How to Manage ERP Implementation Vendors and Consultants at Scale

A large West Coast health system began an enterprise-wide ERP implementation with a critical timeline. To support the work, the project required a large team of highly specialized technology consultants and subject matter experts across several workstreams. 

Building on an established Aya partnership and the visibility of the LotusOne workforce management system, the client asked Aya to manage and bring structure to the effort — making it easier to onboard consultants, manage vendors and stay on budget while the implementation was underway.  
 

The Challenge

Limited visibility and vendor coordination 

The implementation required coordination across multiple external vendors, each supplying consultants with different skills and responsibilities. Managing those vendors — along with interviews, onboarding and ongoing communication — placed a heavy burden on the health system’s technology leaders and program managers.

Complex systems and compliance requirements 

Prior to working with Aya, several issues made the work especially difficult: multiple, non-consolidated HRIS systems causing limited visibility into who was onboarded and who was still in process; ongoing vendor communication and rate discussions that pulled focus away from the project; the need to manage access for consultants working with sensitive healthcare data; and the use of multiple HR and timekeeping systems, which made it difficult to track progress in one place. 

The client’s goal was to simplify the process without replacing existing vendors—reducing complexity while keeping trusted partners involved. 

The Solution

Phased Onboarding Approach 

Aya worked closely with the client’s program leadership to design a phased onboarding plan that matched the organization’s desired timeline. Instead of onboarding everyone at once, the client brought consultants in groups of 12–15 every 4–6 weeks. This approach allowed the project to move forward without overwhelming internal teams. 

Centralized Coordination Through LotusOne 

Using LotusOne, Aya centralized onboarding and tracking so consultants from all vendors followed a single, consistent process. Aya also provided a dedicated operations team to manage day-to-day coordination. 

Key elements of the Aya solution included:

• Centralized onboarding and tracking for all consultants 

• Seamless integrations of LotusOne with their existing HRIS system, providing a single place to view candidates, onboarding status, compliance, spend and more 

• Support for access once consultants were fully cleared 

• Coordination with existing vendors, plus expanded sourcing when needed 

• Vetting and qualification of all consultants 

• Cost controls aligned to the client’s approved budget 

• Market-based guidance to inform rate decisions 

• Vendor communication, interview coordination and status reporting handled by Aya 

This approach allowed the project to move forward in a controlled, predictable way. 

Results & Benefits 

Operational Efficiency and Visibility

Although the ERP implementation is still underway, the impact of a more centralized approach was clear early on. By taking ownership of onboarding, vendor coordination and day-to-day communication, Aya helped reduce operational friction and gave project leaders the visibility and resources they needed to keep the implementation moving forward with confidence.

Cost Control and Talent Quality 

• Highly specialized consultants deployed across the program: Supported one of the organization’s most critical enterprise initiatives with hard-to-find expertise 

• Vendor coordination centralized under a single team: Reduced the need for leaders to manage multiple vendors, rate discussions and status updates 

• Phased onboarding delivered in 12-15 consultant cohorts: Kept hiring aligned to the client’s timeline without overwhelming internal teams 

• Real-time visibility into consultant status and onboarding progress: Enabled tracking of filled roles, pending candidates and overall program status through LotusOne 

• Budget alignment maintained throughout the engagement: Used real-time market insights to guide rate decisions and keep spend within the client’s approved range 

This engagement demonstrates how a centralized approach can bring clarity and control to complex, multi-vendor initiatives without disrupting existing partnerships. As the implementation continues, the framework established with Aya provides a scalable model for future enterprise projects.

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Frequently Asked Questions 

How do you manage multiple vendors during an ERP implementation? 

Managing multiple vendors requires a centralized approach to coordination, onboarding, and communication. In this case, Aya acted as a single point of coordination—handling vendor communication, tracking consultant status, and standardizing onboarding so all consultants followed the same process. This reduced administrative burden and improved visibility across the program. 

How can healthcare organizations improve visibility during large IT implementations? 

Visibility improves when onboarding, tracking, and reporting are managed in one place. By centralizing these functions through LotusOne and integrating with existing HRIS systems, the client was able to see consultant status, onboarding progress, and overall program activity in real time. 

How do you control costs when hiring specialized consultants for ERP projects? 

Cost control starts with clear budget parameters and ongoing market awareness. Aya worked within the client’s approved budget and provided market-based guidance on rates, helping the organization stay aligned with current conditions while securing highly specialized consultants.