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Finance committee approves procurement steps for Forecast5 budgeting tool and Hillandale 'Beacon' benefits platform
Summary
The committee approved moves to purchase a Forecast5 budgeting and forecasting package and to enter an agreement with Hillandale for the Beacon benefits-enrollment platform; administration said both purchases fit within existing business-office funds for the year.
The North Penn School District Finance Committee approved motions to proceed with two administrative technology purchases: Forecast5 budgeting and forecasting software and the Hillandale Beacon benefits-enrollment platform.
Tara Hauser, chief financial officer, said Forecast5 would add a budgeting and forecasting component to tools the district already uses for recruitment and training analytics. "This year it would be about, I believe it's 13,000," Hauser said, noting the vendor prorates setup and is providing November and December at no additional charge as part of back‑six-month setup. The committee approved a motion to purchase Forecast5; Board Director McMurtry moved and Board Director McBain seconded the motion, which carried.
Hauser also described Hillandale's Beacon platform, an enrollment and benefits-management service the benefits coordinator and administration had demoed. Hauser said the base system is provided to the district free if enough employees opt into optional vendor products that produce credits; she conservatively budgeted a worst-case scenario of $18,000 per year if no optional purchases occur. "This whole system is free for us… I put 18,000 in there because worst case scenario, if nobody buys a thing, that's where we are," Hauser said.
Board members asked whether the purchases were within the existing business-office budget. Hauser replied both purchases would be covered this fiscal year out of available office funds and that she planned to include recurring costs explicitly in next year's budget. The committee voted to approve both procurement steps; motions passed without recorded opposition.
Hauser also said the district is moving from on-premises software where feasible and noted an ongoing meeting with PowerSchool about benefits integrations; she and benefits coordinator Mrs. Schmidt will coordinate any required customizations or vendor transitions if Beacon is adopted.
No additional board action beyond the approvals to proceed with purchases and the usual contract/agreement steps was taken at the meeting.
