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Katy council authorizes staff to negotiate ERP contract with Univeris (Microsoft Dynamics)
Summary
Following a Plant Moran presentation reviewing a year‑long procurement and vendor evaluations, the council voted to authorize staff to negotiate a contract with Univeris Inc. to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 as the city's new ERP platform.
After a presentation by Plant Moran, the council on Feb. 9 authorized staff to negotiate a contract with Univeris Inc. to implement a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system based on Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Plant Moran consultant Natalie Schwarz summarized a phased procurement: 13 initial responses, 10 proposals reviewed, 4 vendors shortlisted and due diligence including software demos and reference checks. The team recommended Microsoft Dynamics 365 with Univeris as the implementation partner. Schwarz said the selection followed a year of stakeholder interviews across finance, human resources, payroll, utility billing and other departments.
Security and implementation concerns were raised before the vote: a council member asked whether the cloud deployment would allow the city to maintain its own security controls; staff replied the solution will be cloud‑hosted and governed by the vendor’s security framework and that prior vendor security attestation and due diligence had been completed.
Council Member Court moved and Council Member Robertson seconded a motion authorizing staff to negotiate the contract with Univeris Inc.; the motion carried on a voice vote. Councilmembers were told the project will be lengthy and require substantial staff involvement during implementation.
Why it matters: Replacing a 20‑year‑old ERP could consolidate disparate systems, improve data visibility and reduce manual work across departments. Staff cautioned implementation will be complex and emphasized the need for dedicated resources and a strong implementation partner.
Quotes: "This project will change how the city operates," Natalie Schwarz said. Council discussion noted the value of vendor implementation experience and the importance of security attestation.
Next steps: Staff will negotiate contract terms with Univeris and return to council as required for contract approval and any budget or budget amendment requests.
