RFP 13-07

Downriver Community Conference (DCC)

Request for Proposals
Integrated Accounting Software Package and Implementation

RFP Release Date: May 31, 2013

Proposal Due Date: June 25, 2013

Issued by: Kimberly Donahey

Chief Financial Director

Downriver Community Conference

15100 Northline Rd. Room 136
Southgate, MI 48195
Phone: (734) 362-7005 Fax: (734) 283-0568
Website: www.dccwf.org
 Table of Contents

Description of Our Organization Page 3

Current Software Information Page 3

Proposal Instructions and Submittal Guidelines Page 4 – 5

Proposal Specifications Page 6 - 9

Section 1.A General Ledger

Section 1.B Budget Preparation

Section 1.C Financial Reporting

Section 1.D Accounts Payable

Section 1.E Project Accounting

Section 1.F Fixed Assets

Section 2 Functionality

Section 3 Implementation, Training, and Support

Section 4 Pricing

Scoring Criteria for Rating Proposals Page 10

Proposal Signature Sheet Page 11

Certification Page 12

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 DESCRIPTION OF THE DOWNRIVER COMMUNITY CONFERENCE

The Downriver Community Conference (DCC) is a nonprofit organization serving twenty

communities in the Southeast Michigan Downriver area. The DCC is audited as a local unit of
government under Public Act 7. The DCC is also a private, nonprofit corporation and has been
determined to be exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal
Revenue Code. The DCC is governed by a Board of Directors. The DCC operates a local
Michigan Works agency as well as weatherization services, EPA Brownfield revolving loan
funds and other EPA grants, a PTAC center, 504(b) loan program and other programs. The DCC
is the administrative entity that oversees and coordinates the Downriver Mutual Aid (DMA).
The DMA includes various police teams, fire teams and Downriver Area Narcotics Organization
(DRANO). The DCC employs 125 employees.

DCC is contemplating a conversion to a new integrated accounting system. DCC uses Fund
accounting. The contemplated conversion completion date is September 30, 2013. Proposals
from competing software vendors will be evaluated as a part of the selection process. The
software suite desired would be an integrated accounting system providing for general ledger,
budgeting, financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, purchasing,
payroll, expense allocation, report generation and a human resource function. DCC will be the
sole judge of proposals and reserves the right to evaluate all proposals.

CURRENT SOFTWARE INFORMATION

DCC currently uses the following modules for Accufund:

General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Allocation Management, and Report

Management, Cash Receipts

Our current hardware platform is:

Dell PowerEdge R510

2 quad-core 2.4 GHz Intel Xeon CPUs
16 GB RAM
300 GB HDD
Running Windows 2008 R2 x64

If more technical information is needed, you may contact Steve Wilk, IT Network Administrator,
DCC via email at Steve.Wilk@dccwf.org.

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 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS AND SUBMITTAL GUIDELINES

Please briefly address each topic below in the proposal specifications. These are minimum
requirements. Additional clarifying information is requested so long as the proposal follows the
format shown and each section is listed and numbered in the sequence shown. A vendor may
also include pre-printed product and service literature.

A chief official with legal authority to bind the vendor must sign the proposal, the Proposal
Signature Sheet, and the Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and
Voluntary Exclusion Lower Tier Covered Transactions. All proposals must remain valid for
acceptance for six (6) months post the proposal submission date. The proposal must be submitted
in the legal name of the organization; the proposal should not be submitted in the name of the
project. All statements made in the proposal will be considered final, and, if the proposal is
accepted it will be used as the basis of the purchase agreement.

Please submit two (3) original copies and of your proposal, including all supporting
documentation, to:

Downriver Community Conference

Financial Software RFP

15100 Northline Rd., Room 136

Southgate, MI 48195

PROPOSAL DEADLINE

Proposals must be received, not sent, no later than Tuesday, June 25, 2013 by 3 pm. Any
proposal received after the deadline will not be considered. Incomplete proposals will not be
considered.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Term of the Contract: The initial contract term for this software will be negotiated at the time
of contract award.

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DCC’s Right To No Award: DCC reserves the right to reject portions of any proposal, or
accept the proposal deemed most advantageous to DCC. This request for proposal does not
commit DCC to the awarding of any contract and/or payment of any costs, including, but not
limited to, the cost incurred in the preparation of proposals under requests.

DCC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this request,
to negotiate with qualified proponents, and/or to cancel in part, or in entirety, this RFP if it is in
the best interest of DCC to do so.

