implementating a system for a public school which will ultimately replace an old manual system that they use.

[...]
My question is what are some of the steps or stages that are mandatory that should be included this study.

What should this "system" do? Alarm, make coffee, check students for absence, play Rick Astley?

some steps:
Get a detailed description on what the customer wants
Gather info on what systems are available and list the pro's/con's
Choose between buying something that exists are develop something new
Compare prizes/tenders