Durham County commissioners authorize contract negotiations to implement Oracle as ERP platform

Durham County's board on the evening approved authorization for the county manager to negotiate a contract with DLT Solutions to implement Oracle as the county's enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform.

"Our recommendation is clear. Oracle is the county's ERP platform," the project lead said during a detailed presentation on the vendor selection process and governance. Presenters told commissioners the evaluation prioritized maintenance and support, functional and technical fit, vendor viability and peer jurisdiction references. The team said the county issued a competitive RFP in 2025, invited three finalists for multi‑day demos and scored vendors with a documented rubric.

The presenters described the recommendation as a response to SAP moving its current platform toward end of life and higher extended‑support costs after 2027. The ERP team said the county budgeted an amount in the CIP "upwards of $20,000,000" for the multi‑year implementation and said additional implementation and staffing costs will be developed as the procurement proceeds. Commissioners were told an implementation partner RFP will be issued within 60 days and the county is targeting an award by summer 2026 with program launch in August 2026; the implementation horizon is 24 to 36 months after partner selection.

Commissioners asked about ongoing system maintenance, interoperability with existing county systems, and how staff will be trained and retained during the transition. The presenters said maintenance and support commitments and post‑launch support arrangements were key scoring factors and that the county will require training, backfill and a staffing plan from the implementation partner. The board voted unanimously to authorize contract negotiations and move forward with the procurement process.

The board will receive regular updates on milestones, budget and risks as the program advances.