Belgium – Enterprise resource planning software package – Aankoop ERP software

I.1.1. Background

Stijn vzw is a network of care entities spread across Limburg, Antwerp and Flemish Brabant. Within the care network, ten service centres are active, providing care to children and adults with disabilities ranging from mild, severe to profound; and this at 37 locations with more than 2000 employees for 3700 clients. As Stijn vzw, we offer various forms of care, including day care, residential care, short stay, outpatient and mobile services. For this, we are, among other things, subsidised by the Flemish Agency for Persons with a Disability (VAPH). All entities are supported from one central support and coordinating centre. To date, all care workers and administrative staff have been supported in their daily work by internally developed software. This software includes applications written in RPG (AS400/Powersystem), Delphi, and C# that connect to DB2 and SQL-server databases. In 2023, as part of the preparation for a digital transformation, a future vision regarding ICT was developed, within which the following pillars are central:

1. A cloud-first strategy is applied, which means that the new software applications follow the SaaS principle, whereby the application and data are hosted in the cloud.

2. The new applications reduce the administrative burden for our employees, with the focus on entering data only once. This is achieved through maximum integrations with other applications that support data flow.

3. The applications are designed with a strong focus on usability and user experience. The interfaces are intuitive and require minimal switching between screens or applications. The applications work process-supporting, whereby the flow of the actual processes is followed and unnecessary actions are eliminated. Automation also plays an important role in this.

4. Maximum use is made of mobile solutions. This means that care workers can call up the necessary client information and enter data efficiently and user-friendly via a mobile device.

5. We offer clients and their network the opportunity to be involved in care. Use is made of information sharing, whereby certain aspects of the client file are opened up. Furthermore, collaboration with the network is aimed at, whereby this can also provide information and make certain choices.

6. The future software architecture is designed to facilitate data-driven work and decision-making. New software applications should support this vision by making data structured accessible and exportable for BI reporting and scientific research.

7. The software architecture, and thus also the new applications, must be future-proof to guarantee sustainable growth and flexibility. The architecture must grow with technological developments, such as AI support. The architecture must be scalable with a view to potential growth of the Stijn vzw network, both in terms of number of clients and service centres and in intersectoral collaborations.

8. The new software architecture is designed with privacy and security as core principles, in accordance with GDPR and NIS2, to ensure that the processing of sensitive client data is secure and responsible. Strong authentication and authorisation mechanisms are applied, including integration with the currently used Microsoft Entra ID.

9. The new software applications contribute to a stable infrastructure by prioritising risk monitoring strategies, including backup and disaster recovery policies.

The figure below (p.6) visualises the proposed TO-BE software architecture, which serves as the foundation for the realisation of the above strategic pillars. This architecture includes the following building blocks:

- The functional domains within Stijn vzw that need to be supported by software, grouped into expected SaaS applications.

- A custom-made care and client portal, which on the one hand supports the user group of employees in their daily work, and on the other hand strengthens the involvement of clients and their network. This portal actively contributes to the realisation of pillars 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9 of the future vision. The portal is completely separate from the SaaS applications, but will retrieve, display, and write data to the underlying applications.

- A data warehouse for storing all data throughout the architecture for use in scientific research and BI reporting.

- Cloud-based iPaaS middleware that facilitates data exchange between SaaS applications, the flow of data to the data warehouse, and the retrieval and writing of data between the portal and the underlying systems. In addition, it realises connections with external applications, including, among others, the GIR of VAPH and DEONA for childcare. During the phased transition, the iPaaS also ensures data flow and synchronisation between existing and new software applications.

I.1.2. The Contract

Subject of these deliveries: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software as a Service (SaaS) solution with additional services

Explanation: Stijn vzw wishes to implement an integrated ERP system with modules for accounting, procurement, inventory management, budget tracking, contract management, tracking of government contracts and management reporting. The chosen system must be future-proof and follow the SaaS principle with Cloud hosting. The organisation is not only looking for accounting software, but a powerful and flexible platform that supports the complexity of its financial processes and its operational work in the care sector. The new ERP system must modernise the accounting processes, automate workflows and be able to integrate smoothly with existing and future...