Evaluation of New Integrated System Solutions
 
NCAS is a typical business data processing legacy application.  It provides administrative support for accounting and materials management functionality.  Today, State and local governments face financial constraints, rising service expectations on the part of the public, and calls for better government at lower cost.  In an effort to respond to these challenges, government leaders have begun a process of reinvention. Comprehensive data processing support oriented towards user needs, with improved flexibility and scalability promise to minimize cost, improve quality and provide decisive advantages in the public sector. The OSC, rising to this challenge, will explore its options to provide NCAS users with an integrated systems solution. Expansion to a newer NCAS Initiative will be evaluated along with the current Enterprise Resource Planning Initiative (ERP) at the Department of Transportation and the Department of Community Colleges System Offices.  An integrated systems solution includes the following application components, each of which covers certain key processes and business models. The following is a detailed review of each of the areas outlined above.

Budget & Financial Management
Defining budgets is one of the central tasks performed by public administrations.  The following functionality and capability is required to define, manage, and settle budgets.

Business Support
The following functionality and capability is needed to be able to support detailed planning and monitoring of costs. Human Resource Management
The following functionality and capability is needed to be able to manage human resources, one of the biggest items in the public sector budget. Material and Services Business Support
The following functionality is needed to accelerate and simplify the procurement and management of materials and services. Records Management
The following functionality is needed to provide a new dimension of speed and transparency to data processing. Figure 21 is the NCAS business model and systems solution map for State Government.