3/6/02
At its monthly meeting, the Chicago Transit Board approved a contract for the implementation of a program management office to oversee all CTA information technology (IT) projects. This contract will furnish the CTA with professional consulting services to implement an enterprise program management office (ePMO) to lead the CTA's efforts to strategically modernize and manage its information systems on time and on budget.
Chicago-based DiamondCluster International, Inc. was selected to institute the enterprise program management office and provide such services over the next three years at a cost of $8.3 million. Catalyst Consulting will be a subcontractor working with DiamondCluster on this project.
"The CTA will be making a considerable investment in information technology over the next five years to upgrade all our present information systems," said Chicago Transit Board Chairman Valerie B. Jarrett. "By bringing on a professional firm to assist us and keep us on track with these highly technical information projects, the CTA is taking advantage of private-sector best practices to improve the way we do business."
Under the supervision of the Technology Management Division of the Chicago Transit Authority, the ePMO will be responsible for the management of the CTA's IT projects which include all of the CTA's current and pending information technology projects in the areas of transit operations, administrative systems, enterprise technical services and revenue equipment systems. Some of these projects and initiatives include: automated vehicle location, enterprise resource planning, Smart Card system expansion and maintenance information systems.
As part of this initiative, DiamondCluster International will set up the program management office, rapidly assess all current CTA technology projects, oversee and manage all the projects. The ePMO will also provide support services to CTA employees as new IT systems are integrated into CTA operations.
CTA President Frank Kruesi said, "The CTA is experiencing a period of revitalization and just as we are rebuilding our physical infrastructure, along the Blue Line Cermak (Douglas) Branch, the South branch of the Red Line and along the Brown Line, so too must we rebuild our information infrastructure. The ePMO will help us execute our IT projects in a manner that is successful, timely and fiscally responsible."
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