Derek Consulting Group

As technology becomes increasingly more important and a larger element in their capital programs, airport owners are realizing the need to make IT Program Management a discrete and unique component of their program management team -- a role requiring unique skills that traditional engineering and construction management firms do not provide. The role must blend technology planning and design skills with operational and integration/ implementation skills -- including operations and process integration -- to ensure that like systems across multiple projects achieve their integration goals and potential. At the same time, a discrete IT Program Management component provides a logical "check and balance" between the owner and their overall Program Manager to ensure on-going internal IT plans and standards are met/maintained and there is a support and maintenance road map in place to maintain new systems once projects are completed and placed in service.

DCG understands this role and we work closely between in-house IT and design and construction staff to ensure IT requirements and standards are met and the hand-off of the commissioned systems will be seamlessly assimilated into the day-to-day operations and support environment. Our services include:

Representative Projects

Houston Airport System

IT Program/Project Management Oversight Consultant

Since 2002, Derek Consulting Group has served as Principal IT and Project Management Oversight (PMO) consultant to the Houston Airport System (HAS) providing IT planning, program/project management, and technical management and support of information systems and technology projects. These areas include:

At its origination, the contract was one of the first of its type in the airport industry. During this tenure DCG has completed more than 450 projects.

DCG serves as the Airport’s “principal/lead” IT Consultant, responsible for assisting IT management in the overall coordination and timely completion, from a program/project management oversight perspective, of all major information technology initiatives consistent with the goals and vision of the SIP and the project priorities established by the IT Steering Committee.

In many project instances, DCG services are provided as an extension of HAS IT staff to manage, administer, and provide direction, controls, and technical services, including design and development/integration to successfully implement technology initiatives and systems HAS.

DCG is responsible for coordinating and serving as facilitator for the Airport’s information technology planning process, establishing, reviewing, and annually updating/reassessing current project priorities and status. In this role, DCG also facilitated and served as a member of HAS’s Information Technology Steering Committee comprised of senior executives and the CTO.

DCG has provided IT Program Management Oversight services on large systems initiatives that required implementation across multiple procurements/project contracts including Access Control, FIDS, fire alarm, and parking management. DCG was responsible for establishing standards and coordinating efforts of different technology consultants involved in different projects to ensure the owner’s system vision and standards were consistently maintained across the various projects to achieve the required end results and integration.

DCG also provided design, development, implementation , integration, and project management for major systems initiatives including SAP ERP; enterprise facilities maintenance system; project management information system; badging and access control, FIDS, call accounting; and E-911 to name a few. DCG also handled engineering design responsibility for the Airport’s system-wide access control upgrade.

DCG was responsible for designing, developing, and implementing numerous custom/specialty applications including security dispatch and incident management system (D/IM); PDA-based security activity log system; project management information system (PMIS), criminal history record check (CHRC); emergency protocol; interim emergency notification system (ENS); HAS’s public web site (www.fly2houston.com) and no less than seven applications based upon MS Sharepoint collaboration technologies.

DCG has provided extensive business process improvement and operations review services ranging from an internal controls review of badging office operations, to review of AIP/grants documentation procedures associated with the Capital Program, to business process review and improvement (As Is and To Be) associated with ERP implementation.

Lastly, DCG has been responsible for assisting HAS IT staff in the day-to-day planning, development, administration, and maintenance support of the HAS applications portfolio and data network environment. Network initiatives have included implementation and configuration support of SONAT; developing and implementing fault management and change management process, including 24/7 NOC operations; providing network vulnerability assessment and remediation services; and 800 trunk radio engineering and negotiation support to migrate HAS radio licenses and operations to a inter-local radio network platform.. On the applications side, DCG is responsible for maintaining no less than 10 custom applications, including continued design and maintenance responsibility (since 2000) of the HAS web site (www.fly2houston.com) .

IT Program Management Services

Representative Projects

Houston Airport System

IT Program/Project Management Oversight Consultant