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SHIFT Project Status - January, 2022

The SHIFT project will purchase and implement a system that supports all Facilities Management operations on campus including the Division of Student Affairs (Department of Residential Facilities, Dining Services, RecWell and Stamp). SHIFT represents a unique and innovative project that involved the collaboration of facilities groups across campus for the first time.

The SHIFT project has entered into 2022 with changes to key positions on the project team. John Cordiano has assumed the role of Lead Project Manager and has extensive higher education experience specifically working in IT. Mija Coppola has assumed the role of Lead Change Manager. Mija is the Strategic Initiatives Program Manager at DRF and brings a wealth of leadership and change management experience with her. Many of you worked with Evan Hochberg during our requirements gathering and process development phases. Evan will be leaving in March and SHIFT welcomes BeYonne White-Tinsley as she assumes the Lead Business Analyst role.  BeYonne has been instrumental in providing process analysis on this project already, granting her all of the background information and experience necessary to seamlessly take on this role.

Significant milestones reached during the past month include:

  • Financial items reviewed by Procurement and next steps identified (November 2021)
  • Financial clarifications sent to vendors (November 2021)
  • Clarification responses received from vendors (November 2021)
  • Draft review of 2nd best and final offer (BAFO) (December 2021)
  • Vendor selected for negotiations (January 2022)

Negotiations, Procurement, and Implementation Timeline

Vendor negotiations are in full swing and are currently on track to continue until March. Once completed, approval will be sought from university leadership to complete the procurement process. Following procurement, we will begin conversations with the selected vendor to plan the implementation schedule. Please note: an accurate schedule is dependent on the conclusion of the procurement phase.

Turtle Teams

We are working to develop a process for stakeholder departments to provide feedback. This feedback will be used by the vendor to design processes we will all use when working in the system. As part of this process, we will be creating small teams called ‘Turtle Teams’.  Staff from each of the stakeholder organizations who will intimately use the system will participate on the teams, working together to understand each other’s business processes.  We will reach out to department leaders to identify the best people for these teams.  

Integration with Elevate

Early in the project, the team identified a risk that any delay in the SHIFT project could result in a failure to meet the Elevate integration schedule. This risk was realized as the procurement process was extended beyond the initial estimated timeline.  The SHIFT project team met with the Elevate team to determine a path forward.  We have agreed that integration with Elevate will not occur until approximately 90 days after WorkDay is live. Elevate is currently on track to be released in July 2023. SHIFT integration with WorkDay would subsequently begin by October 2023. 

This additional time will work in our favor, as we, and our future vendor, will not need to rush to meet an extraordinary deadline. Furthermore, we will have more time to meet with stakeholders to develop the right processes for our work.

Key upcoming project milestones

  • Formation of Turtle Teams for future state feedback (February 2022)
  • Negotiations conclude (March 2022)
  • Notification of Intent to Award (March 2022)
  • Approval of award  (March 2022)

The SHIFT project continues to offer opportunities for YOU to be engaged in the process. Upcoming opportunities include: 

  • Serving on Turtle Teams.  Input from front line staff, supervisors and managers, directly impacts the future state design process. The project team will reach out to department leaders to identify system users to participate on Turtle Teams. Let your leaders know that you are interested in participating.
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