In the event that the awarding of a contract is questioned or challenged, DCC will follow
appropriate protest procedures. The procedures are part of the DCC procurement policy and
available upon request.

Cancellation: Should the vendor not meet the requirements of the contract, DCC may cancel the
contract within thirty (30) days with written notice. In this case, DCC may award the remainder
of the contract to the next best vendor.

Vendor Qualifications: Vendors submitting proposals must have operated a business providing
similar service and support for a minimum of five (5) years and be in compliance with all city,
county and state business licensing, bond, and insurance requirements by the time of proposal
submittal to qualify for consideration. In addition, vendors must complete the Certification
Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion Lower Tier Covered
Transactions.

PROPOSAL FORMAT

Cover Letter Referencing the RFP

Table of Contents

Company Background: The vendor shall provide a brief one page company description,
history, number of employees, and financial status.

Executive Summary: The vendor shall describe in non-technical terms its integrated accounting
systems, identified any unique or distinctive features of the software to which the vendor wishes
to bring particular attention. Do not include any pricing in this section. Responses are limited to
one page.

Proposal Specifications: The vendor shall provide brief answers to the questions contained in
Sections 1 through 3 of the RFP.

Pricing: The vendor should include a summary of pricing using the criteria identified in Section
4 of the RFP and a proposed timeline for implementation.

Client References: Please provide a minimum of three non-profit or government client

references with full company contact information and a contact person.

Completed Proposal Signature Sheet

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Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion
Lower Ties Covered Transactions.

PROPOSAL SPECIFICATIONS

SECTION 1. Provide a brief explanation/narrative of the following:

A. GENERAL LEDGER

1. The chart of accounts should allow the user complete control over structure and
terminology.
2. The system should be consistent with Accounting Standards Board requirements and
pronouncements.
3. The system should provide the user with the ability to have various views of the General
Ledger (examples: organization, cost center/department and project).
4. The system should provide the user with the ability to move from a GL account to
specific transactions affecting the account.
5. The system should provide the user with the ability to conduct searches, post
transactions, and generate reports at all levels of the account structure by fiscal year,
month, calendar year, or any user defined date.
6. The system should support multiple fiscal years and have the ability to retain a minimum
of 7 fiscal years.
7. The system should maintain active, inactive, and restricted accounts.
8. The system should include grant and project accounting periods defined separate from
fiscal year.
9. The system should support cash basis, accrual basis, year-end accrual basis, or any
combination thereof.
10. The system should have bank reconciliation capability.
11. The system should provide user defined security and transaction authorization levels
including the ability to define record additions, changes, inquiry (view) and deletion.
12. The system should include an approval process for posting to the general ledger.
13. The system should include General Journal entry with standing and reoccurring Journal
Entry capability and Automatic Journal Entry reversals.
14. The system should allow interactive or batch processing and an approval process.
15. The system should include a comprehensive audit trail from sub-ledgers in GL
transaction detail including customer/vendor ID, check number, Invoice, P.O., and Cash
Receipt number.
16. The system should include the ability to close subsets independently.

B. BUDGET PREPARATION

1. The system should have the ability to generate a multi-year budget.

2. The system should directly link to spreadsheet and/or word processing document.
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 3. The system should have the ability to create budgets at the department level and at DCC
wide level.
4. The system should allow for multiple budgets.
5. The system should have the ability to maintain budget history for prior years.

C. FINANCIAL REPORTING

1. The system should have the ability to prepare all standard monthly, quarterly, year-to-
date, actual to budget financial reports, and user defined reports.
2. The system should have the ability to prepare all standard financial reports with
comparisons to prior periods, such as prior month, prior quarter, and prior year-to-date.
3. The system should have a user-friendly report writer that has the ability to access all
application data in each module’s database.
4. The system should allow the generation of reports to a spreadsheet application.
5. The system should include forecasting capabilities for future periods based on defined
parameters and historical data.

D. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

1. The system should provide a robust security system that will allow the customization of
separation of duties involved with the entering of invoices, payment of invoices, and the
entering of new vendors.
2. The system should provide for ACH payments.
3. The system should allow flexible reporting and vendor history reports.
4. The system should support 1099 tracking, reporting, and printing or electronic
submission.
5. The system should have the ability to integrate to a purchase order system.
6. The system should allow for the scanning of invoices, which should be able to be
accessed via drill down features.
7. The system should allow for multiple invoices per check.
8. The system should allow for the entry of expenditure, revenue, or balance sheet account
numbers.
9. The system should allow for laser check printing.

