Remedies Regarding The Project - Essay Example

Analysis, Critique and recommendations/ Remedies regarding the project Executive summary EDS enters into aperformance contract with NMCI to sell services, applications and software at a fixed price. While making the estimates BNMCI underestimate the time of the project implementation and the resources required. This leads to a poor performance which calls for allocation of more time and resources. However, by the time they do this, project has already deviated from the intended course, and set goals can no longer be achieved in time. NMCI is partly to blame for it is slow in accepting the change and takes no corrective measures when EDS fails to deliver as expected. NMCI also ignores all the advices from other organizations. NMCI also makes smooth communication between it and EDS hard. To correct this, NMCI should be flexible and fast in responding to any changes, and a reliable communication channel should be established between the two organizations. Introduction Navy Marine Corps internet (NMCI) is a ten year contract that the navy awards to EDS. The contract aims at integrating the U.S navy and Marine Corps system. Under this contract, more than 200 applications and security system will be replaced by one system supported by one company EDS. Through this performance based contract, the navy in conjunction with the Marine Corps will buy network, hardware applications and other software at fixed prices per unit. Analysis NMCI estimates the project at a fixed cost. They offer the contract at a fixed cost per performance (seats). They have an extremely strict performance rating system. This performance assessing system does not take into consideration the time wasted while switching between the various applications. NMCI gives a fixed cost estimate and intend to stick by it. This later proves problematic since there are other costs that arise while implementing the project. For instance, the number of computer applications is originally estimated as 3000 but these changes to 70000 (Calbreath). The project is allocated fewer resources than it is due. This makes delivering of the targeted result within the desired time hard for EDS. The original budget estimates are not reviewed so as to update them, this lead to a situation where the contractor has no enough funds to sustain its subcontractors who react by withdrawing from the project, this adversely slows it down. After a period of slowed performance, the navy agrees to allocate more funds to the project to cater for the extra costs (Calbreath). NMCI underestimates the time frame of the project originally giving it five years. It sets rigid deadlines most of which are not met. This arises due to failure to consider any complications that arise while implementing the project in time. It, however, realizes that the intended targets cannot be achieved within the set period and extends the contract to ten years. The navy has an expected level of satisfaction for all its users. NMCI is fair enough not to expect total satisfaction; however, it rates it relatively high. It closely accesses the satisfaction achieved by its different departments; the end users, commander and network operators, and contrasts them against the set targets. It does this with a high degree of leniency taking into consideration cases of partial satisfaction. Despite these attempts, there is a revelation that the services offered do not meet the expected level of satisfaction. In all the departments, the level of satisfaction is below the targeted. It is expected that there will be measures that will be undertaken to improve this; however, there is no action taken. This reduces the chances of the contractor delivering high quality services (Haughey). Any application that is to be installed should be cleared first by NMCI to ensure that it meets the set standards. It examines all applications and other devices to ensure that they comply with this set standard. There is a laxity that is observed. When the project seems to be proceeding at a slower pace than the targeted, an e-mail giving the contractor the go ahead to override all quality control measure is leaked (Onley). The e-mail is an indication that the navy is not strict with the quality of products offered. It is an indication that they are concerned achieving the goals in time with no regards to the standards. A program to monitor the work units is adopted. The program is so strict that it would be impossible for a worker to do standard work if they are to meet the expected targets. The aim of adopting this program is noble, but the results are devastating. It leads to workers offering low quality services or not meeting the expected quantity. Again, this measure could be interpreted as a way of cutting the costs at the expense of quality. EDS constantly fails to meet the deliver results. It does not meet the expected level of customer satisfaction neither does it beat the set deadlines. Despite these failures, NMCI takes no action to remedy the situation. This leads to the contractor never meeting the expectations of the customer. NMCI treats communication with a lot of laxity. EDS tries to communicate the complexity of the project and the possible need for more time, but there is no response from NMCI. The lack of smooth communication between the contractor and the customer reduces chances of this project achieving the set goals (Haughey). GAO also makes a lot of recommendations; these recommendations get no response from NMCI. NMCI remains adamant and continually blames EDS for the failure of the project (GAO). It fails to take the recommendations or advice from other organizations. Conclusion NMCI has erroneously underestimates the time and resources required to achieve the goals of the project. While making these estimates, NMCI fails to give an allowance for complications arising in the course of implementation. Despite EDS highlighting these complications and timely communication, NMCI lags in responding. It takes relatively long before allocating more resources to the project, extending the project time frame and reducing the level of expectation of the workers. The laxity to take measure to correct cases of low service delivery and failure to meet the set deadlines reduces the commitment of EDS to the project. NMCI timely identify this pit falls on the side of the contractor but does not take any measure to discourage the trend. In the long run, the objectives are not met on time (GAO). The manner in which NMCI responds to arising matters is not satisfying. It is late to take corrective measure if it takes them at all. These short comings in the manner in which NMCI treats the project are the main reasons behind the poor performance of the project. Recommendations NMCI should be flexible. It should be ready to adapt to any changes that arise in the course of project implementation. It should react to such changes with urgency which will ensure that the project is not interrupted. Outside observers often give beneficial information. NMCI should be ready to consider advices from reliable sources. To ensure that EDS is fully committed to offering quality services and timely, NMCI should take corrective measure in case of lateness and services not meeting the agreed standard. Work cited Calbreath, Dean. Project costing more than firm expected. The Union Tribune, 2004. Web. 13th December 2011. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040729/news_1b29eds.html GAO. Information Technology: DOD Needs to Ensure That Navy Marine Corps Intranet Program Is Meeting Goals and Satisfying Customers. United States Government Accountability Office, 2006. Web. 13th December 2011. http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-07-51 Haughey, Duncan. Estimating Project Costs. Project Smart, 2011. Web. 13th December 2011. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/estimating-project-costs.html.   Onley, Dawn S. EDS: Despite report, NMCI projects on track. Vienna, 2002. Web. 13th December 2011.http://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2002/05/16/eds-despite-report-nmci-projects-on-track.aspx Read More