Why you should use PCL as your strategic partner for your Oracle Applications Project In the Local Government Sector?

PCL, an independent consultancy specialising in the implementation and support of Oracle Applications Projects are an Oracle Partner with a proven track record of successful implementations both with the public sector and private sector.

Our many years of experience in the local authority(LA) sector means that PCL understand that the business and operational needs of local authorities are unique and different from all other organisations in a large number of areas, and these differences need to be understood and appreciated by your strategic implementation partner.

Whilst there has been a tendance to ‘drive out’ some of these differences in the ‘modernisation of services’, it must be recognised that a number of factors exist with the business environment; customer base, aims of the business and regulatory responsibilities imposed on local authorities which will continue to make the structure and operation of LA’s different.

The implementation of robust, generic and flexible ERP systems such as Oracle Applications in such organisations gives your implementation partner some challenges in understanding the drivers within LA’s and how these can be met in the systems configuration. How often have you heard experienced external consultants say in disbelief “Why do you do it that way”, when it is clear that the demands of the service or Government Reporting enforce such operations?

Before selecting an implementation partner, you can ask yourself the following 10 questions

1. Does your partner understand the funding arrangements under which LA’s operate and the need to balance accounts by fund?
2. Does your partner understand the standard CIPFA chart of accounts structure?
3. Does your partner understand the best value code of practice and the impact this has on identification of costs and internal charging / trading?
4. Does your partner understand Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPI’s); what the main indicators are and their impact on operational and reporting needs?
5. Does your partner understand the need for Directorate structures, the impact on management styles and how legislation such as the new Childrens Act impact on the organisation structure?
6. Does your partner appeciate the incredible diversity of LA responsibilities; the resulting complex myriad of services that result and the impact that has on systems?
7. Does your partner appreciate how the nature of your customer base; ie in some cases the most vunerable in society, bring unique operational processes and requirements, for example around debt control and recovery?
8. Does your partner understand and apply the technical standards dictated by ODPM to the work they undertake and the solutions they design and build?
9. Does your partner understand the unique processes and standards which apply around the procurement of goods and services within the local government sector?
10. Does your partner understand and appreciate the collaborative nature of the business and the ability to exploit best practice and solutions developed elsewhere?

If you cannot answer yes to these 10 questions then you should be talking to PCL. We have consultants who have both worked within Local Authorities in line positions as well as having led major implementations of all key modules within a number of local authorities very successfully.