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Spokane County staff ask commissioners to approve Guidehouse bank of hours and five‑year Workday support plan
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Summary
County HR and IT staff asked commissioners to approve a $130,000 Guidehouse bank of hours and a five‑year Workday 'Accelerate' support plan (estimated ~$212,000 per year) to continue post‑go‑live stabilization and optimization after the December 2025 Workday rollout. Staff proposed year‑one funding from the general fund.
County staff told the Spokane County Board of Commissioners on April 14 they need additional contracted support after the December 2025 go‑live of the county’s Workday system.
The HR and IT presentation requested two separate steps: an amendment to the county’s Guidehouse contract to purchase a bank of hours for immediate post‑go‑live help (about $130,000), and a five‑year Workday Success Plan subscription plus an additional non‑refresh testing tenant to support ongoing optimization, security work and report development. Staff estimated those Workday services would add roughly $184,000–$212,000 a year on average over five years and proposed covering year one from the general fund and folding ongoing costs into the IT budget thereafter.
“We are asking for these 2 solutions,” the presenter said, describing a shift from full‑time third‑party support to a bank‑of‑hours model for daily troubleshooting and a strategic Workday success plan for longer‑term optimization. Staff explained payroll stabilization remains the highest near‑term need, while finance and other modules will require periodic optimization and report work. The presentation noted the county has spent the bulk of prior implementation funds and retains a limited contingency for support work.
Commissioners pressed for numbers and governance details. A finance official explained the immediate proposal would likely be covered by existing funds for this year but that larger recurring costs would be integrated into the IT budget. Commissioners and staff discussed the timeline for pricing and contracts; staff warned the county could lose the current pricing offer if the board did not take action before the vendor’s fiscal‑year cutoff (as presented to the board).
Supporters argued the combined approach preserves institutional knowledge while building county capacity: county staff would continue to take on more of the configuration and reporting tasks while Guidehouse and Workday provide targeted hours and strategic optimization packages. Skeptical commissioners asked how the county would ensure the new contracts also fund internal training and governance to restore user trust in the system.
The county’s governance committee and a new Workday administrator will prioritize optimization projects and manage requests. Staff said they will return with a clearer budget spreadsheet and governance plan for the board before final action on the April 28 legislative agenda.
The board did not take a final vote during the presentation; staff indicated the matter would reappear on the April 28 agenda for formal approval and contract execution.
