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Banking AI/ML Outsourcing

Banking AI/ML Outsourcing Contract for Infor CloudSuite and Credit Risk Integration

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Contract Details

  • Client: Pacific Crest University (mid-market, 400 employees, $180M revenue, Eugene, OR)

    • A regional public university with 12,000 students, offering undergraduate and graduate programs, seeking to enhance academic and administrative systems.

  • Outsourcing Provider: Master1Tech, Lahore, Pakistan

    • A Lahore-based IT outsourcing firm with expertise in higher education ERP/HCM solutions, LMS integration, and full-stack development.

  • Contract Value: $520K over 18 months (March 2024–August 2025)

    • Reflects a T&M model, with billing based on hours worked and resources used, slightly higher than GreenLeaf ($500K) due to higher education’s compliance and training demands.

  • Start Date: March 1, 2024

  • End Date: August 31, 2025, with an option for a 1-year extension based on performance and client needs.

  • Scope: Develop, integrate, maintain, and troubleshoot APIs and middleware for Infor CloudSuite Education (HCM and Financials), Blackboard Learn (LMS), and Tableau for academic analytics, ensuring seamless interoperability. Provide training for 250 university staff and faculty on system usage.

  • Service Level Agreements (SLAs):

    • 99.6% API uptime to ensure reliable access to academic and administrative systems.

    • 92% resolution of API and middleware issues within 5 hours, balancing urgency with higher education’s operational pace.

    • Training for 250 employees within 4 months, with 88% proficiency in system tools.

  • Compliance:

    • FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) for student data protection.

    • SOC 2 Type II for security and data integrity.

    • WCAG 2.1 for accessibility in LMS and analytics interfaces.

  • Governance:

    • Bi-weekly reviews via Microsoft Teams, with project tracking in Jira and Confluence for documentation.

    • Quarterly compliance audits to ensure FERPA and SOC 2 adherence.

  • Budget Allocation:

    • API Integration: $208K (40%)

    • Maintenance: $130K (25%)

    • Troubleshooting: $104K (20%)

    • Training: $52K (10%)

    • Infrastructure (portals, ticketing, cloud): $26K (5%)

Project Description

Pacific Crest University outsourced the development and maintenance of APIs and middleware to Master1Tech to ensure seamless interoperability between Infor CloudSuite Education (for HR, payroll, and financials), Blackboard Learn (for course management and student engagement), and Tableau (for academic and administrative analytics). The project aimed to streamline academic operations, enhance student and faculty experiences, and ensure compliance with higher education regulations. Key components included:

  • API Integration: Developing secure APIs to connect Infor CloudSuite, Blackboard, and Tableau, supporting 2,000 daily academic transactions (e.g., course registrations, payroll).

  • Maintenance: Regular updates to API endpoints and middleware for performance and compliance.

  • Troubleshooting: Rapid resolution of connectivity and data sync issues to minimize disruptions in academic workflows.

  • Training: Educating 250 university staff and faculty (e.g., HR, faculty, IT teams) on system functionalities and analytics dashboards. This project aligns with higher education outsourcing trends, similar to HCL’s Infor CloudSuite and Blackboard support for universities like UC Berkeley or Athabasca, tailored for FERPA-compliant ERP/HCM and LMS integration in mid-sized institutions.

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Developers Troubleshooting Issues

Tasks Involved

  1. API Integration:

    • Developed RESTful APIs using Node.js and Infor OS to integrate Infor CloudSuite Education (HCM and Financials) with Blackboard Learn and Tableau, enabling real-time data flow for 2,000 daily transactions (e.g., student enrollments, faculty payroll).

    • Utilized MuleSoft for middleware orchestration, ensuring secure data exchange across systems, similar to GreenLeaf’s NetSuite-Salesforce integration.

    • Configured Blackboard LTI 1.3 standards for LMS interoperability, syncing Infor CloudSuite HR data (e.g., faculty profiles) with Blackboard courses.

  2. Maintenance:

    • Updated API endpoints and middleware configurations using AWS API Gateway and Infor Mongoose for scalability, achieving 99.6% uptime, akin to GreenLeaf’s Azure API Management.

    • Applied patches to Node.js APIs and MuleSoft workflows, improving transaction processing speed by 10%.

    • Monitored system performance with AWS CloudWatch, ensuring compliance with FERPA audit requirements.

  3. Troubleshooting:

    • Resolved API latency and LTI data sync errors using Splunk for log analysis, reducing error rates by 15%, comparable to GreenLeaf’s Splunk usage.

    • Debugged PostgreSQL database inconsistencies in Infor CloudSuite, ensuring accurate financial and student data.

    • Addressed Blackboard authentication issues via ServiceNow ticketing, meeting the 5-hour SLA for 92% of cases.

  4. Training:

    • Delivered workshops for 250 staff and faculty using Articulate 360 and Microsoft PowerPoint, covering Infor CloudSuite HCM (Employee Central, Payroll), Blackboard Learn navigation, and Tableau dashboards.

    • Created e-learning modules with Camtasia, achieving 88% proficiency in system tools within 4 months.

    • Provided hands-on sessions for Tableau analytics, enabling faculty to generate student performance reports.

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IT Skills Required

  • API Development: Node.js, Java for REST APIs; Infor OS, MuleSoft for integration; Blackboard LTI 1.3 for LMS interoperability.

  • Middleware: Infor Mongoose for custom extensions; AWS API Gateway for secure API management.

  • Programming: JavaScript for API scripting; Python (Flask) for automation tasks.

  • Database Management: PostgreSQL for Infor CloudSuite and Blackboard data; SQL for analytics queries.

  • Troubleshooting: Splunk for log analysis; AWS CloudWatch for performance monitoring.

  • Cloud Platforms: AWS (EC2, RDS, Lambda) for hosting and scaling Infor CloudSuite and Blackboard.

  • Testing: Cypress for automated testing of web interfaces (e.g., HCM and LMS portals).

  • Version Control: Git (GitLab) for code management and collaboration.

  • Ticketing Systems: ServiceNow for helpdesk and issue resolution.

  • Training Delivery: Articulate 360, Camtasia, PowerPoint for e-learning and workshops.

  • Front-End Development: React for creating user-friendly API portals and analytics dashboards.

Contract Outcomes

  • Cost Savings: 16% reduction in IT operational costs through efficient API integration and maintenance, slightly surpassing GreenLeaf’s 15% savings.

  • Performance: Supported 2,000 daily academic transactions with 99.6% API uptime, ensuring reliable access to LMS and administrative systems.

  • Compliance: Achieved FERPA and SOC 2 Type II compliance, with zero audit violations, critical for student data protection.

  • User Adoption: Trained 250 staff and faculty, with 88% proficiency in Infor CloudSuite, Blackboard, and Tableau tools, meeting the SLA target.

  • Reliability: Resolved 92% of API and middleware issues within 5 hours, maintaining academic workflow continuity.

  • Scalability: Enabled Pacific Crest to support a 15% increase in student enrollment without system performance degradation.