CC 02-19-2025 Item No. 10 Tyler New World ERP Replacement_Written Communications (2)CC 02-19-2025
Item No. 10
Tyler New Wold ERP
Replacement
Written Communications
From:Santosh Rao
To:Teri Gerhardt, CGCIO; City Council; Pamela Wu; Kristina Alfaro; City Clerk
Subject:02/19/25 agenda item 10 - ERP Needs Assessment study.
Date:Wednesday, February 19, 2025 10:34:27 AM
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Dear Mayor Chao, Members of the Cupertino City Council, Manager Wu, CTO Gerhardt,
I am writing on behalf of myself only, as a Cupertino resident, taxpayer, and voter to share
some questions and suggestions regarding Agenda Item 10.
1. Needs Assessment Report – Would it be possible to include the needs assessment
report, along with any supplemental documents, as part of the staff report or as a linked
resource? It appears the assessment was conducted in January 2022, but I was unable to
find a link or document summarizing the findings.
2. Reassessment of Needs – Since the original needs assessment was conducted three
years ago, would it be beneficial to revisit the study to ensure that the identified gaps
and available capabilities reflect the city's current needs?
3. Budget Appropriation Timing – The agenda item proposes appropriating $3.7 million
at this stage. Could you clarify whether this approach is standard practice, or if there is
an option to allocate funding incrementally—such as an initial appropriation for the RFP
process, with further funding decisions made after vendor selection?
4. Comparison with Other Cities – Would it be possible to include a broader list of cities
that use various ERP systems, specifically highlighting those using Tyler New World,
which is Cupertino’s current ERP system?
5. Understanding Specific Gaps – Could a supplemental report outline the specific gaps
identified in Tyler New World and their operational impacts? Additionally, it may be
helpful to explore how other cities using Tyler New World are addressing similar
challenges. My research indicates that Fremont, Tracy, Watsonville, Berkeley, Oxnard,
Lathrop, and Turlock (among others) in California use Tyler New World, as do cities
outside of California such as Newark, NJ, and Augusta, GA.
6. Buyer Intelligence Study – Would it be worthwhile to conduct a buyer intelligence
study on ERP systems used by cities in California and similar municipalities elsewhere?
This could provide insight into procurement trends, user experiences, and best-fit
solutions. There may be off-the-shelf resources available, such as the database
from Apps Run the World.
Given these considerations, I respectfully request that the city continue this agenda item and
direct staff to conduct a buyer intelligence study. This study could assess which cities
currently use Tyler New World, the specific gaps Cupertino has experienced, how other cities
have addressed those gaps, and which cities have transitioned to alternative ERP systems—
including details on the replacement process and outcomes.
If the findings support a transition, I would recommend proceeding with the RFP process
while deferring budget appropriations until after the RFP phase is complete. Please do
not appropriate an amount before the RFP as the bid will bloat to match that amount and then
overrun as may be seen with project implementations.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I appreciate the city's efforts in evaluating the best
path forward.
Best regards,
San Rao (writing only as a Cupertino resident and voter)