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PPS begins bond-funded ERP modernization; staff to buy Snowflake data platform and issue ERP vendor RFP
Summary
District leaders briefed the school board on a bond-funded enterprise resource-planning (ERP) modernization plan. Staff are recommending purchase of a Snowflake data platform (~$300,000 for four years) as a foundational step and issued an RFP for the ERP solution; proposals are due Jan. 8 with an intent-to-award target in mid-February and board approval expected in early spring.
Portland Public Schools staff told the board on Nov. 18 they are moving forward with a bond-funded modernization of the district's core finance, HR and procurement systems.
Chief integrated officer Tom Odgers and senior director Russell Adamson described the project as a multi-year technology and process transformation intended to replace a 25-year-old PeopleSoft implementation and create a modern, cloud-based data architecture. Staff emphasized three program priorities: standardization of processes, treating data as an asset, and change management to support adoption.
As a first phase, staff proposed buying a cloud data-management platform (Snowflake) and professional services to stand it up. The cost discussed in the presentation was approximately $300,000 for four years of Snowflake consumption credits; staff said that contract is planned for approval on Dec. 2 as a consent item. Separately, an RFP for the ERP technical solution went out Friday; proposals are due Jan. 8, demonstrations will occur in January and staff targeted an intent-to-award date of Feb. 12 with contract negotiations expected to take 4'8 weeks. Board review and approval of the ERP contract is expected in March or April.
Board members asked about whether student-facing systems (Synergy) were affected and about local hiring and contracting. Staff said student-facing systems are not being replaced in this procurement; Synergy data will flow to the new data platform but Synergy itself is not being replaced. Staff also said they will seek to include locally based program-management and implementation partners where feasible and will incorporate equity and local-sourcing priorities into the implementation plan.
What comes next: The Snowflake data-platform contract is slated for the December consent agenda and the ERP procurement timeline calls for proposals in January and award in early spring. Staff said the phase-1 data platform is a required foundation before a broader ERP implementation.