E. ALLOCATION MANAGEMENT

1. The system should provide the user with the ability to maintain independent chain of
command to support reporting across funds, cost centers, object code, project, or task.
2. The system should provide a flexible report writer system so that projects can be tracked
accordingly.

F. FIXED ASSET ACCOUNTING

1. The system should integrate with the Accounts Payable and/or Purchase Order system to
facilitate the creation of a fixed asset inventory.
2. The system should allow the user to assign fixed assets to specific funds, users, and
locations.
3. The system should allow the user to define classes of fixed assets such as property, plant,
and equipment with user defined subcategories.
4. The system should allow the user to track acquisition method such as procurement,
donation, and disposition methods such as sale, donation, or auction.
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 5. The system should have the ability for automated inventory audit and reconciliation on a
periodic basis via basis utilizing advanced technology.
6. The system should be able to generate depreciation postings and depreciation posting
automation in the general ledger system.

SECTION 2. FUNCTIONALITY

Please provide a brief narrative on your products ability to provide the functionality
required for the specific needs outlined.

1. Describe the ability to enter data into the system one time to avoid duplicate entry.
2. Describe the user interface to your system (for example, Windows GUI interface).
3. Is your system real time or batch processing? Explain if there is a combination of real
time and batch process.
4. Does the system allow access by remote departments via a web browser?
5. Does the system allow the exchange of data with applications such as MS Excel?
Explain.
6. How is system documentation provided to your customers, and how is it updated?
7. How will you support implementation and end user training?
8. Please list the hourly rates for your technical and support staff in the event that additional
work outside the scope of this RFP is requested.
9. Describe your organization’s accountability in the event a system failure occurs.
10. Does the software you have proposed have “drill down” capability? Please describe.
11. Does your system have any limitations on the number of accounts or journal entries?
Please describe all practical limitations.
12. How many years of detailed information do you recommend can be stored in your
system?
13. How many companies have de-converted from your system in the past five years? Why?
14. The system must support a minimum of 5 simultaneous users.
15. Discuss the systems capability of Employee Timesheet Entry from multiple locations and
website access to employee payroll information.

SECTION 3. Implementation, Training, and Support.

1. Provide minimum system requirements.

2. Does your organization provide direct support and implementation of the software or is
this subcontracted? Please provide name of staff that will be assigned to this project and
resume.
3. Please provide a general outline of the steps your company uses to install, convert, and
train new sites on your product(s).
4. As noted in the description section, our goal is to be fully implemented and converted by
September 30, 2013. Please submit a proposed timeline showing your implementation
strategy on meeting this deadline.
5. Will there be parallel testing during implementation?

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 6. Please provide your organization's views to ensure the product is installed timely, staff is
trained, and a long-term business relationship is formed
7. Please identify additional training opportunities provided by your organization.
8. How often is your software upgraded?
9. What additional information would you like us to consider regarding implementation,
training, and support?
10. Is the system supported in a VMWare Environment?

SECTION 4. Pricing

This request for proposals is intended to be a part of a competitive negotiation process. The costs
for providing a proposal are considered a marketing expense to be absorbed by the vendor. To be
considered during the evaluation of proposals, vendors are required to submit all requested
information including pricing detail by module. The price quote section must include:

1. The total price for the entire system, and

2. The separate prices and fees for each module,system component and/or subsystem.
3. Estimate based on 5 concurrent users.
4. Estimate based on 150 users for timesheet entry and web access.
5. Maintenance fees.
6. Conversion costs
7. Training costs

Pricing should include all costs related to the software, required hardware, and conversion of
existing data, installation, training, and final implementation. Total project cost is a major factor
in the decision process but not the only consideration.

Other decision factors are the track record of the vendor with conversions at other organizations
of similar size and complexity; vendor identification and understanding of DCC’s requirements;
experience and qualifications of key vendor implementation support personnel; and track record
in providing quality customer support. Modules specific to DCC’s needs are listed below.

1. General Ledger.
2. Allocation Management.
3. Grant Management.
4. Financial Reporting, Budgeting, and Forecasting.
5. Accounts Payable.
6. Purchase Orders.
7. Fixed Assets and Inventory Control (no current system in place)
8. Payroll.
9. Bank Reconciliation.
10. Basic Human Resources Management.
11. Employee timesheet entry
12. Employee access to payroll information

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 SCORING CRITERIA FOR RATING PROPOSALS

Proposals will be scored based on the criteria listed below.

