Sources of Risk: Risk is judged to be medium for an outside contractor implementing a PS module. Resource Constraints: None. Interdependencies: The implementation schedule for any PS module is dependent on the decision regarding if and when to conduct the PS upgrade to 9.1 discussed in a separate project. This project is a likely precursor to eProcurement. 3.7 Reduce Back Office Cost: Student Financial Aid System Opportunity: The current Student Financial Aid System (SAFE) is a mainframe product run on our existing mainframe. Peralta is the last remaining client for this 3rd party mainframe system by ESI and all annual update costs now fall on Peralta only, rapidly escalating our costs. The prospects for ESI maintaining this system over the long term (at a reasonable cost) are poor. Also the hardware on which we run the system is well past its lifespan and even programming support must come from Peralta retirees whose willingness and ability to continue in this role is questionable. Peralta already owns the PeopleSoft Student Financial Aid module and should implement it. There are design problems with the delivered module that we will need to engage PeopleSoft to overcome, but they have already given us assurances that this can be done. This project has high up-front costs but much lower long term support costs and maintaining the current system is not a reasonable option. Recommended Actions: Engage PeopleSoft to conduct a detailed evaluation of the modifications needed to fully meet Peralta’s needs and a detailed implementation plan which can be used as a planning guide to the project. Determine whether the work should be wholly or partially led by PeopleSoft of whether it should be bid out to other integration vendors. Budget, schedule, implement. Discussion: Any new system will need to be scheduled to go live on January 1, the beginning of a new application year. The existing ESI SAFE system must operate in parallel to complete the processing of the existing year for at least an additional 9 months.
Sources of Risk: Risk is judged to be medium for an outside contractor implementing a PS module. Resource Constraints: None. Interdependencies: The implementation schedule for any PS module is dependent on the decision regarding if and when to conduct the PS upgrade to 9.1 discussed in a separate project. This project is a likely precursor to eProcurement. 3.7 Reduce Back Office Cost: Student Financial Aid System Opportunity: The current Student Financial Aid System (SAFE) is a mainframe product run on our existing mainframe. Peralta is the last remaining client for this 3rd party mainframe system by ESI and all annual update costs now fall on Peralta only, rapidly escalating our costs. The prospects for ESI maintaining this system over the long term (at a reasonable cost) are poor. Also the hardware on which we run the system is well past its lifespan and even programming support must come from Peralta retirees whose willingness and ability to continue in this role is questionable. Peralta already owns the PeopleSoft Student Financial Aid module and should implement it. There are design problems with the delivered module that we will need to engage PeopleSoft to overcome, but they have already given us assurances that this can be done. This project has high up-front costs but much lower long term support costs and maintaining the current system is not a reasonable option. Recommended Actions: Engage PeopleSoft to conduct a detailed evaluation of the modifications needed to fully meet Peralta’s needs and a detailed implementation plan which can be used as a planning guide to the project. Determine whether the work should be wholly or partially led by PeopleSoft of whether it should be bid out to other integration vendors. Budget, schedule, implement. Discussion: Any new system will need to be scheduled to go live on January 1, the beginning of a new application year. The existing ESI SAFE system must operate in parallel to complete the processing of the existing year for at least an additional 9 months.
Peralta-CCD-Information-Technology-Strategy.docx