General DNR News

EFFICIENCY DRIVEN TECHNOLOGY— DNR MOVING AHEAD

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has recently awarded Methods Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTS) of Baton Rouge a contract to replace its existing legacy computer system with an enterprise-wide Oracle-based integrated business application system. The new technology will allow the agency to perform daily operations more efficiently and timely as well as enable the Offices of Conservation, Mineral Resources, and Coastal Restoration and Management to more effectively serve the public.

MTS will use CASE (computer-aided systems engineering) methods and state-of-the-art tools such as Oracle DESIGNER/2000 to develop the business applications for the department. DNR's Director of Information Services Rizwan Ahmed said MTS will analyze, design, build, document, and produce a high quality application system that is year 2000 compliant. He said the work is expected to take about 18 months to complete.

Methods Technology Solutions, a minority-owned professional services company that recently certified as an economically disadvantaged business under a new program of the Department of Economic Development (DED), was successful in its proposal to implement the new technological services through the state's regular competitive bid process. The $1 million contract was awarded in October and the systems development has already begun.

Editors: For more information on this topic, please contact DNR's Undersecretary Robert Harper at (504) 342-4540 or Director of Information Services Rizwan Ahmed at 342-1972.