State Kicks Off Computer Upgrade

The kick-off of what the executive branch has dubbed the NH first initiative -- comes more than a half decade into the government's slow move towards implementing what's called as an enterprise resource system. The state has so far earmarked 19.5 million dollars on the project……and Governor Lynch stressed to the consultants and workers state employees who attended the launch that he considers it money well spent.

"I really think this project can bring NH state government into the 21st century -- more efficient and better able to serve the people of NH."

Among other things, the governor says a single computer system would make live easier for workers and citizens alike……Bureaucrats would no longer have to negotiate outmoded and often incompatible computer networks and taxpayers would reap the benefit of decisions based on better data…..Lynch says the new program could pay for itself in little of three years through savings on state's procurements…..……Lynch called that benefit astonishing………But he also warned workers that getting there won’t be easy.

"This is not a project that we can hand off to a vendor and assume the vendor can do it all for us, and mysteriously and miraculously in a couple of years the erp system will be in place. It's up to all of us to participate."

Right now policymakers estimate that participation could add up to 100,000 hours of work.

"This is the single largest project that the state can undertake in a decade."

Rick Bailey is director of the state's office of information technology.

"It touches every department because every agency has financial and human resource dealings…..So you can't just have one agency answer question son behalf of everyone else -- you have to touch everybody to get the right answer."

Key lawmakers admit some worry over how state agencies can shoulder that load…..Colebrook Representative Fred King is chairman of the house finance committee.

"We don't have that many people sitting around doing nothing. But this has to be, each of the commissioners and department heads have to understand this is the number one priority and they have to find some way to get the work done."

King adds he's confident department's can…….Other lawmakers aren't as sure…..Durham Democrat Marjorie Smith also sits on the finance committee…..She says she shares King's sense of urgency, but worries it gettign the systme in place could come at the expense of basic government functions.

"Yes it's a real concern to me because of the way that we always operate state government….we are understaffed….we expect people to do things and do not provide the resources to do it…..And we choose to do x instead of y when y is equally essential."

The task of balancing those potentially competing interests interests will largely rest on administrative commissioner Don Hill…..Although for the time being Hill says his main focus is to hire a project manager on the sprawling initiative…..The state salary and complexity of the assignment has made that difficult…..….

"The state project is a major project with high risks --so few people out there are willing to take that risk in their career…But we need to fill that position very quickly otherwise the stress will build up on other people. I talked to the Governor about that today."

At present the work on ERP project is scheduled to be completed in phases --beginning with budgeting, and revenues, and ending with human resources and payroll….The new system is slated to be fully operational by June 15th of 2008.