Sourcing JD Edwards Projects: Provider Skills Vary Widely

Firms seek enterprise software with low total cost of ownership (TCO), fast implementation, and fit for industry process. For many firms, this drives them to continue their investment in JD Edwards, despite Oracle's stated long-term road map toward Fusion applications. Beyond software costs, which often represent a small fraction of total life-cycle costs, JD Edwards promises out-of-the-box fit for business processes, proven success in key industries like CPG/food and beverage, and reasonable requirements for resources to implement and support the solution. However, with service provider consolidation and Oracle's focus on newer components of its portfolio (e.g., Fusion and newer acquisition applications), finding JD Edwards talent that fits client needs is becoming increasingly difficult. To get these skills, sourcing teams should be prepared to consider less-well-known JD Edwards implementation partners like MarketSphere, Genpact, and SYSTIME.