# Presentation: 885465

## National Software Development

***NRCS National IT Seminar***
***September  2002***
*Ken Tootle, Integrated Accountability System Coordinator*
*Jack Carlson, Director, Information Technology Center*
*Ken Carpenter, ITC Field Support Team Leader*

**Notes:**
The key to data integrity is ensuring that data entered into Web TCAS, FFIS, OIP and PRMS are accurate. 
The role of all NRCS employees is critical to the accountability of our conservation efforts. 
 Data quality is the responsibility of each NRCS employee
Data quality becomes more critical because the Conservation Information System and other systems will have real time reports using this data

## Objective of session

- Participants will understand:
- The role of the Project Coordination Committee in the software development process.
- The software approval process.
- The future vision for agency software.
- The major new software initiatives being developed by the agency.

## Project Coordination Committee (PCC)

- Purpose - To develop information technology software budget recommendations for the NRCS top management
- Sponsored by NRCS Chief Information Officer (Mary Thomas) for the Deputy Chief for Management (Dwight Holman)

## PCC Membership

- The PCC Core Team contains membership from each NRCS Deputy Area
- Ken Tootle, Strategic Planning and Accountability
- Dave McKay, Programs
- Larry Butler and Bill Hughey, Science & Technology
- Doug Holy, Management
- Tommy Parham and Chris Clarke, Soil Survey and Resource Assessment (co-chair)
- Jack Carlson, Information Technology Center (co-chair)

## PCC Requirements

**Understand Information Technology**

**Understand Agency Business**

**Create Agency IT Vision**

## PCC Responsibilities

- Be familiar with the IT software development proposals for the Deputy Area
- Be the spokesman for the “importance” and ranking of the proposals
- Develop overall agency ranking of software proposals
- Develop budget alternatives for Deputy Chiefs consideration

## FY02 Ranking Criteria for High Priority

- Congressional/legal mandate
- Chief’s priority
- Supports agency key decisions
- Programmatic/strategic Initiative
- Project conforms to technical IT architecture.
- Significantly enhances Field Office operations
- Lack of funding this fiscal year will result in customer demands not being met in the near term.

## FY02 Ranking Criteria for High Priority

- Execution of project is not likely to slip, and adequate project staff is available with the required experience to execute the project.
- Project affects cross-functional activities.
- Work process improvement results in reduced administrative burden.
- Project is clearly defined with a definite completion date.
- Total cost estimates are well supported.

## FY02 Alternatives for funding

- Software Initiatives, Maintenance, and E-Government Initiatives
- PCC considered 116 budget proposals for a total cost of $28.5 million
- Recommended Alternative – $17.7 Million
- Minimum Alternative - $14.9 Million
- Core Maintenance – $7.4 Million
- Actual - ~ $10 Million

## FY03 Budget Process

- All budget requests were due to be submitted to Budget Allocations Division by September 6th, 2002
- Must use approved form

## FY03 Budget Process

- Must detail the impact of the budget proposal on the key agency initiatives
- Farmbill Implementation
- Presidents Management Agenda
**Strategic Management of Human Capital**
**Expanded Electronic Government**
**Competitive Sourcing, **
**Improved Financial Performance**
**Budget and Performance Integration**
- Increasing diversity and outreach
- Improving technology delivery

## FY03 IT Software Development

- Deputy will consider PCC recommendations and develop budget allocation
- Software Sponsor notified
- Software Developed based on agreed deliverables
- Software Tested and released

## Slide 13

## Applications for 

**ArcView, Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint Conservation Toolkit; Wetlands Toolkit, Soil Data Viewer, GLA, Manure Management Planner, OMS engineering design; Conservation Journal, RUSLE2, WEQ**

**Applications for **
**NRCS Employees**

**Internet**

**UUNET**

## Slide 15

## Customer Service 

**Customer Service **
**Toolkits**

## Cost-Share Contracting

**Cost-Share Contracting**

## eContracts x SCIMS Integration

**eContracts x SCIMS Integration**

## Integrated

**NRCS employees and partners use a browser to enter and geo-reference between 5 and 10 thousand performance records each day, which are processed nightly in a data warehouse and marts to produce reports for field, state, and national managers.**

