Anchorage Water and Wastewater

Challenge
The Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU) legacy CIS was purchased in 1991. The vendor subsequently went out of business leaving system support to an outside contractor and a portion of time with one staff member who was about to retire. There was a backlog of four major customer-related system improvements that had been put on hold pending the investigation into a new system. The existing system was being hosted at the Municipality’s data center and operated by Municipal personnel. AWWU’s goal was to obtain current functionality and technology in a system that they could host and operate themselves. One of the largest challenge’s that the utility faced was to select a functionally rich product solution based on a technically advanced architecture and with a vendor who had the means and desire to support them at their distant location.

Solution
AWWU retained TMG to analyze its current environment, develop a CIS design blueprint and facilitate its CIS selection process. A web-based survey of internal customers and extensive interviews were completed and a comprehensive blueprint was delivered. This blueprint became the guiding document in the development of the RFP and selection process.

Results
The initial draft of the RFP was prepared in October, 2001. The political situation within the Municipality coupled with Municipality requirements delayed the issuance of the RFP until June, 2002. Thirteen proposals were received and four of them were evaluated across six categories through vendor proposals, presentations, product demonstrations, and reference checks.
The top two vendors were asked to review their proposals and issue best and final offers. The AWWU selection team unanimously identified Indus as the business finalist. TMG assisted AWWU with contract negotiations and together spent a great deal of time reworking Indus’ initial contract documents. TMG accompanied the team to Indus site visits in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., and to the Indus headquarters in Columbia, S.C.

The installation project began in August 2003 and go-live was scheduled for January 2005.