STATES OF OPPORTUNITIES

The Minnesota Office of Technology is developing a contract to create an enterprise document management and imaging architecture strategy. The request for proposals is expected in the second half of 2001.

The analysis will help assess the cost effectiveness in building a single solution to service various agency imaging needs vs. individual agency imaging systems. According to a state-contracted technology consulting firm, at least four other states are retreating from individual agency imaging implementations and considering an enterprise imaging and document management strategy.

The Colorado Office of Innovation & Technology is looking to acquire enterprise resource planning services for its New Century Colorado project. The RFP is expected sometime this year.

The New Century Colorado strategic plans may examine enterprisewide opportunities, such as using telecommuting and videoconferencing to reduce travel by state employees and traffic congestion; centralized procurement to reduce costs; standardized personnel systems to eliminate redundancy; and Web-based licensing and permitting to reduce residents' need to travel and wait in long lines. Related procurements include a consultant study, an Internet portal and electronic procurement.

The Missouri Office of Administration is considering a contract for an add-on module for bar coding input and output devices with related tools that contain reconciliation reporting capabilities. The RFP is expected in the first half of 2001. The bar coding devices must work with the state's financial management system, called SAM II, which has both fixed asset and inventory control modules.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Protection is requesting proposals for a software package to replace the data management system used by the Mecklenburg County Department of Environmental Protection. The solicitation is expected in the first half of 2001.

The Mecklenburg County Department of Environmental Protection uses a Novell Network-based Visual FoxPro relational database management system called EPIC, which runs on a DOS platform. The 10-year-old software runs numerous tasks, including: distributing and administering work assignments; transferring laboratory data; compiling monthly reports; maintaining a large amount of data on permitted and not permitted entities; and allowing data to be extracted by various other programs.

These opportunities are compiled by Federal Sources Inc., a market research firm in McLean, Va. (www.fedsources.com).