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Northumberland boards approve start of ERP RFP process and name senior responsible owner
Summary
After a presentation stressing governance risks, the boards voted to begin an RFI/RFP process to modernize the county/school ERP system, approved Dr. Curran as the senior responsible owner and authorized a steering committee to guide procurement and implementation.
A proposal to replace Northumberland County’s aging enterprise resource planning (ERP) system moved forward after a presentation that urged a disciplined procurement and governance approach.
John Cost, who identified himself as vice chairman of the planning commission and a former deputy director of management and budget, told the joint meeting that modern ERP software would integrate finance, payroll, human resources, procurement and reporting. Cost warned of the risks of large projects: "80% of public sector enterprise system projects fail," he said, and recommended strong governance, a senior responsible owner and a small steering committee to reduce that risk.
The proposal described a phased, low‑risk implementation with an RFP issued in 2026, configuration and data migration in 2027, and an intended go‑live on 07/01/2028. Key evaluation criteria cited were system functionality and integration, transparency and vendor support; legal and procurement steps will follow the Virginia Public Procurement Act.
Cost asked the boards for three actions: authorize an RFI/RFP to gather vendor information, approve Dr. Curran as the senior responsible owner to represent the enterprise perspective, and create a steering committee including senior officials from both the county and school division. County and school leaders discussed operational needs and cautioned that legacy data should be corrected before migration so a new system does not simply replicate past errors.
Board members voted to proceed with the RFP authorization and to approve the recommended governance structure and appointments. Staff emphasized training, testing and clear decision authority as conditions for success.
What’s next: staff will begin the RFI process and form the steering committee; the boards will review RFP scope and any contract recommendations before final procurement decisions.
