Overview

Background

The University Estates Operations Department is heavily reliant on Archibus, a Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) system.

The Archibus system has been in place since 1999 and since then, the software code has been customised to meet changing business needs.  This customisation has been predominantly undertaken by Mass Information Systems (Mass), the application reseller and support partner. 

Approximately 100 customisations have been developed and implemented without clear, auditable supplier change records or documentation, making further enhancements difficult and upgrades lengthy, time-consuming and unpredictable. There are concerns over the ability of Mass to deliver operational support, system enhancements and account management in line with UoE’s strategic and business expectations.

The potential exposure to Estates was examined and ‘direction for change’ options considered as part of the paper ‘CAFM Optional Appraisal’ (Oct 2018).  A subsequent project ‘CAFM Options Appraisal’ (EST121) was delivered in March 2019, which recommended three options for further consideration:

1.  Source and implement a new Archibus-based CAFM solution in conjunction with the existing support partner (Mass);
2. Source and implement a new Archibus-based CAFM solution in conjunction with a new support partner.  Note that Archibus presently has only one other UK-based support partner (Excitech), however Archibus’ own support model is potentially changing following their acquisition by JMI Equity, in 2018;
3. Source and implement a new market-leading CAFM solution, with an established supplier.

The Estates CAFM solution is business-critical, with a number of risks.  These risks were considered as part of the Options Appraisal which detailed:

• The present system and supplier concerns;
• The anticipated timescale to prepare for and procure a new CAFM solution;
• The immediate concern for the present system stability, operability, change requirements and account management;
• The need for a ‘roadmap’ and a move to a more proactive support model.

Recognising some of the risks above, a separate project has been approved by Estates Management Group, the CAFM Stabilisation (EST123), the purpose of which is to minimise the risk and business impact from the present CAFM system and support partner.

More recently, concern has increased over the ability of Mass to support, enhance and provide account management for Archibus and Mass’ business model and UoE strategy are misaligned. Mass have over the last year lost key technical, project management and account management resources.  A request was made in May 2018 for Mass and Archibus to operate in a proactive, partnership manner, but performance changes have not been proactive or positive enough, bringing into question the sustainability of the current solution.  This is particularly the case when considering the needs for rapid and significant business transformation. 

This project will seek to gather Estates present and potential future business requirements in readiness to procure and implement a new CAFM solution.  The project was approved by Estates Management Group in May 2019.

Overview of the Solution

EST115 – Estates Facilities Management (CAFM) Optimisation, is the second project of a series, relating to CAFM optimisation as part of the Operations Optimisation Programme, in the overall Estates Transformation Portfolio. 

CAFM Optimisation will follow a similar staged approach as the EPPM ‘MyProject’ Programme. The anticipated project series will deliver:

1. Facilities Management (CAFM) Options Appraisal (EST121) – Completed March’19;
2. Facilities Management (CAFM) Optimisation – Detailed Analysis (EST115)
3. Facilities Management (CAFM) Systems Procurement (ESTxxx);
4. Facilities Management (CAFM) Implementation (ESTxxx);
5. Facilities Management (CAFM) Embed and Optimise (ESTxxx).

In line with other Estates projects, the project will deliver to the overall Programme outcomes as follows:

• Cross-team collaboration and communication – Post initiation, weekly/fortnightly project checkpoint meetings will be held to ensure that progress is reported, risks and issues reviewed and any lessons captured, throughout the project duration.
• Data stewardship, ownership, management will be in accordance with standards as developed in the Data and Documentation Programme – SharePoint Project (in-flight project).
• Financial management – Using data from ASTA, IS resource effort will be reported on a monthly basis via the Projects website.  Estates effort will be recorded or monitored by the Estates MIS Transformation Portfolio and Programme Manager.  Supplier costs will be agreed during initiation and managed via change control;
• Governance – the project will deliver under the standard governance framework agreed within and between IS and the Estates Programme;
• Project Organisation – A project organisation chart will be produced during initiation and will be updated throughout the project as necessary.  It will be held in the Estates/IS SharePoint library for the project;
• Project Reporting – Fortnightly dashboard reports will be produced with RAG status for Time, Cost, Scope and the Overall Project status.  RAG status will be aligned to IS guidelines and individual project managers perspective and in agreement with the Estates MIS Transformation Portfolio and Programme Manager;
• Stakeholder engagement – A Stakeholder plan will be agreed for the project. Details of the project stakeholders are held in the projects website;
• Work streams and Project Deliverables – Deliverables and the associated sign off criteria will be agreed and will align to the project objectives.

