of this project is to select a Student Information System and a Financial / HR Resource
Management System that will help us better meet needs of our staff and students.
Student Information System:




Customizable report creation for better as-needed reports that can help to track student
progress.
Intuitive interface for users.
Interoperability between the SIS and the Financial / HR System.
Tracking of all levels of data including but not limited to: attendance, grading, fees, course
history, high school transcripts, parent / student portal, reporting (required state and federal),
special services documents, curriculum management, medical data and logging, and
demographic data.
Financial / HR Resource Management System:



Customizable report creation for better HR and Financial reports.
Tracking of all human resource information
Tracking of all financial data relative to a K-12 institution including but not limited to: fund
accounting, budgeting, purchasing, employee salaries, revenues, etc…
Current Student Information System, Financial / HR Resource Management System, and Environment
Tyler Technologies Tyler SIS is our current Student Information System.
Tyler Technologies SIS Financial is our current Financial / HR Resource Management System.
The District maintains a Microsoft Windows environment with Active Directory and Windows Servers.
The WAN consists of a fiber backbone with 1 GB connections to all 10 sites.
Other Information Systems that will need to exchange data with the proposed systems:




Follett’s Destiny Library Management System
The Proposed Student Information System and/or Financial / HR Management System (TBD)
Edulog Transportation Information System
Talent ED
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
III – CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF RESPONSES
Cape Girardeau Public Schools will evaluate the responses to this RFI based on the vendor’s ability to:





Meet the functional and technical requirements described in this RFI as evidenced by the RFI
response and demonstration of the software.
Provide a cost-effective solution that meets the financial goals of Cape Girardeau Public Schools.
Provide timely program modifications and upgrades in response to changing industry needs,
regulatory requirements, and advancing technology.
Demonstrate expertise and functionality as evidenced by client references and site visits.
Provide a superior level of customer service and technical support, both pre-installation and
post-installation to clients as evidenced by references.
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
IV – VENDOR PROFILE
1. Identify the company name, address, city, state, zip code, telephone, and fax numbers.
2. Identify the name, title, address, phone, and fax numbers, and email address of the primary
contact person for this project.
3. Provide a brief overview of your company including number of years in business, number of
employees, nature of business, and description of clients.
4. Identify any parent corporation and/or subsidiaries, if appropriate.
5. Give a brief description of the evolution of the Student Information System software and/or
Financial / HR Resource Management System. Include the date of the first installed site and
major developments which have occurred (e.g. new versions, new modules, specific features).
Describe any previous ownership, if appropriate.
6. List any industry awards/recognition that you have received, the awarding party, and the date
received.
7. Indicate the total number of installations in the last 3 years by the year of installation and the
total number of current users for the proposed system.
8. Provide a summary of your company’s short term and long term goals and strategic vision.
9. Provide a list of three references similar in size to Cape Girardeau Public Schools. References
should be clients who have had their system installed within the past 48 months. (Include name,
contact, address, telephone, system(s) installed and date of installation)
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
V – TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT
Hardware
1. Describe the hardware configuration requirements including descriptions of central processing
unit(s), networking hardware, back up devices, and uninterrupted power supply.
2. Please outline service and maintenance costs for the system as proposed.
Software
1. Describe the operating systems under which the proposed system will operate. (UNIX, DOS,
Windows, Windows NT, etc.)
2. Name and describe the database management software utilized by the system.
3. What programming language(s) was used to develop the system?
4. How many records can be stored in the proposed system?
5. Describe the file purging/archiving methodology used by the proposed system.
6. List cost of license agreements, renewal, and upgrades.
7. Describe the length of time a software version is supported.
8. Please describe your system’s database reporting tools.
9. Describe the security system used by the proposed system.
10. Describe your proposed recovery plan to safeguard source code and ensure that the proposed
system is recoverable in the event of a disaster at the headquarters of your facility.
11. Describe your proposed disaster recovery plan for Cape Girardeau Public Schools to ensure our
data is safe and secure in the event of a disaster.
Interface with other Information Systems
1. Do you have the ability to exchange data with other information systems? (Please provide
names of other systems)
2. Are your Student Information System and/or Financial / HR Resource Management System SIF
compliant?
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
VI – SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
1. Describe and attach your typical implementation plan.
2. Describe the experience and qualifications of your installation team.
3. What kind of client communication and implementation planning is done prior to the
installation?
4. Do you offer to convert our old data? Will you move all of our historical data as well?
5. Describe the training provided. Include a training outline.
6. Where is your technical support center located?
7. What are the methods of operation for technical support?
8. What are your hours of operation for technical support?
9. Describe the qualifications of your technical support staff.
10. Describe the organization and structure of your technical support services.
11. What percentage of your total employees is responsible for direct client support?
12. Describe the ongoing system support provided by the vendor.
13. Are software upgrades provided as part of the software support contract?
14. Describe your software upgrade process.
15. Are their “hot fixes” or “updates” between versions?
16. How often are new versions released?
17. How are customer requests for enhancements and customizations handled?
18. Describe the recent history of system enhancements.
19. Describe the qualifications of your product development department.
20. What percentage of your total employees is responsible for product development?
21. Do you have a formal users’ group?
22. Describe the company’s policy regarding source code.
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
VII – SYSTEM PROPOSAL
Provide a system proposal that includes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Detailed listing of hardware provided.
