Second RFP No Award FAQ

Find answers to frequently asked questions related to the Student Information System (SIS) project's second request for proposal (RFP) being closed without award.

Contact the project team at esr-student@ucsd.edu with additional questions or comments.

What is happening?

We have closed the Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Vendor Partnership for a Student Information System (SIS) with no award. Read the Campus Announcement and check out this article for more details.

At this time, the risks of committing to a partnership to develop a system with a vendor, especially the risks of not being able to meet project deadlines or deliverables, are too great. We need to be able to move off of ISIS more quickly than a development partnership would be able to deliver a completed system to us.

Are we repeating our efforts?

The two RFPs completed so far served two distinct purposes. The first showed that there were no systems available at that time that could sufficiently meet the needs we had when we opened that RFP. The second showed that a development partnership with a vendor brought with it significant risks of not being able to meet project deadlines or deliverables.

Because of the two previous RFPs we now know where we must focus our efforts for a third and final RFP: on acquiring a system that can meet our current needs, which have evolved since the first RFP in 2019. Two examples of key changes are the recently begun implementation of a new financial aid system, which removes the need for a SIS to provide those functions, and new needs brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic that did not exist when this project began, such as the ability to make mass updates to class instructional modalities in a timely manner and much greater flexibility for billing and refunds.

Because we have different needs now than we did when we began the project, we need to do the due diligence of confirming, through a third RFP, the ability of vendors’ currently available systems to meet our current needs.

Will the impact of the project change?

The systems or processes likely to be impacted by the SIS Project will not change due to this decision.

Will the timeline of the project change?

Yes, the timeline of the project will change. University and project leaders have heard the campus community’s concerns about ensuring a smooth and successful implementation of a new SIS. Because of this and to allow sufficient time for planning, preparation, testing and training, the new SIS is now planned to go live in Winter of 2025, rather than Fall of 2023.

Why not just keep using ISIS?

The longer we remain on ISIS as it exists currently, the more risks we introduce to the student experience and to our operations and the more time and effort must be spent both to keep it functioning and to build work-arounds to meet our business needs. Our most important goal at this time is to safeguard the student experience by ensuring our continued, uninterrupted operations, which means moving off of ISIS and on to a more modern system.

What are the next steps?

In the short term, the SIS Project team will begin the process of opening a new RFP for a currently-available system that can meet our evolved needs, while also continuing to take the steps necessary to prepare the University systems and stakeholders to transition to whichever system is selected through the third RFP.

The rough expected timeline (subject to change) is as follows:

System selection (new RFP) and contract negotiation: Now through Spring 2023
Conduct project preparation activities: Now through Fall 2023
Begin implementation: Fall 2023
Go-live of new system: Winter 2025

Will anything change for work currently in progress?

Currently underway project work will continue unchanged; this includes both the implementation of a new financial aid system and the search for a curriculum management system.

Current preparation for the project will also continue with the goal of completing all preparation work prior to beginning the implementation of a new SIS. Currently active preparation work includes the Division of Extended Studies’ adoption of Slate, 25Live and uAchieve; updates to student-related reports; and updates to uAchieve and the Virtual Advising Center (VAC), and other work to be announced.

I put my time toward the previous RFPs, process mapping, ideal state development or other project activities, was my time and effort well spent?

The time you spent working on the project thus far was very well spent.

Both previous RFPs served their purposes. The first showed that there were no systems available at that time that could sufficiently meet the needs we had then. The second showed that a development partnership was not the right path to take to meet our needs and deliver on the goals of the project within our desired timeline. Our next steps are now clear to us, and we could not have known this without both RFPs and their associated processes.

The work completed in the process mapping and ideal state development sessions is the foundation upon which this project is built. This remains true regardless of the immediate next steps for the project or, ultimately, the system we implement.

We thank everyone who has been involved in these processes for their time, effort and support. This project truly would not be possible without each and every one you.

What can I expect now?

The University community will continue to receive regular updates from the SIS Project team on the new RFP, progress of preparations for the project and readiness for implementation. As we move closer to the start of implementation, expect more communications from the team.

What can I do?

Please continue to engage with the SIS Project team on ongoing preparation work, project work and continuity planning efforts. Please also continue to communicate your questions, concerns and needs with the team. You can reach the team by emailing esr-student@ucsd.edu.