Overview of Trns•port Product Migration and Implementation in New York

1. Overview of Trns•port Product Migration and Implementation in New York 2004 Trns•port User Group (TUG) Conference October 15, 2004

2. Presentation Overview • Presenters • Joint agency implementation • Project objectives • PM structure • Schedule • Modules –Estimator, PES/LAS, DSS, Expedite • Lessons learned & improvement opportunities • Future plans

3. Presenters • NYSDOT • Mike Arthur, Engineering • Bruce Foster, IT • Dave Kent & Steve Zargham, Design • Bill Howe, Contracts • NYSTA • Harold Crusan, Engineering

4. Joint Agency ImplementationWhy? • Common objectives and mandates • Similar business functions • Use same resources: specifications, standards, consultants and contractors • Establish common bid requirements for contracting community • NYS Transportation Federation

5. Joint Agency ImplementationHow? • Shared application and database servers • Shared database tables: items, fund types, work codes, vendors, projects/proposals • Agency specific control groups • Aligned business practices where practical • Individual software licenses

6. Joint Agency ImplementationIssues? • Secure, reliable, fast network connection • Maintaining separate letting programs, on separate days of the week • Differences in business practices which were not practical to align • Establishing roles and responsibilities for each Agency: item and reference table updates, maintenance and support, troubleshooting

7. Project Objectives • Migrate off Trns•port mainframe systems (PES/LAS, DSS - unsupported as of 7/04) • Replace internal legacy stovepipe systems (NYSDOT:PC PES, EBS NYSTA: BIDLET) • Use “off the shelf” products with as little customization as possible

8. Project Management Structure • Followed principles of PM outlined in the NYS Project Management Guidebook • Used a “3 – legged stool” – NYSDOT/NYSTA Prog. area managers, NYSDOT/NYSTA IT project managers and consultant project manager • Executive level project sponsors

10. Capital Program Size Program Volatility – 10-15% of the letting dates in Trns•port change after advertisement

11. NYSDOT & NYSTA Project Schedule

12. Trns•port Estimator

13. Trns•port Estimator • Computer based training program • Catalog access and update process

14. Estimator Training Background • NYSDOT performs estimating at 11 regional offices across the state. • Training needed for 700 NYSDOT/NYSTA staff plus 180 consultant firms. • “Train the Trainer” approach plus computer based training (CBT) application produced by Info Tech.

15. Estimator Computer Based Training Program • Computer tutorials in place of live instructors. • Students review a CBT exercise then perform the same exercise using their own copy of Estimator. • Training program uses actual NYS projects and item numbers. • Incorporates NYS specific business processes.

18. Estimator Computer Based Training Program • CD includes: • Estimator training program files – uses Macromedia Flash player • An 11 page worksheet with 28 training exercises. • Two NYSDOT Estimator project files used for training exercises. • An Estimator catalog file used for training exercises. • Computer based training CD files can be downloaded from - http://dot.state.ny.us/trns-port/estimator.html

19. Estimator Catalog Access and Update Process • Information used to create estimates is stored in catalogs. • Standard items • pricing information, etc. • Keeping catalogs current is very important to maintain production and provide accurate estimates.

20. Estimator Catalog Access and Update Process (cont’d.) Catalog access options • Stored in a local file on a computer. • Requires opening web browser to download files. • Direct connection to a web server via the internet. • Current catalog available upon logging into Estimator.

21. Estimator Catalog Access and Update Process (cont’d.) Catalog update process • Created a secure directory on network accessible to webmaster and catalog managers. • Catalog is updated as needed and stored at the secure location. • Automated process is run nightly to copy catalog file to web server location. • Current catalog is available to estimators upon logging into Estimator.

22. Trns•port PES

23. Enhancing PES • Custom pre-letting reports • Estimate checks, PIN-item, Bid Sheets,… • Custom update processes & interfaces • Project & proposal update, update mobilization,… • PSS-Trns.port interface,… • User access management • Database triggers, regional report launcher, multi-agency report header

24. Custom PES Pre-Letting Reports • “Estimate checks” for example… • Purpose: Perform project level quality control checks • Functionality: Analyzes engineer’s estimates for business rule compliance: • Reports errors (i.e., BAMS coordinates,…) • Flags pay Items for extra attention (i.e., LS, fixed price,…) • Provides references to pay item guidance

25. Custom PES Update Processes • “Update mobilization” for example… • Purpose: Maintain current estimated mobilization costs (i.e., 4%) • Functionality: Calculates estimated cost & distributes across all categories: • Initial run: Calculates cost & inserts the pay item, quantity & cost in all categories • Subsequent runs: Recalculates cost & updates in all categories

26. User Access Management • Issue: NYSDOT/NYSTA has multiple PES/LAS users with varied responsibilities • Problem: Access needs / rights change as a function of the business process • Solution • Database triggers: Automate project & proposal control group changes • Custom reporting process: Launches selected reports from any screen within PES/LAS

27. Trns•port LAS and DSS

28. Trns•port LAS and DSS Customizations • Advertisements • Plan sales tracking and reporting • Letting day recording sheets • Bidder ranking reports • Bid item spread reports • Letters and labels

29. Trns•port LAS and DSS Customizations (cont’d) • Award tracking and reporting • Funding obligation report • Data entry plug-ins • Referral list • Final payment info from stovepipe system

30. Moving LAS proposal data to DSS • After award or after letting • Need to query 2 databases • Some field names different • Daily or weekly pulls

31. Expedite • 4 training sessions for contractor organizations • Developed user guide/instructions document • >90% use by bidders • Hope to improve compatibility w/ 3rd party software

32. Lessons Learned

33. Lessons Learned • Schedule generously, not tight • Extra work changing systems if schedule slips • Weekly progress meetings helpful • Don’t have training w/o customizations

34. Lessons Learned (cont’d) • 3 months parallel test to production is too short • Processes overlap • Bugs need fixing • New procedures need to be documented • If possible, do it in a slow season

35. Lessons Learned (cont’d) • More effort to shift to generic processes • Work and $ to do customizations • May need revision for new version of software • Standardization w/ other states • Bigger issue w/ SiteManager

36. Improvement Opportunities • Simplify changes to letting dates • Reduce keystrokes for vendor entry • Put data field names in tables • Allow basic user customization of screens and reports • Address printer format problems

37. Future Plans

38. Future Plans • Bid Express • No hard copy documents required before letting • Will have joint website w/ NYS Thruway • Can this be part of Trns•port? • Would like to mandate electronic bids

39. Future Plans • Site Manager • Began September 2004 • Joint implementation NYSDOT/NYSTA • Implementing SiteManager Construction and Materials pieces simultaneously • Strong effort to reach out to the field • Incorporate “lessons learned” from preconstruction

40. Questions Contacts: NYSDOT: Mike Arthur – marthur@dot.state.ny.us NYSTA : Harold Crusan – harold.crusan@thruway.state.ny.us