Microsoft Dynamics 365 Implementation and Support Services

The Vendor is required to provide seeks to implement, customize and configure MS Dynamics 365 as a digital platform that will enable end-to-end management of global, corporate, academic, and innovation partnerships.
- The University is looking to capitalize on these proven benefits to better harmonize our engagement with external partners (e.g. academic institutions, corporations, government agencies, non-government organizations, and research consortia).
- The adoption of a centralized Customer Relationship Management (CRM) will enhance data collection and sharing, creating a professionalized database that strengthens our institutional memory and ensures consistent coordination among various units, while supporting efficient and effective partnership management processes.
- By moving into a modern, 21st-century digital environment, the University will gain the high-fidelity data necessary to drive informed, strategic decision-making. In order to achieve these goals, the University has selected Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM as its software of choice.
- The platform is to unify records across International, Enterprise, and Innovation units; support Business Development; and provide intelligence for senior leadership, deans, and government stakeholders.
- The platform is to support multi-stream partnership workflows, enable transparent revenue attribution, and provide predictive, AI-enabled decision support.
- The platform is anticipated to transform how VPIIE interacts with our data and our partners. Key functional goals include:
• Data-Driven Decision Making:
• Capturing high quality data, leveraging advanced reporting and data-mining tools that will turn information into actionable insights, allowing University leadership to be nimbler and more responsive to high-value opportunities.
• Systematic Follow-Up and Workflow:
• Implementing sophisticated workflow and relationship management engines to ensure consistent, professionalized follow-up and engagement with all external stakeholders.
• Centralized Institutional Memory:
• Establishing a unified system to ensure that partner history and interaction data are preserved and accessible, providing a comprehensive, long-term view of the University’s relationship landscape.
• Accountability & Management:
• Creating and automating clear internal processes for lead assignment and relationship management, ensuring that every inquiry is tracked and managed with institutional oversight and measurable outcomes.
- The Discovery and Solution Design phase is expected to prioritize sustainable platform architecture and scalability, while discouraging unnecessary customization that may increase long-term operational complexity, technical debt, or maintenance costs
- Vice-President, International, Innovation and Enterprise (VPIiE) units as needed to:
• Document and validate current-state workflows, operational processes, and pain points;
• Identify opportunities for process harmonization, simplification, automation, and standardization across the portfolio;
• Define future-state workflows and business processes to be supported within Microsoft Dynamics 365;
• Assess and recommend appropriate Microsoft Dynamics modules, Power Platform components, and related technologies required to support VPIIE business objectives;
• Identify opportunities for AI-enabled functionality, automation, predictive analytics, and Copilot integration;
• Assess data quality, migration readiness, and integration requirements with institutional systems and external platforms;
• Develop an implementation sequencing and prioritization strategy;
• Identify risks, dependencies, resourcing considerations, and change management requirements associated with implementation.