Project Activities
This page includes project activities month-by-month. All of these activities will have specific email calendar invitations sent to relevant team members. If you think you’ve been missed, please contact era-project-team@nd.edu.
Our Kick-off was held at the end of January. Check the “Resources” page for the presentation deck. February through May will see selected groups participating in Focus Group Sessions to document and map current state activities. This work is called Business Process Confirmation Sessions. There will be training for all teams, and individual meeting invitations will be sent for all sessions.
Phase V: Project Alignment and Implementation Planning
Conduct Initial Alignment Discussion(s)
Establish Governance, Alignment RACI
Conduct Alignment Phase Launch
Validate OCM and Training Scope
Confirm Implementation Methodology/Sequencing
Scope Alignment Preparation/Discussions
Validate In-Scope and Out-of-Scope Items (Go-Live Release)
Identify In-Scope Data Objects
Identify In-Scope Integrations
Perform Security and Compliance Alignment
Perform Testing Alignment
Perform Cutover and Deployment Alignment
Finalize Alignment Deliverables
Negotiation Planning and Shared Governance
Perform Contract Approval and Execution
Update Project Charter and other key project documents
Confirm Implementation Roles and Responsibilities
Hire/onboard backfill positions
Current State Assessment: January through May 2025
eRA Project Kickoff
Thursday, January 23
February
Process Mapping Overview Training
Onsite Focus Group Launch and Workshop
Group 1 Process Mapping Follow-up Training
March
Research Development Focus Group Session
IRB Focus Group Sessions
Pre-Award Team Focus Group Sessions
Research Contracts Team Focus Group Sessions
Research Project Managers Focus Group Sessions
Group 2 Process Mapping Follow-up Training
April
Corporate and Foundation Relations Focus Group Sessions
Post-Award Team Focus Group Sessions
IACUC Team Focus Group Sessions
Group 3 Process Mapping Follow-up Training
Research Sponsored Projects Accounting (RSPA) Focus Group Sessions
IBC Focus Group Sessions
May
Research Security Focus Group Sessions
Technical Focus Group Sessions
ND Data & Reporting Focus Group Sessions
NDRAC Cross-functional Focus Group Sessions
User Experience Focus Group Session
NDRAC Systems Focus Group Session
Policy & Training Focus Group Session
Business Requirements and RFP Development: June 2025
Development of the Requirements List
Requirements Review Orientation
Requirements Feedback
RFP Development and Vendor Selection: July through December 2025
July
Development of the RFP content
Development of the Evaluators Guidebook
Meeting scheduling from July through December for Evaluators, SMEs, and support team
Review and Approval of the RFP document
August
RFP release
Vendor review and proposal submission
September
Evaluation of the Vendor’s proposal submission(s)
Scoring of the Vendor’s proposals
October
Short-listed Vendors identified
Vendor Demonstration requirements developed
November
Vendor presentations, interviews, and discussions
Vendor background checks and references checks
Evaluators’ scoring of Vendor Demonstrations
Final requests for Vendor information and updates
December
Review of Vendors’ final proposals
Recommendation of preferred vendor
Approval of recommended Vendor