This rating, which measures a company's systems and software process effectiveness, is the second CMMI Level 5 rating for an EDS organization based in the United States.
EDS’ CECE organization was established in 2002 to leverage engineering best practices and maximize EDS’ process improvement investment. EDS U.S. Government accounts that are part of CECE are supported by a strong process improvement infrastructure that works with the projects to implement and institutionalize the high-maturity practices.
The center earned its first Level 5 rating in 2004, and the recent assessment indicates that it continues to perform as a high-maturity organization, said Rosemary Heyne, program manager of the CECE organization. This sets EDS apart in the marketplace, Heyne said.
“It is not uncommon for companies to get appraised at a Level 5 and not maintain it,” Heyne said. “While several of our competitors also have the Level 5 rating, the fact that we were reassessed at Level 5 is a differentiator.”
Many contracts require that the contractor hold a minimum CMMI rating, and the Level 5 rating provides a higher level of service delivery quality to clients, said Cozy Bailey, vice president of the Office of Business Relations for EDS U.S. Government.
“High maturity is about utilizing a collection or series of best practices that is intended to create the highest quality outputs the first time,” Bailey said. “It takes an investment, but the return on that investment is shown as EDS distinguishes itself in the market segment. Not only do we win new business, but we keep current business and that continues to keep us in the forefront of the market.”
Accelerating Maturity Process
EDS' Medicare Systems High Maturity Group, a suborganization of CECE, has also attained its first CMMI Level 5 rating. After earning a Level 3 rating in 2004, the Medicare Systems group utilized CECE’s infrastructure and expertise, which allowed the group to accelerate its maturity process and optimize its investment in process improvement.
Randy Ireland, client delivery executive for the CMS Medicare Part B Standard System Maintainer account, said the rating exceeds the client’s minimum contractual requirement of having a Level 2 or better rating and provides additional value to the client.
“We became more efficient by joining CECE,” Ireland said. “Our team reduced direct cost to the client and was able to leverage CECE's high-maturity processes and gain access to a wide range of skilled process improvement resources.”
Zero Deficiencies
Clients such as the U.S. Department of Treasury also benefit from the high-maturity rating. The Department of Treasury's Total Information Processing Support Services 3 (TIPSS3) contract requires its contractors to be assessed at CMMI Level 2 or above for all Internal Revenue Service tasking, said Gary Kline, account executive in EDS' civilian federal government segment.
“Within the banking industry, there is a lot of security and audit awareness and the only way to stay ahead of the auditors is through putting detailed processes and practices in place that allow us to approach or achieve zero deficiencies and findings in our audits,” Kline said. “While many of our contracts require us to only have a CMMI Level 2 rating, the Level 5 achievement and continuing maintenance of it helps us get closer to achieving our client’s high standards and expectations.”
Institutionalizing High-Maturity Practices
EDS' CECE has put the structure in place to maintain the high level of quality necessary for a high-maturity center, and Bailey said the rating could benefit other accounts as well.
“Any government account or client can benefit because it is about the ability to maintain the discipline that is required for a high-maturity center,” Bailey said.
CECE uses the New Project Integration (NPI) process to institutionalize CMMI Level 5 practices on all accounts. EDS presented a white paper on the NPI Process at the March 28, 2007, Software Engineering Process Group (SEPG) Conference, highlighting the importance and significance of the process. The SEPG Conference is the leading international conference and exhibit showcase for software process improvement and brings together international representatives from government, industry, and academia for a global perspective on process improvement activities and results.-EDS U.S. Government
