Nygren says Nation to become more efficient with $31 million enterprise resource planning
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - A governmental change years in the making occurred on Nov. 22 when Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren signed a $31 million contract to implement the Enterprise Resource Planning system. “This is a big moment for the Navajo Nation and Indian Country,” Nygren said. “Our government must adapt to a global mindset and employ modern technology to become more effective, efficient and transparent.” The ERP system is powered by Arctic IT and Microsoft Dynamics. It will consolidate siloed data systems, eliminate outdated paperwork and improve workflows across tribal departments of finance, human resources and the tribal census office. The shift to ERP marks an awaited leap into the digital era for the Navajo Nation. Navajo Nation Controller Sean McCabe said it will streamline operations and improve service delivery for the Nation’s 4,000 employees. For a tribal government of this scale, he said, a modernization effort is about internal improvements and to better serve more than 400,000 people. “It took me four months to understand just how slow things really are,” McCabe said. “We’ve been piecing together systems for over 20 years. It’s time for a change.” TACKLING LONG-STANDING CHALLENGES The Navajo Nation has struggled for decades with the slow bureaucratic processes it created, whether to pay vendors or hiring new people. The ERP system will make accounting vastly easier and efficient, especially the process of payments, McCabe said. During Nygren’s signing of the contract, McCabe explained how the ERP system simplifies tracking payments and personnel actions. "This is about shifting from quantity to quality," he said. "Instead of hiring more people to handle paperwork, we let the system do the heavy lifting and allow employees to focus on meaningful work." Best yet, he said, ERP is expected to save the Nation millions annually by reducing consulting fees. “For too long, priorities have been delayed because money wasn’t flowing properly,” McCabe said. “This changes that.” TRANSFORMING HUMAN RESOURCES AND ENROLLMENT Reycita Toddy, director of the Navajo Division of Human Resources, said ERP will address old challenges and is expected to eliminate unproductiveness that has plagued the hiring process. “We’ve always talked about going paperless,” Toddy said. “We kept reverting back to paper applications. With this new system, we’ll speed up hiring and address the many errors that have caused delays in personnel action forms.” One of HR’s primary goals is to fill a significant number of vacant tribal job positions. Just that will help services reach the people who need them most, Toddy said. ERP will assist with tribal census enrollment, particularly for tribal members who live off the Navajo Nation, she said. “We’re partnering with tribal enrollment to verify members’ eligibility and to enroll individuals in urban areas,” Toddy said. “This system will make those processes much smoother.” For Toddy and her team, modernization is about productivity, effectiveness and serving Navajos better. “Our job is to deliver services to our community,” she said. “This system helps us do that faster and more effectively.” A LEGACY OF MODERNIZATION The ERP initiative represents a shared vision among Navajo leaders. Nygren credited the collaboration among the executive and legislative branches with departments like HR, Navajo Information Technology, and the Office of Management and Budget with making this project a reality. “This is a project for the future,” he said. “It’s about making our government better than it was when we found it.” Tribal leaders will have access to real-time insight into the status of their projects, payments and approvals. That is expected to improve transparency and accountability. It will make sure that delays are reduced and problems are addressed promptly. A NEW ERA FOR NAVAJO GOVERNANCE Tracy Shorty, the IT manager who will oversee ERP, said the system’s potential to unify and protect critical data enables a smoother process. “This system integrates well with our existing technology,” she said. “It will bring everything into a central, secure hub. It’s a huge step forward for the Nation.” Native-owned technology company Arctic IT expressed pride to partner with the Navajo Nation. “This isn’t just a technology project,” Matt Borkowski, Arctic IT director of business applications sales, said. “It’s about empowering people. By reducing administrative burdens, employees can focus on delivering vital services to make their work more fulfilling and impactful.” LOOKING AHEAD The ERP system is ready to roll out in phases over the next year. Tribal leaders and staff are optimistic about its potential to transform operational management to serve the Diné. “The stronger we operate, the better we serve our people,” Nygren said. “This investment will pay for itself by improving lives and delivering services faster.” “This is just the beginning,” he said. “We are
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - A governmental change years in the making occurred on Nov. 22 when Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren signed a $31 million contract to implement the Enterprise Resource Planning system.
