IT Solutions - Success Stories

Rapid Applications Development –

After 9/11, the Department of Transportation (DOT) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) required a system to support grants life-cycle management. The system needed to be able to process the first round of grants within six months.

IMSG implemented a Rapid Application Development (RAD) process involving rapid prototyping and ongoing participation of multidisciplinary customer teams. Within ten days the initial website with the announcement and registration capabilities was operational and had posted the first grants. We supported continuous test and evaluation throughout the rapid prototyping process, often implementing new requirements within 24 hours to support stringent schedule demands. The system, which IMSG still hosts and maintains, is still in operation in its fourth version, and IMSG has continued to use and evolve RAD to provide timely systems development and proactive successful requirements management.

Project Portfolio Management –

IMSG supports NOAA’s Satellite Center for Applications and Research (STAR) through the SciTech contract by providing scientists and project management for NOAA’s remote sensing, data visualization, product development research analysis, and transition to operations. This program involves over 100 separate projects, with unique funding streams, schedule requirements, and event-driven priorities.

IMSG applied knowledge and work flow management techniques that the company has honed over the past decade in support of the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and Transportation, and developed a customized version of the company's Information Management Executive (IME)  to develop a comprehensive web dashboard tool that integrates all project documentation  and processes. The SciTech IME ensures systematic development, review, and approval of reports and invoices, integrating near real-time cost data among different projects and funding sources. The system, which has become a model for other NOAA IDIQ contracts, has enabled an 80% reduction in the time required for NOAA to establish new tasks.

Grants Management –

To reduce the amount of time needed to review and process grant applications, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wanted to consolidate the disparate grants processing systems being used by its 12 grant-awarding offices, and institute an integrated grants management system that would standardize business processes. IMSG, with BearingPoint as its subcontractor, used robust methods to develop and implement Grants Online (GOL) for the client. IMSG's continued support of Grants Online includes software operations and maintenance, transition to Oracle’s Web Logic, help desk support for about 10,000 grantees and reviewers, and transition support of other Department of Commerce bureaus, as the Department adopted NOAA’s Grants Online as its grants management center of excellence.

As a result of our support, the client’s multiple grant review systems and processes were replaced by a single application that standardized grant processing across the organization. Grants Online significantly reduced the manual data entry, and has reduced the time required for processing a grant application from over 30 days to approximately two hours. Grants Online provided NOAA with a seamless interface to the Grants.gov website, and the application enabled the client to become the first agency to receive an electronic application directly from Grants.gov.

Field Data Collection Systems –

The NOAA Marine Sanctuaries Program collects field data of marine lives and ecosystems at its 21 designated national sanctuaries. Data is generally collected at sea on ships or by divers. Consequently, there are many levels of concern regarding data quality, consistency, geospatial coordinates, and timely coordination.

IMSG, under contract with the Papah?naumoku?kea Marine National Monument (PNMN), developed the Vessel Data Collection System (PVDS) to support integrated data collection and management. PVDS consists of a ruggedized handheld GPS-enabled device, along with data collection and management systems on the ship and at the PNMN office in Hawaii. Divers record data in consistent quality- controlled formats with a geographic overlay on the handheld device. Data is collected on ship and transmitted back to a centralized database, which integrates data and does additional quality control. The system provides a significant reduction in the time from data collection to processing and provides independent feedback that enables field personnel to correct systematic problems within a mission, reducing expenses. PNMN began use of the system in June 2010.