CORE FINANCIAL PROJECT KICKS OFF WAVE 3 IN NEW ORLEANS

The NASA Core Financial Project conducted its third and final Kickoff Meeting on July 23 and 24 in New Orleans, LA for the Wave 3 centers. Wave 3 centers are Stennis Space Center (SSC), Langley Research Center (LaRC), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC). The Wave 3 kickoff marks the beginning of the Understanding Phase that extends from August through September 2002. The objectives of the meeting included:

• Updating participants on the current status of the Core Financial Project;
• Educating participants in the approach and organization of the Agency rollout effort;
• Providing participants an understanding of program-level Change Management efforts;
• Mobilizing Wave 3 Centers towards a successful implementation effort; and
• Providing participants with a forum for asking questions.

The Kickoff Meeting included a series of presentations related to the Core Financial Project implementation and was conducted by representatives of the Pilot Center implementation team. In addition, the Kickoff Meeting included breakout sessions focusing on the efforts/issues at the center level.

Upon returning to their centers, the Center Implementation Teams, including the GSFC team, started their Understanding Phase efforts. The objective of the Understanding Phase is to assess the center level impacts of the Agency Design and identify:

• Center unique business processes;
• Center unique interface requirements;
• Center unique conversion requirements; and
• Center training approximations.

Conducting the Understanding Phase at GSFC will require input from personnel in the Process, Change Management, Integration, and Technical Architecture areas. Results of the Understanding Phase will allow the implementation team to better prepare for the upcoming implementation effort.

Once the Understanding Phase has been completed (September 30, 2002), the Center Implementation team will kickoff the Implementation Phase on October 1, 2002. During the Implementation Phase, the SAP R/3 system will be configured to meet the needs of GSFC and its functionality tested. Data conversion from the legacy systems will take place and interfaces developed and put in place. Users will be trained and the system will be rolled out for use. Go-live for GSFC, and the other Wave 3 centers, is scheduled for June 2003.

With the implementation of the Core Financial software, NASA will have its first fully integrated financial management system. This will give the Agency timelier, more consistent and reliable information for management decisions. It will also have improved accountability to enable full-cost accounting. The Core Financial Project, and its use of SAP, will also help NASA achieve efficiencies and operate more effectively, thereby improving its information exchange with customers and stakeholders. For more information on the Core Financial Project, visit the GSFC website at http://corefinancial.gsfc.nasa.gov.