Fast forward Georgia, Vol. 2, no. 4 (July/Aug. 2003)

July/August 2003

A Publication of the Georgia Technology Authority

HR system upgrade will bring cost-savings to state, convenience to employees

The state's PeopleSoft human resources and financial systems are slated for big improvements, and as the agency responsible for their operation, GTA is leading the effort.
The systems will be upgraded in two separate projects beginning with the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) this September. The current HRMS became operational in October 1999 with PeopleSoft Version 7.02, which the company no longer supports. GTA will replace it with the latest release of Version 8, and the upgrade is scheduled to be completed in November 2004.
"With the upgraded version, we'll be able to avoid some of the costs we now incur," said Sherrie Southern, director of GTA Financial Systems, which runs the state's human resources and financial systems. "At the same time, we'll make the operating environment simpler for users and provide state
Long distance rates fall by 70 percent
Welcome news for state and local government agencies facing tight budgets: Your July telephone bills will reflect significantly lower charges for long distance calls. The new reductions up to 70 percent overall apply to in-state, interstate and international calls.
For example, the in-state rate between call zones will drop to 3.1 cents/minute, and the interstate rate will go down to 3.5 cents/minute. The surcharge for calling card calls has been eliminated.
The reductions were made possible in part by GTA's recent dismantling of the obsolete transport network that supported the old GIST dialing system (8+1) and awarding a new contract for within-zone calls. GTA has undertaken a review of all telecom rates, the first total review in three years, and hopes to obtain additional long distance reductions later in the fiscal year after renegotiating contracts. Charges for local service are also under review.
Georgia Technology Authority

employees with convenient, self-service options." Since the new version works over a secure Web
site, agencies won't need to invest in new computers because users only need a browser, no executable files will be stored on users' computers, resulting in less need for technical support, employees will be able to update their own personal information, such as address changes, freeing human resources staff from clerical tasks, employees with direct deposit will get their paycheck vouchers through a secure Web site. Eliminating printed paycheck vouchers for
employees with direct deposit will save the state over $86,000 annually in printing costs, Ms. Southern said. The use of online vouchers is a growing trend at leading companies throughout the nation.
Agencies won't incur any direct costs
The upgrade will be financed entirely through the Universal Service Fund. Although the fund was established to support distance learning and telemedicine, the General Assembly passed GTAsupported legislation during this year's session allowing it to be used for statewide information technology projects for the next three years.
See HRMS upgrade, page 3
Volume 2, No. 4
Inside this issue
Telecom task force report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
GTA helps Fulton County evaluate IT upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
GSA Schedule 70 gives agencies more options, buying power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Bringing the benefits of technology to Georgia government

Telecom task force report calls for flexibility, procurement changes

The Governor's Telecommunications and

agencies in strategic IT activities. The membership

Technology Task Force presented its findings in

and responsibilities of the Agency Heads Advisory

June, and GTA is already implementing many of its Committee have expanded. GTA also has begun

recommendations.

formal discussions with agency program directors

"The report reinforces changes we initiated early about their business priorities and customer needs

this year to better enable GTA to respond not only to ensure they are supported by IT and addressed

to telecommunications but also to the general IT

by the state's enterprise architecture.

needs of state agencies and the state as a whole,"

Seeking a better balance between standards

said Tom Wade, acting GTA executive director and and flexibility in the procurement process. GTA's

state chief information officer.

revised technology review policy delegates authority

The Governor appointed the task force in

to each agency for approving technology initiatives

February to review telecom-

that cost less than $50,000.

munications policy and iden-

These technology initiatives

tify a "manageable and sus- "The report reinforces changes are no longer subject to prior

tainable approach" to out-

we initiated early this year."

GTA review and approval, but

sourcing. The task force lis-

they should continue to com-

tened to testimony from

Tom Wade ply with GTA policies and

dozens of representatives

Acting GTA Executive Director standards to ensure compati-

from state agencies, industry

bility with the network.

providers, associations and

The procurement process

GTA.

will foster competition and cost saving. Where it's

The report noted that "long delays caused by

economical, GTA will outsource specific operational

waiting for completion of the CCOP process have

tasks. Outsourcing initiatives will be incremental

serious consequences for the state." CCOP--

with reasonable contract periods.

Georgia's Converged Communications Outsourcing

Enhancing reliability and choice. With input

Project--was designed to outsource and upgrade from agencies, GTA is analyzing how it delivers

state government's telecommunications and infor- services. The analysis may lead GTA to discontinue

mation technology services. The project was can- some products and services, bundle or package

celled earlier this year when only a single bidder

others, or introduce new ones.

remained.

Agencies will get an easy-to-use product cata-

The task force made additional determinations. log offering a range of choices when vendors'

Using a revised approach to procuring

products differ significantly in function and cost.

telecommunications and computing services Agencies will be able to choose the solution that

should yield considerable long-term savings

best meets their needs.

to the state and greater operational

In other areas, such as long distance service,

efficiencies.

GTA will pursue a statewide contract that maxi-

By building in flexibility to match systems with mizes the state's purchasing power. In June, GTA

agency needs, state government can improve announced reductions of as much as 70 percent in

productivity.

long distance rates for all state agencies (see story

Through strategic use of contracting policies, on page 1).

the strengths of private industry can complement those of state government.

A good start

Making progress
Work is under way on several issues raised in the report.
Establishing a more collaborative relationship between GTA and state agencies, with regular agency input. Several months ago, GTA adopted a different, federated approach to engaging state

"We've made a good start toward meeting the task force's recommendations," Mr. Wade said. "We will continue working with the Governor's office and state agencies on priorities and implementation."

