Enterprise Anaplan Architect

Position: Enterprise Anaplan Architect

Duration: 22 Months

Location: Minnesota (100% Remote)

Description

Invitation to Negotiate

This Request for Offers is reserving the right to use the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) process. An ITN begins with an evaluation of proposals and results in an invitation to the highest-scoring Responders to negotiate proposals with the State. See additional detail in the Buyer Attachment named MNSITE3460-BuyerAttachmentEvalCriteria.

Description of Project

The Minnesota Department of Information Technology Services (MNIT) partnering with Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) is seeking a vendor to support the implementation of Anaplan across its executive branch agencies. The engagement will be structured into two phases (with an option to add future phases) focusing on scalable design and rapid deployment, leveraging agile principles and product management best practices.

The State has already completed a twelve-week evaluation of Anaplan and is confident the tool can meet the needs of executive agencies. The tool met over 70 predefined requirements (please see the Buyer Attachments - Requirements List used to Select Anaplan for more information). Some configuration has already been completed but only in a testing/evaluation capacity for one agency.

The work the selected Responder will be expected to perform will take place in two phases (with a potential for Phase 3 at the State's discretion). Phase 1 will focus on designing a core Anaplan template that addresses 80-90% of common use cases across executive agencies. This base template will serve as a standardized foundation for:

• Automated integrations to Oracle PeopleSoft and Oracle Database based source systems

• Workforce Planning, Payroll Compensation forecasting

• Administrative Cost Planning

• Fund Planning

• Supporting Schedules and Cost Allocations

• Project Planning

• Budgeting Workflows and Approvals

• Reporting and Analysis

We anticipate involving 4 5 agency teams in building the base template to ensure it meets the core identified requirements. The vendor should also ensure that the base model could easily be consolidated into one state-wide summary view for MMB. The consolidated state-wide model would happen later, however, the base template should take into account this future vision of a consolidated model for state-wide planning purposes.

During Phase 1, the selected vendor will also need to support the creation, definition and enablement of a state employee Center of Excellence Team that will support executive agencies in using Anaplan long-term.

Once the base template is finalized,

Phase 2 will focus on rapid roll-out across the executive branch agencies, ensuring a seamless transition while maximizing efficiency. There are ~85 executive agencies; 49 of those agencies have fewer than 30 FTEs and likely can be handled as a group (or several groups) instead of each being a unique implementation. Please see the Buyer Attachment - Agency FTEs for a more detailed list of agencies and current FTEs in the documents provided.

Phase 3, if elected by the State, would focus on two areas: (1) building out complex requirements for individual agencies (e.g., a rate setting module) that were not included in the base template and (2) building the consolidated Minnesota Management & Budget model that pulls the submissions from all agency models into a summary state-wide model for enterprise level planning.

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Resource Need

This request is for a vendor to provide services on a deliverable's basis.

Mode of Interview

The State will conduct interviews for this solicitation. Interviews will be conducted via MS Teams with a short list of responders. The State expects the vendor's Account Representative and individuals who can all speak in detail to how the Work Plan will be carried out to attend the interview. The State reserves the right to remove a responder from consideration if the responder is unavailable for interview as requested by the State.

Sample Tasks

Phase 1: Base Template Development

Key Deliverables & Sample Tasks

• Base Template Needs Assessment: Conduct requirements gathering and stakeholder discussions to identify shared base model requirements and ensure alignment across involved agencies.

• Base Template Design: Through an agile-based process, iteratively and collaboratively configure, review, refine, test, and deploy a modular Anaplan structure adaptable to diverse agency needs.

• Integration Planning: Define connectivity protocols with existing state databases.
• Base Template Buildout: Build out the agreed upon agency base template model allowing for replication for each state agency. This replication process should be repeatable with minimal custom intervention allowing for rapid deployment across all state agencies.

• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Collaborate with pilot groups to refine functionality and improve usability.

• Center of Excellence Enablement: Define and support enablement of Center of Excellence; establish appropriate maintenance protocols for the Anaplan toolset, develop best practices for ongoing agency support and clear data governance practices to ensure consistency across the state while enabling agencies to meet their core needs.
• Provide knowledge transfer

Phase 2: Rapid Rollout Across Executive Agencies

Key Deliverables & Sample Tasks

• Implementation Roadmap: Develop a structured phased deployment strategy aligned with agency readiness.

• Deployment, Training & Change Management: Through an agile-based process, iteratively and collaboratively configure, review, refine, test, and deploy Anaplan across agencies. Provide onboarding support and training, as needed for agencies.

• Iterative Enhancements: Continuously optimize the base template based on feedback from early adopters and agency implementations to be applied to future agency implementations.

• Support & Troubleshooting: Establish an ongoing help desk in the Center of Excellence for resolving technical and operational challenges.

• Performance Monitoring: Track adoption rates, accuracy improvements, and efficiency gains.
• Provide knowledge transfer

Optional Future Phase 3: Complex Requirements and Consolidated Model

Key Deliverables & Sample Tasks

1. Building Out Complex Requirements for Individual Agencies

• Requirements Gathering, Analysis & Prioritization: Conduct detailed discussions with agencies to identify high priority needs beyond the base template. Prioritize and propose implementation plan.

• Complex Requirement Deployment: Through an agile-based process, design, develop, and test and refine functionalities tailored to agency-specific financial needs.

• Data Integration & Validation: Ensure compatibility with local agency databases for agency specific models and verify data accuracy.

• User Training & Documentation: Provide comprehensive training materials and sessions for agency staff.

• Provide knowledge transfer.

Future Phases Tasks and Deliverables

To be determined the scope of future phases will be determined at the completion of the previous Phases.

Minimum Qualifications

• Three previous implementations of Anaplan.

Desired Skills

• Significant company depth of experience implementing Anaplan
• Several recent successful implementations of Anaplan
• Experience working on government implementations of Anaplan