The Treasury Department has announced plans to install a new human resources software system that will replace more than 100 HR systems throughout the department.
By the end of 2004, each of the Treasury's constituent agencies will be equipped with the system, which standardizes payroll, time and attendance, labor distribution, recruitment and other hiring practices.
"The system will transform service delivery to Treasury employees," said Todd Turner, director of Treasury's Human Resources System Program Office. "This will open up access to HR data for employees and managers who will be able to use the Web to update data on themselves. Managers will be able to create HR reports online from their desktops."
Treasury will begin by deploying the position management and recruitment modules of the system to the Office of the Secretary, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Secret Service this year.
Turner said he envisions a system that enables employees to fill out online job applications and employee profiles. The system would also notify employees of job openings within the department when job information matches an employee's interests.
"The hiring process used to be a very paper-intensive process," Turner said. "The system streamlines this and makes it easier to keep employee data current."
At its core, the new system consists of enterprise resource planning software developed by PeopleSoft Inc. It will be integrated under an $86 million contract with PRC Inc. Both Treasury and Litton PRC expect software components from companies that write applications compatible with PeopleSoft's products will be added to the system to increase the platform's functionality.
"Treasury is using the federal version of PeopleSoft's HR product, which has been adapted to follow government-specific rules and regulations," said Jeffrey Zack, vice president and general manager of Government Enterprise Solutions at Litton PRC.
Currently, Treasury is testing a prototype payroll system at the U.S. Mint made by PeopleSoft. If the prototype is successful, it could become a model for inclusion into the departmentwide system.
Turner said he expects the system to save money primarily by eliminating maintenance costs associated with the department's many legacy HR systems.
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