**Integrated**
**Accountability **
**System**

## Program Operations

**Program Operations**
**Information Tracking System**
**(POINTS)**

## Management

**Management**
**Applications**

## Slide 22

## Gateway / 

**USDA employees, partners, and the public use a web-based Geospatial Data Gateway to order and download Service Center Agency data sets available for the selected geographic area of interest.**

**Gateway / **
**Warehouse**

## Smartech / eFOTG

**Smartech / eFOTG**

## The NRCS Runoff Curve Number (RCN) tool is built on the ARS/NRCS Object Modeling System (OMS) framework.  The user digitizes the watershed and land units to be evaluated, which are intersected with soil mapunits and the resulting data file fed to the RCN model in OMS

## Slide 26

## Slide 27

## User Centric Model/Tool Design

**Model**
**or **
**Tool**

**Soil**
**Climate**
**Plant/Crop**

**NRCS Data Warehouse**

**User Centric Model/Tool Design**

**USER**

**NRCS Lighthouse Web Services**

**Model**
**or **
**Tool**

**Model**
**or **
**Tool**

## Slide 29

## NRCS Integrated Information System Applications

***Conservation, Wetlands, Easements, LESA***
**Cost-Share Contracting**
***eContracts***
**Integrated Accountability System**
***PRMS, WLA, WLMA, Outcomes, Conservation Journal***
**Program Operations Information Tracking System**** **
***RC&D, Watersheds, Soil Survey Schedule, FFP, Plant Materials***
**Management Applications**
***iCAMS, WFP, Skills, webTCAS, ACRES, FFIS, IAS, OIP***

_**NRCS Integrated Information System Applications**_

## NRCS Integrated Information System Applications (cont’d)

**Gateway / Warehouse**
***Gateway, Soil Warehouse, NASIS, ESIS, PLANTS, PRISM***
**Smartech / eFOTG**
***eFOTG, eThunderbook, RCN, On-Line Planner, Engineering Design Tools***
**Web Access and Portals**
***NRCS web site, My.NRCS***

_**NRCS Integrated Information System Applications **__**(cont’d)**_

## NRCS Software Approval Process

- Ken Carpenter
- Field Support Team Leader
- ITC Fort Collins

## HISTORY 101

- IT Representatives from RD, NRCS and FSA met in Kansas City 1999
- Developed CCE Testing Policy and Procedures
- CORE Software tested at IOL in Beltsville
- NRCS Business Applications tested at ITC

## ITC Test Lab

- Established Test Lab at ITC with one of each CCE computer platforms
- Computers ONLY used for testing and are under Strict configuration management
- 2 Federal Employees perform majority of work
- Gay Marsh – System Admin and Testing
- George Foster – Install Packages and Testing
- Currently adding CCE Server to Lab

## Testing Workload

- Approx. 40 to 60 NRCS Apps submitted to ITC each year
- Between 1 and 2 Apps  week either tested, repackaged or both
- Apps sent to ITC from every imaginable location (NHQ, States, Centers and Institutes, Field Offices)
- Additionally, other agencies, Universities, and Private Firms send apps for testing

## Current Testing Strategy

- Halt CCE  Certifying for NT 4.0
- Start Testing “FUNCTIONALITY” of NRCS Business Apps in Windows XP
- Some early issues with XP directory, file and registry permissions
- NRCS apps now appear to function properly
- Establishing new Test Procedures using new test tools for XP

## Near Future

- NRCS Business Apps loaded via CD to Servers
- Maintain CCE Website for Certification List only (NO file downloads)
- Utilize Microsoft’s Logo Requirements as guidelines for Development and Testing
- XP Logos
- Compatible with XP
- Designed for XP
- Optimized for XP

## Concerns/Issues

- Workload Burnout for ITC Testers
- Retirements are possible
- No contractor/funding testing support
- Workload is growing (Re-submissions)
- Testing too fast, maintaining App tracking
- XP Impact on Current CCE Certified apps
- New XP Certification Process?
- Re-Certify 160+ NT apps into XP
- Grandfather NT apps into XP and Certify only new

