Steve
23:22 Mon 26/04/99



TO:     OIC.Y2K.RAMP PROJECT PARTNERS

FM:     Stephen GOULD
        OICY2KRAMP Project Co-ordinator

cc      OIC Members and contacts

At 15:50 Fri 23/04/99 Wayne STRONG, Principal Strong Consulting
Group called to congratulate us on reaching the final 7
projects of the "Information Technology for SMEs" category of the
Global Bangemann Challenge (GBC)
(http://www.challenge.stockholm.se/projects/Categories.htm


Wayne's comments about the potential of this project are important for
organisations which have been considering an involvement with the OIC
Y2K Compliance Consortium and using the OIC Y2K Resource Asset
Management Program (OICY2KRAMP). This is a summary of the issues
discussed:

I       Sole Australian Juror
II      GBC interest in OICY2KRAMP project
III     OICY2KCC strategy
        A       Employment Agencies and IT Recruitment Consultancies 
        B       Management Consultancies, Accountants & Solicitors   
        C       Associations         
        D       Y2K Checking & Remediation software suppliers         
        E       Big Business & its trading partners       
IV      Institute of Management Consultants and SME Business Networks
V       Telecommunications, Internet Multimedia & Electronic event VI 
    Next Steps for Interested parties


SOLE AUSTRALIAN JUROR

Wayne is the sole Australian Juror for the Global Bangemann
Challenge (GBC).  The backgrounds to the 28 jurors from 20
countries can be found at

http://www.challenge.stockholm.se/Jury/info_members.htm


JURY INTEREST IN OICY2KRAMP PROJECT

Wayne said the Jury is very interested not only in the concept of the
OICY2KRAMP project but also by the strategy to market, implement and
support installations with Small and Medium size Enterprises (SMEs)

He explained that the Jury had recognised the problems for SMEs
worldwide to carry out Due Diligence for Y2K Compliance to safeguard
their larger business trading partners including Government agencies
hence the strategy for its adoption was also of interest.

OICY2KCC STRATEGY

I outlined the strategy to work with 5 major organisation groups to
raise awareness of skills and services available as members of
OICY2KCC to assist SMEs action a Y2K plan using OICY2KRAMP.  These
major groups are: :

  A   Employment Agencies and IT Recruitment Agencies
  B   Professional Service groups including Management Consultants,
      Accountants and Legal firms :
  C   Associations & Societies
  D   Y2K checking and remediation software suppliers
  E   Big business trading organisations including hardware and
      software suppliers

A       EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES & IT RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCIES

Work with Employment Agencies & IT Recruitment Agencies to provide
contracts for their contractors

OICY2KCC had identified 6 levels of Y2K consultant skills to assist
SMEs to obtain Y2K Due Diligence Statements/Certificates in their
efforts to be Y2K Compliant.

The strategy was to work with employment agencies and IT recruitment
consultancies. The OICY2KCC would provide training for people for
levels 1 & 2 to:

   1  collect the basic information using Detective (copyright GMB) 
   2  enter the information into OICY2KRAMP 3  use different Y2K checking
   software products

B  WORKING WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ORGANISATIONS EG ACCOUNTANTS 

Work with Firms of Management Consultants, Accountants and Solicitors
to overcome the Professional Indemnity issue (PI) issue so that they
could provide a service to their clients.  Copies of the following
documents have been sent to Wayne:

  1  presentation given to the Institute of Chartered 
 Acountants of Australia (ICAA) on 30/03/99
  2  draft letter for Accountants to consider sending their clients 3 
  Member's Agreement to Licence OICY2KRAMP

C       WORKING WITH ASSOCIATIONS

Work with Associations.  I explained how we have e-mail contact with
over 200 Associations which we provide Y2K articles and regular
updates for publications in newsletters and monthly journals.

Following our Y2K research joint-venture with the Australian Water &
Wastewater Association and presentation to the Australian Society of
Association Executives (AuSAE) on the Y2K issue at the 1998 annual a
number of Associations became members of the OICY2K Compliance
Consortium including:

 1   Printing Industry Association (PIAA)
 2   Meeting Industry Association (MIAA)
 3   Australian Interactive Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA)

These Associations have contact with over 12,000 members.

D       Y2K CHECKING & REMEDIATION SOFTWARE SUPPLIERS

The OICY2KCC had established contact with many companies that had
registered their Y2K Checking and Remediation software on the
Standards Australia Y2K register (http://www.y2kregister.com.au)

This register is incorporated within OICY2KRAMP to show which
software was used by the SMEs for Y2K Checking and Remediation.  A
record of which software is used is maintained as part of the
OICY2KRAMP Due Diligence Certification process.

These software suppliers could join as members of OICY2KCC if they are
prepared to offer special rates to fellow members of OICY2KCC. 
Current Y2K software members are :

        1       Uniwell        	Millennium Bug Tool Kit
        2       Eye-t Technology   TF 2000

These Member software products would be explained at the
training day along with other key Y2K products

E       BIG BUSINESS & SME TRADING PARTNERS

The Federal Government Y2K Information Disclosure Bill 1999 was
encouraging large organisation to share information on Y2K
Compliance status with their smaller business trading partners.
However this may also involve audits and there was not an
established standard procedure for confirming a satisfactory Y2K
Checking and on-going Remediation process.  Attendees at the 1st
Public Consultation on 19-20 Jan 1999 confirmed OICY2KRAMP could
fulfil that requirement for a standard process 
(http://www.oic.org/3b2k2sr1.htm)

The OICY2KCC was holding discussions with organisations concerned with
Y2K compliance status of trading partners.  Examples include:

1       an insurance firm that had 4,000 intermediaries
2       a distribution company with 120 transport distributors
3       a government department with over 3,000 PCs

These companies were concerned that the information on Y2K Compliancy
status followed a consistent process and was reliable and could not be
altered.

INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT & SME BUSINESS NETWORKS

Wayne suggested we contact the President of the Institute of
Management Consultants (IMC) and provide information on the
OICY2KRAMP process.  In addition he suggested we contact a number of
business networks who would be very interested in assisting their
members obtain a Y2K Due Diligence certificate

STOCKHOLM TIME EVENT

Wayne encouraged us to attend the presentation ceremony and be at the
exhibition.  The GBC Exhibition was being held at the same time as the
Stockholm Telecommunications, Internet Multimedia and Electronics
(TIME) event (http://www.time.stockholm.se)  The TIME Event was
attracting a large number of visitors to Stockholm.  This would give
provide excellent opportunities for media exposure and contacts to
discuss the distribution of the GBC product finalists

NEXT STEPS FOR INTERESTED PARTIES

Wayne has requested regular updates on progress with the project
and discussions with implementation sites to support his reports to
the Jury on progress with the OICY2KRAMP project.

We have to ensure that we can provide worthwhile evidence and
project management disciplines to support our project challenge and
return with the Trophy to Sydney to present either to the Lord Mayor,
The NSW Department of State Development (responsible for SMEs) or the
NSW Department of Information Technology.

In the meantime if you are prepared to work together to assist SMEs
endeavour to achieve Y2K Compliancy please register a membership
application on http://www.oic.org/3b2h.htm

And if you are prepared to financially assist with the
national and international marketing of OICY2KRAMP please
e-mail sponsorship@oic.org for the 4 sponsorship options.



 
Stevan GILLMORE
OIC Y2K Information Co-ordinator
Y2Kproject@oic.org
http://www.oic.org
					
				


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