IFMIS Acquisition Principles

IFMIS Acquisition Principles

Office of Technical AssistanceU.S. TreasuryBudget Team Recommendations Donna Lewis and Rich Bartholomew Washington, DC, May 17 2007

General Rule: Go Slowly

Develop systems over a long time line, based on user need and capacity

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

Take Time to Assure Usefulness

IFMIS DEVELOPMENT Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8

Explore IFMIS options  

Document current practices    

Procurement of Design X

Design Phase          

Procurement of Implementation X

Train, Test, Implement        

and phase in modules        

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!