Independent ERP Selection, RFP & Due Diligence

An ERP selection consultant helps you choose the right ERP before you commit to a multi-year investment. ESS runs independent ERP selection end to end: we define and prioritize your requirements, build a realistic shortlist, write and run the RFP, script vendor demos around your real processes, and score every criterion on a consistent rubric so the ranking is evidence-based rather than sales-driven. Due diligence then covers total cost of ownership, references, implementation risk and contract terms. Because ESS's ERP implementation consultants have spent 25+ years delivering IFS, Epicor Prophet 21 and Infor, the selection advice reflects what implementation, data migration and integration really take — not a brochure. The output is a defensible decision your whole team can stand behind.

Yes — and it's actually our advantage as an independent ERP selection advisor. Because ESS implements IFS, Epicor Prophet 21 and Infor, we have no incentive to force-fit one product; we recommend the best fit for your business, and some engagements end with a recommendation we don't implement — that's fine. Unlike ERP consulting firms that only advise, we've sat on both sides of ERP projects for 25+ years, so our guidance is grounded in what implementation, ERP data migration and integration really cost and require. And unlike single-product resellers, we aren't paid to sell licenses. That combination — hands-on delivery depth with vendor neutrality — is rare, and it's exactly what makes selection advice trustworthy.

Yes — RFPs and scripted vendor demos are core to ESS's independent ERP selection process. We translate your prioritized requirements into an RFP that forces comparable, specific answers instead of vague brochure responses, then build a realistic vendor shortlist. Demos run on a script built around your real processes — order entry, planning, service, finance — not the vendor's polished canned path, so gaps show up before you sign rather than during implementation. Every criterion is scored on a consistent rubric across vendors, so the ranking reflects evidence, not who presented best. Because our ERP implementation consultants know how these systems behave in production, we also probe the areas vendors prefer to skip, like data migration and integration effort.

ERP due diligence covers everything that could surprise you after you sign: total cost of ownership across licensing, implementation, infrastructure, integration and ongoing support; implementation risk and realistic timeline; reference checks; fit-gap analysis against your prioritized requirements; and a review of contract and licensing terms. ESS also pressure-tests the parts of a proposal vendors tend to gloss over — ERP data migration effort, ERP system integration with the rest of your stack, and what support really costs after go-live. Because our team has delivered these implementations for 25+ years, we know where budgets and timelines actually slip. The goal is simple: no surprises on cost, timeline or capability once the ink is dry.

ERP selection typically takes several weeks to a few months, depending on scope, the number of stakeholders and how many vendors you evaluate. It's deliberately careful because the cost of choosing wrong — years of workarounds or a re-implementation — dwarfs the cost of the process. A structured, independent ERP selection compresses the timeline while de-risking it: requirements, shortlist, RFP, scripted demos, scoring and due diligence each have a clear output and decision, so momentum never stalls in vague vendor conversations. ESS has run this process alongside 25+ years of ERP consulting services, so we know which steps deserve time and which can move fast. Tell us where you are, and we'll map a realistic selection timeline.

If you already know which ERP you want, ESS can validate that choice with a focused fit and due-diligence review — confirming the fit against your requirements and surfacing cost, contract, data migration and integration risks before you commit. If the choice holds up, you move into implementation with confidence; if it doesn't, you find out before signing, not after. And because ESS is both an independent ERP selection advisor and a delivery firm, the same ERP implementation consultants who validated the decision can implement it — configuration, ERP data migration, integration and support — with no handoff to a stranger. Either way, the review is fast, and far cheaper than living with the wrong system.