Specifications include, but are not limited to: Update their information systems and infrastructure to improve operational effectiveness and student achievement. This update includes the systems and technology used to support critical business functions. BCSD currently uses a 25 year old system running on an AS400. An important aspect of this project then is to address these software and technology support issues. In addition, the business of education is complex and regulation driven. Dealing with on-going change will require us to streamline our business processes, standardize our data and develop the human capacity to be effective, data-driven decision makers. To address these issues, the BIBB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT evaluation team recommended upgrading their administrative systems to a single Integrated Business System (IBS) to manage finance, budget, purchasing, projects and grant management, payroll, human resource management and other functions. (The terms ERP and IBS are used interchangeably in this document and are to be construed as the same thing.) An IBS will integrate these functions and business rules into a single system that utilizes a single database. BCSD employs 2800 people, all of whom will use the system according to their job function (e.g. finance employee on a daily basis, teacher accessing the system for self service functions). Further, we anticipate that the selected system will improve the speed, accuracy and flexibility of business operations and provide accessibility to data and the analytical tools needed to support improved decision making. In addition, the system will reduce the amount of time staff spends on manual, inefficient, and redundant processes.
