FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2024

Contact: BFM Commissioner Jim Terwilliger

Project BISON Achieves Milestone: Contracts Signed with Sierra-Cedar and Oracle

PIERRE, S.D. – The Bureau of Finance and Management (BFM) has taken a crucial step toward modernizing the State of South Dakota’s financial processes through Project BISON. Last week, BFM secured Oracle Fusion Cloud as its new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and selected Sierra-Cedar to lead the implementation of Project BISON.

Project BISON is spearheading a significant financial transition by replacing a 36-year-old system with a state-of-the-art, cloud-based ERP solution. The new ERP system will integrate all financial functions into a centralized platform, ensuring that all agencies work from a unified data set. This advanced technology will enable State financial staff to access accurate, real-time financial data with just a few clicks. This collaborative effort across all State agencies will leverage their collective expertise to design, test, and implement the new system alongside Sierra-Cedar, ensuring its longevity for decades to come.

The need to update state government’s financial operations has been a long-standing discussion due to the aging nature of existing systems and limited vendor support. The current core financial system, in use since 1988, has undergone numerous extensions to its critical infrastructure, however it now requires a comprehensive replacement. A feasibility study completed in January 2022 confirmed the necessity for a financial system overhaul.

“Governor Noem understands the importance of modernizing the financial system for the State of South Dakota,” said BFM Commissioner, Jim Terwilliger. “Not only that, but she also recognized the need for Project BISON to receive appropriate support to ensure successful implementation.”

Senate Bill 23 was introduced during the 2023 Legislative Session to support this project. The bill was approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives with widespread bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Noem on March 27, 2023.

Following over a year of planning, Request for Proposal (RFP) development, on-site demonstrations from multiple system integrators, and examining ERP systems, the Project BISON evaluation committee selected Sierra-Cedar to implement Oracle Fusion Cloud as the modern financial system of record for the State of South Dakota. Contracts with Sierra-Cedar and Oracle were signed by BFM Commissioner Terwilliger and Bureau of Information and Telecommunications (BIT) Commissioner Clines.

“We anticipate kicking off Project BISON to state employees in July 2024,” said BFM Commissioner Terwilliger. “This project is expected to go live in FY27, bringing with it a modern ERP system and financial processes following industry best practices.”

To read more about Project BISON and sign up for project updates, visit https://www.sd.gov/bison.