Fast Forward

Georgia

Page 2

A win-win-win situation:
GTA helps Fulton County evaluate IT upgrade

Fulton County taxpayers were among the winners when GTA recently helped Fulton County's tax assessor and tax commissioner update their 1980s-era tax systems.
The systems handling tax assessments and tax billing needed to be replaced. Since these two systems didn't share a common database, information was entered twice whenever a change in assessment and tax billing occurred.
"They were in dire need of a technological refresh," said Fulton County CIO Robert Taylor.
Fulton County's tax assessor system is the largest in Georgia, handling 270,000 properties. The tax commissioner has more than 270,000 accounts, billing $1.4 billion annually for personal and real property.
The county's IT department recommended an upgrade of the system using the current vendor and integrating assessments and tax billing.

County commissioners wanted an outside

opinion. Mr. Taylor contacted several consulting

companies, but none could meet the county's tight

deadline. Having partnered with GTA before, Mr.

Taylor contacted Tom Wade, GTA's acting executive

director, about reviewing the IT department's

recommendation. On May

20, a GTA team with

Robert Woodruff, Bruce Brownlee, Martha Hazelton and Jody Chambers went

"We've been very satisfied with our partnership."

into action to provide a timely assessment.
"They met with us for a

Robert Taylor Fulton County CIO

detailed review," Mr. Taylor

explained. "Following the meeting, they researched

other options and possible solutions, assessed the

value of our current systems and developed a very

thorough and comprehensive report."

See Fulton County, page 4

HRMS upgrade, from page 1

Steering committee provides oversight
GTA also coordinated the appointment of a steering committee to provide executive oversight of the HRMS upgrade. The steering committee is made up of representatives from the following offices and agencies:
Office of the Chief Operating Officer Office of the Chief Financial Officer Office of Planning and Budget Department of Audits and Accounts Georgia Merit System Employees Retirement System Department of Human Resources Department of Natural Resources Georgia State Patrol A separate steering committee will be formed to oversee the upgrade of the financial system. This phase of the upgrade is expected to begin in early 2004.
What's next?
The next step is selecting a vendor to help plan and implement the upgrade. GTA issued a

Request for Proposal in June to find a vendor to

assist with planning and implementing the HRMS

upgrade. Responses were due July 10 with the

final selection expected in August. The vendor is

scheduled to begin work in

September. Then, the GTA-

led project team will spend

What GTA Financial Systems

up to four weeks planning

does for you

every phase of the upgrade. Coming later this year are
details about training on the upgraded system for HRMS users. In addition, top management in state agencies will be kept informed about

GTA operates the PeopleSoft human resources and financial systems, which manage
payroll checks for 65,000 state employees
retirement checks for 45,000 retirees

the upgrade's progress on a

a database of 85,000 active

regular basis, and details

members of the Employees

about status reports will be

Retirement System

announced after the vendor begins work.

benefits processing for more than 100 agencies

1099s and W2s for more than 70 state entities

processing of payments to 100,000

vendors

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GSA Schedule 70 gives agencies more options, buying power

State agencies now have more choices and

greater buying power when it comes to purchasing

computers and related products.

For the first time,

Online Resources

agencies can make purchases with the

GTA's Web site provides complete information on using the GSA Schedule 70 and other sources. In the hardware contracts section, you'll find:

General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 70, a catalog of vendor contracts

General information

originally developed for

Procedures for using enterprise contracts Links to hardware contracts

the exclusive use of federal agencies. Congress voted to allow

www.gta.georgia.gov/procurement

state and local govern-

ments to use the

federal catalog of contracts beginning last May. With this newest option, agencies can choose
from among three highly competitive sources: GSA Schedule 70, GTA-negotiated statewide contracts and the Western States Contracting Alliance. If an agency finds a better deal on the same equipment from another source, they can simply request an exception to using one of these sources.
Complete details about enterprise contracts, links to contracts and frequently asked questions are posted on GTA's Web site at www.gta.georgia.gov/procurement. Click on Enterprise Contracts then look under Hardware Contracts.

Fulton County, from page 3

Fulton County's outdated systems didn't share data, Mr. Brownlee said. They relied on technology that is being phased out and would not be supported by the vendor within a year because they hadn't been upgraded.
GTA's final report supported Mr. Taylor's recommendations, and the Board of Commissioners approved them.
The upgrade will result in a Web-based system using a single consolidated database and technology that has become Fulton County's standard, said Mr. Brownlee.
As an added benefit, he said, Cobb County has already upgraded some of its systems using the same vendor, enabling Fulton County to take advantage of the work already done on state-mandated tax reports. The upgraded system will be easier for employees to use and require less train-

ing. It will eventually allow taxpayers to access the department over the Internet.
Fulton County's choice of GTA to provide this assessment was significant, said Ms. Hazelton. "This is not a service GTA has marketed, but we have people with the information and background to do it."
Mr. Brownlee agreed. "This sets a precedent where GTA is ready, willing and able to help county governments."
As for Mr. Taylor, he said GTA was able to validate that spending money to upgrade systems can reduce the costs of providing essential taxpayer services.
"We have been very satisfied with our partnership," said Mr. Taylor.

Fast Forward Georgia
Published bi-monthly and available online at www.gta.georgia.gov 100 Peachtree Street, Suite 2300, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 404-463-2300, FAX 404-463-2370
Paula Calhoun and Michael Clark, Editors; Hettie Smith, Designer

Tom Wade Cigdem Delano
Steve Nichols Chris Tomlinson

Acting GTA Executive Director & State CIO , twade@gta.ga.gov Deputy Director & Acting Chief Operating Officer, cdelano@gta.ga.gov Deputy Director & Chief Technology Officer, snichols@gta.ga.gov Assistant to the CIO for Policy & Deputy General Counsel, ctomlinson@gta.ga.gov

James D. Lester III, Chairman, GTA Board of Directors

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