CalSTRS is considered the largest educator-only pension fund in the world and had a portfolio value of around $246 billion as of June 30. The agency is replacing “multiple outdated legacy systems” with a new pension administration system, in a project known as Pension Solution. Pension Solution’s functionality will include “contribution reporting and collections, crediting service, member demographic information maintenance, service credit purchases, benefit application processing, tax reporting and event tracking.”
“The Pension Solution project is the largest technological undertaking in CalSTRS history,” the agency wrote in the RFO. In an update late last year, CalSTRS said it envisioned a go-live in 2022, in the second deployment of a three-phase functional rollout.
The project system integrator, CGI Technologies Inc., and subcontractor Sagitec Solutions are creating the solution, working closely with more than 200 CalSTRS staff members. But CalSTRS also seeks an experienced senior technical consultant “with practical knowledge of developing and implementing technical architecture of complex business applications (and) leading/coordinating the activities of the systems development across various technical teams in the implementation of the Pension Solution.” The project will also require “researching and creating strategic plans for achieving operational efficiencies in support of the Pension Solution … .”
A key objective is ensuring the new solution is designed and technically architected to ensure its long-term “sustainability and supportability.” To meet this goal, the successful candidate must have “in-depth technical knowledge and expertise in all areas of software development and testing”; and be able to develop application proofs of concepts to show that the feasibility of the technical approach guarantees technical groups’ requirements are met, and deliverables comply with architecture and business needs. The new hire will work closely with the CalSTRS project management team, vendor partners and third-party contractors.
Respondents must have a current Information Technology California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) agreement with the California Department of General Services, and technical qualifications including 15 years’ IT experience as technical lead, system analyst, software architect and/or software developer; and at least 10 years’ experience using software/systems/applications to automate complex business processes at large organizations.
The contract value is not specified. The successful candidate will work under the direction of CalSTRS’ chief technology officer or a designee and may be “assigned one or more teams/programs/projects during the service period.” The service period will be up to 24 months with the state option for one 12-month extension; and an average of 160 work hours per month “at the rate negotiated at contract execution.”
