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San Bernardino County Employees Retirement Association
File #: 22-256    Name:
Type: Action Item
File created: 6/28/2022 In control: BOARD OF RETIREMENT
On agenda: 7/7/2022 Final action: 7/7/2022
Title: Approve an agreement with Linea Solutions for end-to-end process training services related to the PensionGold Refresh Project, in an amount not to exceed $197,400.
Attachments: 1. Exhibit A: Linea Solutions Statement of Work: Training Services

 

FROM:                                            Colin Bishop, Chief of Member Services

 

SUBJECT:                                            Approve an agreement with Linea Solutions for end-to-end process training services related to the PensionGold Refresh Project

 

RECOMMENDATION:

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Approve an agreement with Linea Solutions for end-to-end process training services related to the PensionGold Refresh Project, in an amount not to exceed $197,400.

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BACKGROUND:

SBCERA staff is currently several years into the PensionGold Refresh Project, a major multi-departmental effort to improve the quality of the software at the heart of our pension and benefits operations. In its meeting on February 6, 2020, the SBCERA Board of Retirement approved the engagement of Linea Solutions (“Linea”) for Pension Administration Software Consulting and Business Process Redesign related to SBCERA’s PensionGold Refresh Project. Separately, on December 3, 2020, the Board approved an agreement with Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc. (“LRS”), for its software and support work on the PensionGold Refresh Project.  After two years on this project, we continue to make significant progress towards our goal of “operational harmony,” where an efficient pension software system integrates seamlessly with a suite of clearly articulated business practices.

 

Importantly, several major software phases, or “deliverables,” have already been completed and put into production. The first phase of the project, called Deliverable Zero, was last summer’s “back to base” facelift of the software we use to manage our member records. Among the most notable pieces of that phase was implementation of the Contact Log, which is a customer relationship management (CRM) system that has allowed us to keep better track of all our interactions with members. The second phase was Deliverable One, implemented earlier this year, which brought offline calculations into PensionGold, provided updated functionality for our employers in EmployerDirect, and expanded member self-service in mySBCERA. The upcoming round of changes, formally called Deliverable Two and slated for later this year, focuses on several different modules in the software, including benefit maintenance, benefit calculations, service purchases, and reporting.  The final phase of upgrades will come with Deliverable Three, scheduled for next year, and bring additional self-service improvements to the mySBCERA member portal.

 

Although previous rounds of deliverable implementations have gone well, we have identified a need for additional training to better prepare SBCERA staff for the implementation of each upcoming deliverable. For each deliverable, our agreement with LRS stipulates that they will provides “functional training” related to testing of changed system functions, and they have delivered these training sessions as expected. However, this training is focused and limited to the specific functions that have been added, altered, or otherwise addressed in the deliverable. For SBCERA staff, there is a need for additional training which shows more clearly how the functionality which has been delivered applies to their day-to-day operational processes. To fully prepare staff and set them up to succeed, Linea is proposing the end-to-end process training outlined in the attached Statement of Work.

 

Scope of Work and Cost

Linea’s proposal includes comprehensive training services to be completed in-synch with the remaining two deliverables in LRS’s contract. These services include an initial training needs assessment, training materials (including user guides and manuals), and classroom instruction. The total cost is not to exceed $197,400, inclusive of travel.

 

BUDGET IMPACT:

Costs for this item are included in the current year non-administrative budget.

 

STRATEGIC PLANNING GOAL/OBJECTIVE:

Operational Excellence & Efficiency

Superior Service Experience

Effective Communications

 

STAFF CONTACT:

Colin Bishop

Joe Michael

 

ATTACHMENTS:

Exhibit A:                     Linea Solutions Statement of Work: Training Services