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Sydney Water asset IT project nears completion

Late-running, expensive project comes to an end
Sydney Water's desalination plant at Kurnell, Sydney.

Sydney Water's desalination plant at Kurnell, Sydney.

The largest NSW state water authority, Sydney Water, is completing an IT project to consolidate two asset management applications and is seeking support services to aid the transition to the new system.

To manage its asset infrastructure and stock, Sydney Water had deployed two information systems – the Work and Asset Management System (WAMS) and Facilities Maximo (FMX).

With both of these systems based on IBM’s Maximo asset management software, the organisation decided a few years ago to consolidate them into one.

In addition to the consolidation of the two systems, the aim of this new project is also to upgrade Maximo to version 7.1.

In June last year former CIO Tim Catley left Sydney Water and has since been replaced by Chris Ford.

According to Sydney Water, the Maximo project is “nearing completion”, but it has been a long and costly exercise.

In late 2009, Computerworld reported on multiple IT project budget blow outs to the tune of tens of millions, including the Maximo consolidation project.

According to an Auditor-General’s report to parliament, the Maximo project had gone significant over budget.

Originally set at $18.4 million, the project’s budget shot up to $31.3 million and the delivery date had crept from August 2009 to October 2010.

“The Corporation underestimated the complexity of the Maximo consolidation project and this is the main reason for the $12.9 million increase in the project budget,” the Auditor-General said.

With the project finally coming to an end, Sydney Water is seeking to procure support and other services “post the implementation of this new system”.

In a tender for the “provision of project delivery, enhancement and application support services for Sydney Water’s new Maximo System (version 7.1)”, the govnerment-owned corporation is looking to hire a contractor for ongoing work.

“The role of the contractor is to provide support services for the Maximo system; undertake enhancements; and to provide project delivery services,” according to Sydney Water.

Project delivery services may also include Maximo version upgrades.

Contractors must have provided Maximo support services to customers continuously over the last three years to be considered for the work.

Having implemented or upgraded to Maximo version 7.0 (or above) within the last three years is also a prerequisite.

The initial term of the contract is set for two years, with an option of a one year extension.

Sydney Water will hold an industry briefing information session to outline the scope of work at its Sydney headquarters next month.

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More about: IBM, IBM Australia, Sydney Water
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