Mythics Feat. In E&I Spotlight: Mythics For Oracle & Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative
REBROADCAST FROM THE E&I COOPERATIVE SERVICES SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT: MYTHICS FOR ORACLE
Supplier Spotlight: https://www.eandi.org/media-room/technology-insights/supplier-spotlight-mythics-oracle/
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT: MYTHICS FOR ORACLE
Why IPHEC Selected E&I's Mythics for Oracle Contract
by Michelle Nettuno, Category Marketing Manager, Technology, at E&I Cooperative Services
Aaron Carter, Assistant Vice President, Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative (IPHEC), shares why they selected the E&I Mythics for Oracle agreement and how it's helping IPHEC institutions.
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What ERP requirements were IPHEC institutions looking to fulfill?
IPHEC had a general licensing agreement with Oracle, and it was at the end of term. We were looking for ways to engage Oracle for ERP and related products, services, and licensing, and expand upon those offerings.
We needed an award outlet that we initially thought would be direct with Oracle, but we decided it would be beneficial to work with a supplier that would help us get through all the legal and other requirements we faced working directly with a large company like Oracle.
Why did IPHEC decide to use the E&I Mythics for Oracle contract?
Our relationship with E&I lead us to this contract because we have had success working with the cooperative. The ease of using the agreement, coupled with the advantageous pricing component, is very attractive to us. The overall target was Oracle, and finding an avenue to work with them more easily and efficiently was critical.
In Illinois, we have requirements for all awarded suppliers in the state. Educational institutions have to handle certifications, disclosures, signoffs, registrations, and more, which may be broader than in other states. This particular contract is a valuable tool because of the opportunity to have Mythics help us get through all of the red tape.
Lastly, the E&I Mythics contract includes the full suite of Oracle offerings, and that helps us and our partners develop broader plans for our technology base. That's very exciting! There's nothing worse than engaging with a supplier and then having limitations on what you can see and utilize. Having a broad spectrum is really important.
What work has Mythics for Oracle done with your institutions so far, and what are the results?
Just days after signature we ran all types of licensing agreements with them—large dollar purchases to keep things moving. Now that we have the contract offering, the plan is to expand use of Oracle ERP beyond the handful of schools that were originally engaged in these offerings to all 13 IPHEC institutions. The potential to engage with Oracle through Mythics is actually available to all higher education institutions in the state.
We're still a bit too early for new product implementation, but Mythics helped square away existing products and services under this contract umbrella. We're at the stage where we can pivot and look for other opportunities we can expand upon through the award.
Working with Mythics has been really great. They provide excellent support services, they're easy to work with, and they always keep us in the loop. It's been such a welcome partnership that's different from the normal corporate structure to get approvals. With so many things going on here, the ability to be nimble with our requirements is very refreshing.
What are your future plans to work with Mythics through the E&I contract, if any?
The exciting part is working with E&I when you have a quality agreement that checks several boxes. E&I makes it so much easier to engage in products and services without having to handle the procurement process—which can be challenging at times.
This agreement is our go-to Oracle outlet. It takes care of your foundation and you can go on from there. Any future activity will be through the agreement because it provides us with the opportunity to enhance our offerings, and Mythics provides the added value. Oracle ERP is now accessible to institutions that didn't have this previously.
The goal is for all 13 IPHEC institutions to know that the opportunity exists, because in the past we didn't have these offerings at such advantageous pricing and with a complete catalog. Some institutions are implementing ERP on a one-off basis, so the ability to engage statewide is really attractive. The opportunity to improve through this partnership is really exciting for us.