Scope

The project scope consists of the following work packages:-

• WP1 – CAFM Current Operating Model – Current operations will be further investigated and understood.  The high level Current Operating Model documented as part of the Options Appraisal investigation (EST121) will be expanded and enhanced to cover in detail the aspects of People, Process and Technology as a priority. Content data will be included where possible;
• WP2 - Business Requirements – Requirements gathering for a new CAFM solution will be undertaken covering existing/present and desired/future requirements across Estates for those departments currently using, or associated with aspects of the present CAFM system.  The agreed areas to be assessed are shown in the diagram below;

• WP3 - Prior Information Notice (PIN)/Request for Information (RFI) - Supported by the Procurement Department, this work package will deliver an initial open market CAFM solutions review, via publication of a PIN/RFI and based upon early high level requirements discovered and prioritised.  Supplier responses will then be assessed and a summary report produced.  The assessment will help determine the next project, notably the procurement approach for a ‘fit for purpose’, cost-effective, long-term stable, flexible and supportable CAFM solution;
• WP4 – CAFM Optimisation Programme Cost Estimate - A high-level estimate of forecasted costs to procure, implement and transition a new CAFM solution into Estates will be presented. Costs will include:

• IS and Estates resource costs (assuming backfill for all Estates resources assigned to project);
• 3rd party costs, based on 3+2+2 years contract (as per MyProject);
• Systems and technology costs, including hosting;
• Software licensing and support;
• Implementation and transition management;
• Ongoing BAU support costs;
• Any other internal costs anticipated as being required.

Objectives

The ultimate objective of the CAFM Optimisation Programme is to:

Procure, implement and embed a CAFM solution based on existing and desired business requirements in collaboration with a strategic supplier, to support Estates operational delivery, the system having minimal or no customisations and allowing for future expansion and modification, as determined by externally imposed service change needs and internally led change requirements. Support will come from an engaged supplier, who will take a partnership approach and operate in a collaborative and proactive manner, to plan and implement a short, medium and long-term CAFM delivery roadmap.

The specific objectives of the project are to:

1. Capture and understand the present CAFM operating model to ensure the starting point for a future CAFM-related transformation is baselined;
2. Ensure existing/present and desired/future business requirements for a CAFM solution are documented and prioritised;
3. Review the market and gain knowledge of the ‘best in class’ CAFM systems and supplier support partner capabilities, based upon verified and prioritised key high level business requirements;
4. Present a Summary Report for CAFM optimisation, including a summary of the PIN/RFI responses, proposed options and procurement approach (next stage project) recommendations;
5. Ensure the Estates Project Sponsor and Senior Users have all the information necessary to select a preferred option and provide approval, or otherwise to initiate a procurement project.

Deliverables

The following are anticipated deliverables at this time, under the agreed scope.  Further deliverables may be identified during the course of the project, the delivery of which, will be managed using the project change control process, as necessary:-

Benefits

The benefit(s) each work package delivery will ultimately contribute towards are as follows:-

Success Criteria

The following success criteria have been identified:-

1. Documented Current Operating Model that provides the IS/Estates Transformation Team with an operational baseline, from which BAU operations and the wider transformation projects and programmes can readily refer;
2. Concise and complete existing and desired CAFM requirements, prioritised and signed off by the business, which will inform a procurement tender (next project);
3. Initial market analysis, based upon responses to the PIN/RFI, which will provide evidence-based recommendations for the procurement project;
4. Initial market analysis which will inform budgetary costs together with timescales for the procurement, implementation and transition to support of a new CAFM solution.

Project Milestones

Priority & Funding

This is a normal (level 3) priority project, funded by Estates as part of the Estates IS Transformation Programme. 

Following early commencement of requirements gathering and discussions with procurement, it is expected that a 6-7 month project timeline will be required.  Project milestone adjustments will be submitted for formal approval as noted above (at End of Planning).

The initial budget assigned from the Programme and presently logged in ASTA was 108 days.

Budget spent up to the formal re-start in June, 2019 was 39.8 days.

Impact & Dependencies

The project was preceded by Estates CAFM Options Appraisal (EST121), which completed in March, 2019.

Issues captured from the early CAFM business requirements interviews covering the operational areas actively using Archibus, may feed into the CAFM Stabilisation Project (EST123).  Interviews covering Helpdesk, Maintenance Services, Contract Services, Small Projects and Building Services are nearing completion and an Issues Log has been created which is already available to the EST123 Project. 

There are no direct dependency driven dates of concern.

Project Risks

Link to Project Services Website Risk Log: Risk Register

Link to Project Services Website Issues Log:  Issues Log   

Work & Task Breakdown; Resources & Skills Required

IS will provide:

• Project Management (Project Services Programme Manager and Project Manager)
• Governance via Senior Supplier and WIS (Project Services Senior Supplier)
• Business Analysis (Project Services Business Analyst)
• Assurance – Technical/Solutions Oversight (Solution Architecture Team Manager)

Estates will provide:

• Estates Business Lead for day to day engagement and provision of Estates resources along with Senior Management Team resources;
• Governance via a Project Board (Sponsor and Senior Users)
• Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) to be interviewed, attend workshops, meetings etc to assist in the gathering of business requirements, current operating model processes, templates and reports and other COM inputs as necessary;
• SME Team Leaders and/or Senior Users to review and sign off of deliverables;
• Business communications resource to assist in the creation and delivery of Estates-wide Programme and Project communications.

Project Governance

Project Stakeholders

The project key stakeholders have been identified as below:

Link to Stakeholder Log on Project Website: Stakeholder Log

Project Estimations

Revised budget projections following detailed planning have resulted in the following expected budget requirements:

Please refer to the cost analysis spreadsheet for further details.

Link to Estimations Log on Project Web Site:  Estimate Log