Detailed listing of software provided.
Description of training provided, including location and time commitment.
Description and cost of ongoing support.
Cost of proposed system.
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
VIII – FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Refer to the Following Requirements checklist. A response to each checklist item is required. Brief
comments may be entered in the table. Elaborate on any items that differentiate you from other
vendors. Assign one of the following Availability Codes to each item:
Y – Feature is available
D – Feature is under development (indicate anticipated date of availability)
N – Feature is not available
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
Student Information System Functional Requirements
Functional Description
Feature
Availability
A.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AND MAINTENANCE
A.1
System employs a centralized
relational database.
A.2
System has a web-based interface.
A.3
Provide an operational environment
which will which will ensure the
security and integrity of the system
and all its data.
A.4
Provide expanded descriptions for
error messages.
A.5
Please describe scheduled
maintenance procedures.
A.6
Provide a complete Data Dictionary
to the system’s database.
A.7
Explain what Database Architecture
does the system use: Oracle or
Microsoft SQL Server?
B.
SECURITY AND AUDITING
B.1
Provide LDAP Connectivity.
 IF no LDAP connector – Does
the system allow a periodic
“Forced” password change?
B.2
Maintain an audit trail for system
entries including user code, date,
and time of each system
transaction.
B.3
Does security allow or exclude users
by:
 One or more schools
 Function (such as
attendance, grading,
health/nursing, etc.)
 Task (adding, changing,
printing, deleting)
 Specific program function
(enrolling a student into a
site)
 Table
 Fields
 School year
B.4
Are sign on attempts
logged/tracked?
C.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Vendor Comments
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RFI
C.1
C.2
C.3
C.4
C.5
D.
D.1
D.2
D.3
D.4
D.5
D.6
D.7
D.8
D.9
E.
E.1
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
Does the system have a
“Dashboard” for quick access to
basic information? This would
include (but not limited to): daily
attendance totals, discipline records
needing attention, other activity in
the system, etc…
Is the system SIF Compliant?
System can create scheduled (or
not) email notifications to specified
users.
Can the system create export files
for other information system?
Can the system create scheduled
automatic export files for other
information systems?
REPORTING
System has capability to provide a
tool that will allow users to create
customized reports. This would
allow user to pull any piece of data
from the database into a custom
report.
Users can create reports without
any programming knowledge.
The tool should provide for contextsensitive help features throughout.
Users should be able to select from
any student table/view, or field in
the database.
Users should be able to define
reports and initiate their production.
Does the system provide graphing
and charting capabilities?
System is able to have scheduled
reports sent to specified users on a
regular (user customizable) interval.
STATE REPORTING
The System should provide required
Missouri State Reports.
Does the system have the ability to
track staff data that would be
required for the Missouri State
October Core Data Cycle?
STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND OTHER PERTINENT DATA
System should provide the ability to
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RFI
E.2
E.3
E.4
E.5
E.6
E.7
E.8
F.
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
G.
G.1
G.2
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
track all relevant student
information – and be reportable.
Does the system have the ability to
view basic student demographic
data in one place?
Does the software allow for
students to be retrieved by last
name, first name, student ID, or any
portion of these items, whether
separately or in combination?
Does the system have the ability to
link siblings and families together?
Does the system allow for user
definable field creation?
 If so would they be
reportable?
Does the system allow for
dual/concurrently enrolling students
into multiple sites?
Does the system allow for A+
tracking?
Does the system allow for mailings
to multiple locations (Parents) per
student?
ATTENDANCE
System is able to track daily
attendance.
System is able to track attendance in
non-standard ways, such as a
student coming in every (or
randomly) other day to receive
special services.
Providing reporting for average daily
attendance, official attendance
records, and other historical or
current attendance data.
Capability to create customized
reports of attendance data
GRADE REPORTING
System has online teacher’s grade
book to track student assignments
and grades. As well as end of term
grading.
Does the system have the ability to
user define the number of terms per
semester?
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RFI
G.3
G.4
G.5
G.6
H.
H.1
H.2
I.
I.1
I.2
I.3
J.
J.1
J.2
K.
K.1
K.2
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
Report card generation, both
standard and objective based.
Does the system have the ability to
create curriculum objectives and
allow teachers to evaluate student
performance based on those
objectives?
 If so, does the system allow
for objective-based report
cards that will list each
evaluated objective and the
marks the student earned?
System is able to create
customizable High School
Transcripts.
Capability to create customized
reports of student grade data.
FEES
Ability to track fees for various items
such as: books, musical instruments,
sports equipment, etc…
Capability to create customized
reports of Fee data.