## QUESTIONS?/ANSWERS????

## USDA-NRCS

**USDA-NRCS**
**Information Technology Center**
**Fort Collins, Colorado**

## Extra Stuff on IAS

## Integrated Accountability System

- Recent accomplishments
- Future Plans

## Major Information Components of the IAS – The whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts.

**Major Information Components of the IAS – The whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts.**

- Strategic Plan sets the direction and focus for the agency.
- Business and Performance Plans database
- Work Load Analysis(WLA)
- Performance Measurement Results System (PRMS)
- Total Cost Accounting System (TCAS)-
- Foundation Financial Information System (FFIS)
- Combined Administrative Management System (CAMS)
- Workforce Planning (WFP)
- Program databases for  – WRP, WHIP, CRP, EQIP, Watersheds, RC&D, etc.

**Notes:**
Links strategic plan, annual performance plan, business plan, budget
Workload analysis and NRI set baselines
PRMS measures performance
TCAS records time by program and activity

## Goals of the IAS

- A complete system with all data integrated
- Easy access – web based – user friendly
- Minimized field reporting -  Maximized information usage
- No side records
- Centralized data links
- Responsive to customers/conservation partners
- Keep the system loosely integrated so that applications may be chosen by users as needed

**Notes:**
Complete system
Easy access
Minimum field input
Quick response turnaround
Loosely integrated system

## New Improved Accountability Tools

- Time and Cost Accounting on the WEB (WebTCAS)
- PRMS - State and Local Options
- PRMS - Simplified Data Entry
- PRMS - Map Based Data Entry
- PRMS - Quarterly Goals
- PRMS - Contributions to NRCS programs
**Conservation Information System – Key questions**

**Notes:**
WebTCAS - saves time 
WebTCAS - eliminates duplication of entering time on paper or in spreadsheets and forwarding them to timekeepers

PRMS - performance tied to customer
PRMS – partners able to capture time contribution to conservation effort and can capture time by program and activity
PRMS - simplified data entry (SDE) requires two screens not the four previously required
PRMS – select location from a map instead of entering location information

CIS – able to answer key questions in real time for daily performance; biweekly for time, and monthly for financial data

## What is the Conservation Information System?

**What is the Conservation Information System?**

- Formerly Executive Information System (EIS)
- A tool that provides direct on-line access to relevant information in a useful and navigable format.
- Timely, accurate, and navigable.
- Allows managers at all levels in the conservation partnership to easily access data for management, analysis, and planning.

**Notes:**
The CIS is our version of an Executive Information System.  Similar systems exist at several Fortune 500 companies.  It is a web-based system that gives real-time, on-line access to relevant management information in a format, useful to managers at all levels of our agency.  The purpose of the CIS is to provide the best estimate of the cost of programs and activities by location across the country and to relate these costs to location specific performance accomplishments.  These costs are based on the location worked.  

## CIS Implementation Timeline

**CIS Implementation Timeline**

**Milestones****	****	****	****	****	****Date**
- CIS online and accessible with PRMS leadership level of security	August 6
- Announcement by bulletin that CIS is available for State Leadership 	August 9
- Develop marketing plan					August 30
- Rollout to CET - Executive presentation			September 3
- NHQ train the trainer session 					September 5
- Train the trainer sessions in East and West			September 9-13
- Begin evaluation period by state leadership			September 16
- WEBCAAF- Security System online				October 1
- CIS report availability decisions for WEBCAAF implementation	October 1
- Revise CIS for WEBCAAF security levels			October 21
- State leadership and above review comments due			November 1
- Revise CIS based on comments 				December 2
- Revise training materials & provide to state trainers		December 16
- Open CIS to field level use with training			January 1

## MY.NRCS – Home of the CIS

**Select the CIS tab**

## FY02 Alternatives for funding

**Item****	****	****	****	****Full Funding****	****PCC Recommended Funding**
**Customer Service Toolkit**
- $275,000
- 275,000
** ****IAS - Maintenance                            **$610,000
- $610,000
- $610,000
**NASIS (National Soil Information System)**
- $415,000
- $325,000