a. Results of Demonstrations and Presentations

b. Timely and Complete Response to RFP
c. Ability to Meet Specifications
d. Software Ease of Use
e. Functionality
f. Flexibility and Ease of Product Implementation and Data Conversion
g. Vendor Support and Training
h. Pricing
i. Vendor Client References
j. Ability to Provide Modules Specific to DCC’s Needs

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 ATTACHMENT #1
PROPOSAL SIGNATURE SHEET

Identification Data

Organization Name: ___________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Phone Number: _______________________________________________________________

Signed Statement of Authority

I, ____________________________________, am the _______________________________

(Type name of official) (Type title of official)

of________________________________________. I am authorized to make the following

(Type name of agency or organization)

proposal on behalf of __________________________________________________________

(Legal name of organization)
I herby certify:

That the applicant organization understands and will comply with the specific assurances and certifications
contained in this proposal, and further; that the applicant organization understands and will comply with the rules,
regulations and policies of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth (MDLEG), the United States’
Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Michigan Department of Community
Health Center for Substance Abuse Services and DCC.

That all responses to the Request For Proposal (RFP) concerning the applicant organization, its operation, and
proposed program are true and accurate.

That the applicant organization understands that this proposal is application for funding and does not ensure
subsequent funding.

That if selected for funding, the applicant organization will be bound by the information contained herein as well as
by the terms and conditions of the resultant contract.

Signature Date

______________________________________________________________________________
Typed Name Date

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 Certification Regarding
Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion
Lower Tier Covered Transactions

This certification is required by the regulations implementing Executive Order 12549,

Debarment and Suspension, 29 CFR Part 98, Section 98.510, Participants' responsibilities. The
regulations were published as Part VII of the May 26, 1988 Federal Register (pages 19160-
19211).

(BEFORE COMPLETING CERTIFICATION, READ ATTACHED INSTRUCTIONS WHICH

ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CERTIFICATION)

(1) The prospective recipient of federal assistance funds certifies, by submission of this
proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for
debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this
transaction by any Federal department or agency.

(2) Where the prospective recipient of federal assistance funds is unable to certify to any of
the statements in this certification, such prospective participant shall attach an
explanation to this proposal.

Agency

(Typed Name and Title of Authorized Representative)

Signature Date

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 RFP 13-07

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CERTIFICATION

1. By signing and submitting this proposal, the prospective recipient of Federal assistance funds is providing
the certification as set out below.

2. The certification in this clause is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this
transaction was entered into. If it is later determined that the prospective recipient of Federal assistance
funds knowingly rendered an erroneous certification, in addition to other remedies available to the Federal
Government, the Department of Labor (DOL) may pursue available remedies, including suspension and/or
debarment.

3. The prospective recipient of Federal assistance funds shall provide immediate written notice to the person
to which this proposal is submitted if at any time the prospective recipient of Federal assistance funds
learns that its certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed
circumstances.

4. The terms "covered transaction," "debarred," "suspended," "ineligible," "lower tier covered transaction,"
"participant," "person," "primary covered transaction," "principal," "proposal," and "voluntarily excluded,"
as used in this clause, have the meanings set out in the Definitions and Coverage sections of rules
implementing Executive Order 12549. You may contact the person to which this proposal is submitted for
assistance in obtaining a copy of those regulations.

5. The prospective recipient of Federal assistance funds agrees by submitting this proposal that, should the
proposed covered transaction be entered into, it shall not knowingly enter into any lower tier covered
transaction with a person who is debarred, suspended, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from
participation in this covered transaction, unless authorized by the DOL.

6. The prospective recipient of Federal assistance funds further agrees by submitting this proposal that it will
include the clause titled "Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary
Exclusion - Lower Tier Covered Transactions," without modification, in all lower tier covered transactions
and in all solicitation for lower tier covered transactions.

7. A participant in a covered transaction may rely upon a certification of a prospective participant in a lower
tier covered transaction that it is not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the
covered transaction, unless it knows that the certification is erroneous. A participant may decide the
method and frequency by which it determines the eligibility of its principals. Each participant may but is
not required to check the List of Parties Excluded from Procurement or Non-procurement Programs.

8. Nothing contained in the foregoing shall be construed to require establishment of a system of records in
order to render in good faith the certification required by this clause. The knowledge and information of a
participant is not required to exceed that which is normally possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary
course of business dealings.

9. Except the transactions authorized under paragraph 5 of these instructions, if a participant in a covered
transaction knowingly enters into a lower tier covered transaction with a person who is suspended,
debarred, ineligible, or voluntary excluded from participation in this transaction, in addition to other
remedies available to the Federal Government, the DOL may pursue available remedies, including
suspension and/or debarment.