Note: The Office of Information Technology is the centralized unit for computer applications work for New Jersey. Our staff of eighteen here at OIT does most of the information technology work for the NJDOT; however, they still maintain a small staff to do some of the work themselves. The following is a list of activities that OIT is currently engaged in for the NJDOT.
Note: New Jersey’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. Currently we are in fiscal year 2007.
Current and Proposed Organizational Activities
New Jersey is currently reviewing all IT functions for the entire state. It looks like the centralized IT organization, the Office of Information Technology (OIT), will in the future be responsible for mainly enterprise applications. Many of the current OIT staff will be sent back to their respective departments to work on intradepartmental applications. There would be no layoffs or demotions. At this point in time, this is all still tentative. None of this will happen before July 1, 2008 at the earliest.
New Applications (Just Completed, In Progress, or Preparing to Start)
A. Accident Record Database (ARD) – The NJTR-1 Accident Report form is used by over 500 law enforcement agencies in NJ. Due to ongoing revisions to the NJTR-1 form, the ARD system needs to accommodate the redesigned form. Most of the updated processes have been implemented. The client has finalized the year-end processes. We expect this project to be completed by the end of May 2007. The open ARD requests are dependent on others finishing first; also, some will be ongoing for the next few months.
B. Airport Inventory Management System (AIMS) – The client has requested vendor support to proceed with this project. Funding for the vendor’s updated versions of this product has been requested by NJDOT. Outcome is pending.
C. Bicycle Pedestrian Website Redesign (BPW) – The client has requested OIT to redesign the search facility for this website. OIT has requested a part-time Java programmer to assist in the development of this project. We cannot proceed with the redesign without the required resource. This request has been estimated for 900 man-hours.
D. Electronic Cost Accounting and Timesheet System - MMS and FMS (eCATS) OIT – NJDOT has resumed parallel testing. The next target date for going live is May 26, 2007.
E. Geotechnical Data Management System (GDMS) – Production deployment of this application in Inquiry Only has been completed. The administration tool for GDMS, designed by a vendor, will be linked to an OIT server. The admin tool was tested by the OIT GIS group. OIT GIS has completed testing. The client has been informed.
F. Maintenance Management System (MMS) – The vendor has to provide OIT with additional coding changes in order to properly submit time sheets to eCats.
G. Maintenance Management System Business Objects (MMS) - The client will need to keep the MS Access code on the SNJ server until the Business Objects group has created all the universes for MMS. OIT has asked the DMS group to work with OIT and NJDOT to utilize Business Objects. The OIT database staff has resolved the database connectivity issue for NJDOT. The client is currently using a consultant to start this project. The projected end date is unknown at this time.
H. Management Systems Integration Project (MSI) –A vendor has been contracted for the data normalization piece of this project. OIT has supplied Michael Baker Associates with the production schema for the MMS project. The vendor has been verbally told we are in the process of upgrading and modifying the MMS database schema. OIT will forward a new copy of the database schema to Michael Baker when all the mods are in production. The database schema will be forwarded when all MMS databases are at 9i. No timeline has been established for this project.
I. Outdoor Advertising Rewrite (ADV) – The Outdoor Advertising System maintains a database with permits, vendors, locations and fees. The current system produces invoices and permits using an impact printer. The client has requested a redesign to eliminate the impact printer process. The SOW was determined. The project proposal and database design are being worked on. JAD sessions are being held with the client. The client’s participation in the design phase is both informative and well the time invested. OIT has requested a part-time Java programmer to assist in the development of this project. A part time resource has been made available for this project.
J. Straight Line Diagram Web Application (SLD) - The NJDOT project manager has received NJDOT Webmaster approval for the enhancement. The client is setting up a test server at NJDOT to deploy the vendor app. OIT GIS staff are reviewing the coding changes.
K. Traffic System Efficiency Study (PHC) –This work is on hold once again. A collaboration meeting between NJDOT units must take place in order for OIT to proceed with this project. OIT requires input from these business units. OIT has requested this meeting be scheduled. We have had no response.
L. Trns·port Implementation (TSP) – Trns·port is software to support the entire construction project lifecycle. Info Tech developed it through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). DOT will replace many of the outdated construction legacy systems with Trns·port modules.
Design Consultants are using the Cost Estimation module (CES) via Citrix. The Proposal and Letting Award modules (PES/LAS) are in production, and the first jobs have passed from PES to LAS. Two-way Internet bidding went into effect January 25, 2007, with implementation through Bid Express. The first fully electronic bid opening took place on February 22, 2007. At this time, New Jersey is one of eight states to require paperless bids. Pre-construction is fully implemented.
BAMS currently resides on servers at NJDOT. Temporary backup hardware solutions have been identified. The BAMS/DSS database has been loaded to an OIT server for testing, and the application is pending. Production transfer to OIT servers will be by mid-June.
The schedule for Site Manager Materials is currently under review due to delays in the logical design of testing templates/methods. A shortage of individuals with subject matter expertise is causing a delay in template creation. This delay is projected to be significant enough to push the April 2008 date back, but that has yet to be determined. This delay does not yet affect Construction. Construction workshops have completed, and design is under way. These two groups will meet bimonthly to share progress. Infrastructure planning is also under way.
Crystal Reports is being used to create reports for Trns·port. These reports will reside on DOT servers for the short term. Planning for long term reporting to reside on the OIT Datamart is underway.
M. Water Quality Analysis Enhancement (EWQ) – A meeting was held at DOT in 2004 to review and approve the proposal. The DOT user gave his approval by signing the proposal at this meeting. This project was put on hold until the DOT approves the estimate. In January 2007, DOT requested OIT to provide an updated document with changes, if any, to scope, proposed software, technical issues, costs, etc.