“This is a big moment for the Navajo Nation and Indian Country,” Nygren said. “Our government must adapt to a global mindset and employ modern technology to become more effective, efficient and transparent.”
The ERP system is powered by Arctic IT and Microsoft Dynamics. It will consolidate siloed data systems, eliminate outdated paperwork and improve workflows across tribal departments of finance, human resources and the tribal census office.
The shift to ERP marks an awaited leap into the digital era for the Navajo Nation. Navajo Nation Controller Sean McCabe said it will streamline operations and improve service delivery for the Nation’s 4,000 employees.
For a tribal government of this scale, he said, a modernization effort is about internal improvements and to better serve more than 400,000 people.
“It took me four months to understand just how slow things really are,” McCabe said. “We’ve been piecing together systems for over 20 years. It’s time for a change.”
TACKLING LONG-STANDING CHALLENGES
The Navajo Nation has struggled for decades with the slow bureaucratic processes it created, whether to pay vendors or hiring new people.
The ERP system will make accounting vastly easier and efficient, especially the process of payments, McCabe said.
During Nygren’s signing of the contract, McCabe explained how the ERP system simplifies tracking payments and personnel actions.
"This is about shifting from quantity to quality," he said. "Instead of hiring more people to handle paperwork, we let the system do the heavy lifting and allow employees to focus on meaningful work."
Best yet, he said, ERP is expected to save the Nation millions annually by reducing consulting fees.
“For too long, priorities have been delayed because money wasn’t flowing properly,” McCabe said. “This changes that.”
TRANSFORMING HUMAN RESOURCES AND ENROLLMENT
Reycita Toddy, director of the Navajo Division of Human Resources, said ERP will address old challenges and is expected to eliminate unproductiveness that has plagued the hiring process.
“We’ve always talked about going paperless,” Toddy said. “We kept reverting back to paper applications. With this new system, we’ll speed up hiring and address the many errors that have caused delays in personnel action forms.”
One of HR’s primary goals is to fill a significant number of vacant tribal job positions. Just that will help services reach the people who need them most, Toddy said.
ERP will assist with tribal census enrollment, particularly for tribal members who live off the Navajo Nation, she said.
“We’re partnering with tribal enrollment to verify members’ eligibility and to enroll individuals in urban areas,” Toddy said. “This system will make those processes much smoother.”
For Toddy and her team, modernization is about productivity, effectiveness and serving Navajos better.
“Our job is to deliver services to our community,” she said. “This system helps us do that faster and more effectively.”
A LEGACY OF MODERNIZATION
The ERP initiative represents a shared vision among Navajo leaders. Nygren credited the collaboration among the executive and legislative branches with departments like HR, Navajo Information Technology, and the Office of Management and Budget with making this project a reality.
“This is a project for the future,” he said. “It’s about making our government better than it was when we found it.”
Tribal leaders will have access to real-time insight into the status of their projects, payments and approvals. That is expected to improve transparency and accountability.
It will make sure that delays are reduced and problems are addressed promptly.
A NEW ERA FOR NAVAJO GOVERNANCE
Tracy Shorty, the IT manager who will oversee ERP, said the system’s potential to unify and protect critical data enables a smoother process.
“This system integrates well with our existing technology,” she said. “It will bring everything into a central, secure hub. It’s a huge step forward for the Nation.”
Native-owned technology company Arctic IT expressed pride to partner with the Navajo Nation.
“This isn’t just a technology project,” Matt Borkowski, Arctic IT director of business applications sales, said. “It’s about empowering people. By reducing administrative burdens, employees can focus on delivering vital services to make their work more fulfilling and impactful.”
LOOKING AHEAD
The ERP system is ready to roll out in phases over the next year. Tribal leaders and staff are optimistic about its potential to transform operational management to serve the Diné.
“The stronger we operate, the better we serve our people,” Nygren said. “This investment will pay for itself by improving lives and delivering services faster.”
“This is just the beginning,” he said. “We are thinking for the future to make sure our government meets the needs of our people today and tomorrow.”
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