SUN CAPITAL BUREAU
CARSON CITY -- Nearly half of the
major computer projects being
developed by the state are behind
schedule but most are within
budget, a governor's committee
was told Wednesday.
Marlene Lockard, director of the
state Department of Information
Technology, said because of the
jumbled structure, there's no way
to tell just how much is being
spent on the operations of the
state's computer system which in
many cases doesn't share
information.
And what's worst, she said that
when these projects are
completed "We don't know if they
accomplished the goal."
Lockard outlined some of the
major problems and the
suggested solutions to the
Governor's Steering Committee to
Conduct a Fundamental Review of
State Government. There is more
than $197 million in technology
projects being developed with 92
percent of them within budget but
only 54 percent on schedule.
The most notorious problems have
been with Genesis of the state
Department of Motor Vehicles and
Public Safety and NOMADS with
the state Welfare Division. When
Genesis came on line in
September, there were long lines
and errors in car registration and
titles. NOMADS, which started as
a $22 million project, is now over
$100 million and is not fully
operational after nine years.
But there have been other
computer projects in the past with
cost overruns or delays.
A major problem in the past,
Lockard said has been "lack of
project management on the state
side." Private companies are
responsible for 92 percent of the
development of the state system.
To remedy this problem, Lockard
has created in her agency a
project management center which
will oversee the development of
computer systems "from the cradle
to the grave." She said 40
individuals have been trained to
make sure the state gets what it
paid for from these private
companies.
Another major deficiency in the
past has been "poor contract
writing." Under normal procedures,
a state agency contracts with a
private firm to develop a computer
system. "Poor negotiations five
years ago comes to fruition now,"
she said. She has also created a
contract administration unit in her
department to cure that problem.
Computer systems in state
government have grown
tremendously in recent years.
Usage is up 145 percent since
1995. The "hits" on the state's web
page has increased from 1.4
million in 1996 to 38.9 million so
far this year. "The Internet
changes everything," she said.
State Budget Director Perry
Comeaux told the committee the
choice comes down to "either
adding technology or people. And
people are more expensive." He
added, "And we can't develop
systems that we throw away
tomorrow."
The known technology costs in
state government are 7 percent of
the $3.2 billion general fund
budget of state government for the
present two-year cycle, he said.
But there are still many unknown
costs.
The information technology
department was created in 1993
with the goal of moving all
computer related programs into
the agency. But that hasn't
happened. Lockard said there was
still a "Hatfield and McCoy" fight
among agencies. "It's very difficult
to erase turf battles," she said.
For instance, some major agencies
are outside the information
technology department. They
include the Department of Motor
Vehicles and Public Safety,
Transportation, Department of
Employment Training and
Rehabilitation, Employers
Insurance of Nevada, the
Controller's office, gaming and the
University and Community College
System of Nevada.
Lockard said she was not
advocating that such agencies as
the university be brought under
her control. But she said there
could be further efficiencies when
purchases are made.
She said there were no uniform
state standards to follow so that
decisions can be made during
development whether to stop a
project at a certain point or to
proceed with it.
-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), November 12, 1999