Public Power Company

Number of Zycron Employees 39
Timeframe of Services Provided 1996 – to present
Average Number of Full-Time Staff Provided 50
Maximum Staff 85

Zycron was chosen from more than 100 vendors nationwide to provide contract management, information technology and contractor transition services. As a primary vendor, Zycron currently manages one of the nation’s largest public power company’s entire IT contracting process, which includes vendor management, IT recruiting, staff augmentation and task management.

The Environment

The power company’s information technology strategy has traditionally included the use of contract services and resources to maintain production systems, provide technical and help desk support, to manage and administer infrastructure and network architecture, to facilitate new system and application development, to support project initiatives and to assist with information technology strategic planning across the Southeast.

Until 1995, the company used approximately 50 to 75 vendors to provide IT and engineering resources. Using such a large number of suppliers grew difficult to manage. It also created accounting and business process inefficiencies, and did not provide the company with the best scenario for managing the cost of these services. The company decided to reduce the number of suppliers to three. An RFP was issued, and Zycron and its partner was one of the three vendors awarded the contract to support the power company.

The Solution

In early 1996, Zycron and its partner initiated services for the client, seamlessly transitioning 30 to 35 employees. Since that time, Zycron has provided staff augmentation and project management support to the client. In 1998 the leadership at Zycron recognized some opportunities to better serve the client. In order to have more control to accomplish these objectives, Zycron bought its partner out of its portion of the contract. Zycron then became the primary vendor for the client, enabling them to make management and operational changes that resulted in enhanced service levels, less employee turnover and improvements in the accounting and billing areas.

Below is a summary of several client projects supported by Zycron:

The Zycron Value

PAWS: Zycron assisted a nuclear plant with the design, development and implementation of the Prime Automated Work plan System that replaced an older antiquated system. PAWS enabled administrators and users to more efficiently create, modify, update, define and create forms. This project was completed using Java, J2EE, WebSphere and Oracle.

Dam Safety System: Designed, developed and implemented a Web-based application used to record and analyze data measurements taken over time at the client’s dams. The old system used Quattro Pro spreadsheets for the capture and analysis of the critical safety data. Zycron’s project team built the new system using Java, J2EE, WebSphere, Oracle, XML and XSL.

Windows/Office XP Migration: In 2001, Zycron supported the client’s system wide upgrade to Windows/Office XP. The upgrade involved more than 12,000 workstations spread across the client’s service region. Zycron provided technicians and specialists to effect and complete the desktop installation support for this project. Zycron technicians followed a detailed installation script and provided necessary debugging skills to resolve any issues associated with networked installations. The client looked to Zycron for assistance in completing the above project and Zycron furnished the required personnel in an expeditious manner. More than 6,000 machines were upgraded. Zycron personnel then began upgrades at all the client’s nuclear facilities.

Supply Chain Legacy System Support and Maintenance: Zycron provided baseline support and maintenance for the client during the implementation of a new supply chain software package. The legacy system consisted of ITMS, AP/PO/Fuels, Materials Acquisition Tracking System, Automated Sourcing Process, Catalog Plus, Materials Management System, and the Freight Transportation Management System. The ITMS, MATS, and ASP systems were customized versions of the Walker Interactive Systems Software. During the two-year project, Zycron provided eight programmers with Walker experience who contributed more than 18,000 manhours.