San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

Program Controls System Evaluation, Selection, and Pilot Test

WMS has been leading the effort of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to select and implement a new program management system. In November, 2002, San Francisco voters passed a bond measure authorizing the SFPUC to undertake a $3.4 billion capital improvement program to update most of it's water infrastructure. Like the water delivery system itself, project and program management is in need of modernization. An enterprise-wide program management system is essential for the success of the CIP, and for improving productivity throughout the rest of the SFPUC bureaus and departments. Improvements are being made in business procedures, software technology, cost management and many other areas.

WMS's initial work for the SFPUC was a comprehensive needs assessment and software evaluation. This evaluation yielded specific user and functional requirements for a program controls system based on interviews with a cross section of stakeholders, discussions with project controls staff, and review of existing systems and infrastructure. Based on these requirements, and a thorough evaluation of many software projects, WMS recommended a software package that best fit the needs of the SFPUC. WMS is currently conducting a pilot test of the recommended solution. The pilot includes the following:

  • Software installation and configuration
  • Integration and flow of data between Primavera Systems, Inc.'s P3e, Primavision, and Expedition, the ·SFPUC accounting, payroll, and electronic timekeeping systems.
  • Establishing and implementing coding structure
  • Liaison between in-house IT professionals and other staff
  • Procedures development Training and documentation
  • System security
  • Report development
  • Testing Development of a plan for full system deployment

Contract/Subcontract Management

WMS created a vendor/subcontractor management systems for various clients in the environmental engineering and public utilities industries. WMS developed procedures and protocols to manage daily cost accruals for multi-million dollar programs, including tracking government property, vendor requisitions and contracts, daily field reports, daily cost accruals, and subcontractor invoice tracking. All data was integrated into Primavera's Expedition from P3, clients' accounting software, and various spreadsheets, allowing data retrieval and analysis in one pla

Cost Estimating/Application Development

WMS created comprehensive, automated cost estimating applications specifically tailored for cost estimates submitted to the federal government. The application, in spreadsheet format, allows simple estimate setup by the project manager, with pre-formatted detail and summary reports automatically populated from setup worksheets. The entire application is then submitted to the client, who then uses pre-designed macro buttons to view and print the reports they wish to see. In addition, the client can manipulate data in the estimate to reach an objective, while the original estimate is preserved.

Software Design and Testing

WMS, as part of a team of consultants, provided insight for design of a web-based project management design project. The client needed to work with existing software, so WMS helped formulate the initial concept to ensure the project would meet users (project managers) needs. In addition, WMS helped troubleshoot re-programmed software from the financial side, testing reports and data integrity, ensuring a smooth transition for the client from old software to re-designed software.