COURSE MANAGEMENT AND SCHEDULING
System is able to manage many
different courses for each site.
System is able to automatically
schedule students into a master
listing of courses.
Capability to create customized
reports for course listings and
scheduling.
PARENT / STUDENT PORTAL
System has an online portal for
parents and students to access
information pertaining to them.
Can a parent access all their
students (from any site) with one
username and password?
SPECIAL SERVICES DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
System is able to manage special
services documents. These would
include (but not limited to): IEP, ISP,
Referral, Evaluation, 504
documents, etc…
Capability to create customized
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RFI
L.
L.1
L.2
M.
M.1
M.2
M.3
N.
N.1
N.2
O.
O.1
P.
P.1
P.2
P.3
P.4
Q.
Q.1
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
reports for special services
documents.
CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT
Curriculum can be managed and
applied to assignments in grade
books, or lesson plans aligned to
state / federal standards can be
shared among users.
Capability to track usage of
curriculum standards being applied
to grade book assignments, etc…
MEDICAL DATA MANAGEMENT AND LOGGING
Medical data is able to be managed
per student. This would include (but
not limited to) immunizations,
medical conditions, allergies, etc…
Allows nurse users to log student
visits.
Capability to create customized or
canned reports on medical data.
DISCIPLINE DATA
System is able to track discipline
data. This includes state reportable
discipline records and discipline
referrals.
Capability to create customized
reports of discipline data.
PHOTO ID MANAGEMENT
System is able to create and print
photo ID for students and faculty.
REPORTING
System is fully compliant with
Missouri State Reporting and federal
reporting. Fully compatible with all
MOSIS export needs.
System is able to create customized
reports on any piece or portion of
data housed in the system’s
database.
System has “canned” reports
available to the user.
System is able to have scheduled
reports sent to specified users on a
regular (user customizable) interval.
ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT
Provide a system with the ability to
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RFI
Q.2
R.
R.1
R.2
S.
S.1
T.
T.1
T.2
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
manage student assessment scores.
Capability to create customized
reports on assessments.
RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION
Provide a system with the ability to
monitor and have alerts in place for
RTI on students.
Capability to report on the students
currently in intervention.
LUNCH AND FREE / REDUCED MANAGEMENT
System can manage lunch free and
reduced applications and point of
sale functionality.
CAREER EDUCATION CENTER
Is the system capable of supporting
the needs of a career education
center?
System is able to create customized
High School Transcripts.
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RFI
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
Financial / HR Resource Management System Functional Requirements
Functional Description
Feature
Vendor Comments
Availability
A.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AND MAINTENANCE
A.1
System that employs a centralized
relational database.
A.2
System has a web-based interface.
A.3
Provide an operational environment
which will which will ensure the
security and integrity of the system
and all its data.
A.4
Provide expanded descriptions for
error messages.
A.5
Please describe scheduled
maintenance procedures.
A.6
Provide a complete Data Dictionary
to the system’s database.
A.7
Explain what Database Architecture
does the system use: Oracle or
Microsoft SQL Server?
B.
SECURITY AND AUDITING
B.1
Provide field level security.
B.2
Provide LDAP Connectivity.
B.3
Maintain an audit trail for system
entries including user code, date,
and time of each system
transaction.
C.
BUDGETING
C.1
System is able to manage district
budgets.
C.2
Capability to utilize budgets with
employee salaries, purchasing, and
revenue data.
C.3
System is able to manage incoming
funds from state and federal
sources.
C.4
System must be capable of FUND
ACCOUNTING.
C.5
Capability to create customized
reports regarding district budgets.
D.
PURCHASING
D.1
System is able to create and manage
purchase requests.
D.2
System is able to take purchase
requests and make them into
purchase orders that will connect
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RFI
D.3
D.4
E.
E.1
E.2
E.3
E.4
E.5
E.6
F.
F.1
F.2
G.
G.1
G.2
Student Information System and Financial / HR Resource Management System
Cape Girardeau Public Schools – May, 2012
with current budget amounts.
System has capability to create
customized reports regarding
purchase order history.
System has capability to reconcile
budgets with purchase orders
completed.
Human Resource Management
System is able to manage staff
demographic data.
System is able to manage staff
employment information.
System is able to keep track of staff
salary and pay data as well as
reconcile this information with
current budget data.
System has capability to create
customizable reports regarding
employee data including both
demographic information and salary
information.
Employee Web Portal
 View Pay Stubs
 View/Submit Leaves
 View W2, W4
 Other Personal Data
Payroll Entries should be integrated
with the Financial Ledger
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT MANAGEMENT
Does the system have the ability to
manage employee benefits?
 If so, this would need to tie
into current year budgets
and employee salaries.
System should be able to provide
reports regarding employee
benefits.
REPORTING
System should be capable of
uploading a report to Missouri
State’s ASBR Reporting System
System should also be able to send
uploads to Missouri’s PSRS and
PEERS Retirement System.
18