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IFMIS Acquisition Principles. Office of Technical Assistance U.S. Treasury Budget Team Recommendations Donna Lewis and Rich Bartholomew Washington, DC, May 17 2007. Develop systems over a long time line, based on user need and capacity. General Rule: Go Slowly. Go Slowly.
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IFMIS Acquisition Principles Office of Technical Assistance U.S. Treasury Budget Team Recommendations Donna Lewis and Rich Bartholomew Washington, DC, May 17 2007
Develop systems over a long time line, based on user need and capacity General Rule: Go Slowly
Go Slowly • Stretch out the acquisition and implementation schedule. • New modules (functions) should be added over a fairly long period of time. • Pre-planning for a system may well take more time than the actual implementation
Go Slowly • Assure the integrity of data planned to go into the system before it is implemented • Assign a unit coordinator/advocate to represent every organizational unit affected. This will become a full time job. • Thoroughly document the current operating procedures prior to development
Beware of the Big Bang! "Big Bang" approaches (many modules implemented in a relatively short period of time) carry very high risks that administrative procedures, staff training, etc. won't keep up with the new system
Specific Principles 1. Assure full country ownership of all installed software and systems
Specific Principles 2. Insist on "interoperability" of systems and programming • similar to the stipulation used by some states. • require all vendors to supply systems and modules that can work together • demand that new or upgraded systems accept word processing and spreadsheet documents commonly used in a country for budget preparation and reporting
Specific Principles 3. Separate design procurements from implementation procurements
Specific Principles 4. Require stringent up front estimates of the operational/maintenance costs (including ongoing training and reprogramming) which will be required after build out
Specific Principles 5. Include more regional and medium size vendors, not just giant international firms in the bidding process
Specific Principles 6. Do not accept forced changes in business procedures primarily to accommodate new software or "off the shelf" solutions. • Do not fit the process to the system • Fit the system to the process!