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How Do We Pilot Test the OPPCIS?

Edgardo P. Sabalvoro
28 April 2014

I Synopsis

[Objective] The GPPB-TSO will pilot test a program called OPPCIS or Online Procurement
Performance and Compliance Indicator System in central offices of twelve (12) national government
agencies and local government units in four (4) weeks.

[Results Expected #1] We will determine the web-based programs reliability, ease of us,
interoperability, compatibility with other system, scalability, functionality, security, readiness and
user acceptance.

[Results Expected #2] The 2013 Agency Procurement Compliance and Performance Indicators
(APCPI) Ratings from these 12 pilot test partners will be created and completed. The Completion
Rates are 25% by Week 1; 50% by Week 2; 75% by Week 3; and 100% by Week 4.

[Participants] The key persons in this endeavor will be incumbent members of the Bids and Awards
Committee of these offices specifically the HOPE (to approve), the incumbent BAC Chair (to
evaluate, review and endorse to the HOPE), and two (2) members of the BAC Secretariat (who will
prepare the report (2014 APP, PPMP, PMR) for endorsement, approval and submit /record online).
They will comprise the Pilot Project Team in every NGA/LGU to introduce, implement, monitor, and
evaluate the execution of OPPCIS.

The GPPB-TSO Pilot Test Project Team will manage the pilot test and coordinate with the various
pilot test project teams in 12 central offices of NGAs/LGUs and conduct four (4) field visits (if
necessary) to monitor the developments.

[Hardware & Appliances] The key success requirements are pilot test area, dedicated equipment
(server, pc, browser), project support (hotline), user manual, user training, 2014 procurement
documents (APP, PPMP, PMR); and Back-up plan Server and Data back-up.

[Peopleware] Key success requirements are management commitment (MOU), Project Team,
Procurement (& IT) training and background, Well-defined processes, Individual and collective self-
esteem, Communications Plan/strategy.

I Introduction
(Thank you for the short introduction.)
We thank our partners for trusting the GPPB-TSO in this pioneering task and for
volunteering to be a part of this historic activity Pilot testing OPPCIS. I do hope that by
now all of you know about the OPPCIS. It has been introduced to you by the two to four
speakers before me. The Whys of pilot testing the OPPCIS is already a given from this point.
We will now tell you how we are going to pilot test the OPPCIS.

What is a PILOT?
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a pilot is a person who flies an airplane,
helicopter, etc.; a person who steers or guides a ship into and out of a port or in dangerous
waters; a single television show that is made as a test to see if a television series based on
the show would be popular and successful.
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What is a Test?
A test is a critical examination, observation, or evaluation; a trial. Specifically, it is the
procedure of submitting a statement to such conditions or operations as will lead to its
proof or disproof or to its acceptance or rejection (as in a test of hypothesis or a proof of
concept)

Combining these two words, we can say that a pilot test is something that measures the
worth of a thing, in such a way that the test itself acts as a guide. It is like a trial balloon!

When applied to a new web-based computer program named OPPCIS, our pilot test is
something that we do to measure its worth on a limited scale and scope so that the results
of the test will guide the GPPB-TSO managements decision-making about proceeding with a
broader rollout for use by all national government agencies and local government units. By
pilot testing a new program before rollout, the government avoids errors on a large scale
that could be corrected based on the lessons from this small-scale test that will run for 4
weeks. [There are 82 provinces in the Philippines, 135 cities, and 1, 493 municipalities.
According to a study from the Office of the Ombudsman, the government agencies which
have the number of graft cased filed against them are LGUs, followed by the PNP, AFP,
There are 19 executive departments. ]

The General Objective of this Pilot Test is - to generate the APCPI Rating of 12 central offices
of NGAs and LGUs through OPPCIS in four (4) weeks.

[The Specific Objectives are:
1) To generate partnership and key management support from twelve (12) NGA/LGU
central offices to pilot test Project OPPCIS by April 28, 2014;
2) To launch Project OPPCIS through a training event to capacitate the OPPCIS Project
Teams (composed of the HOPE, BAC Chair and two (2) BAC Secretariat members) from
twelve (12) NGA/LGU central offices on 28 April 2014; and
3) To upload the PPMP, APP and PMR of 2014 from twelve (12) NGA/LGU central offices by
28 May 2014.]

[Results Expected #1] Determine the web-based programs reliability, ease of use,
interoperability, compatibility with other system, scalability, functionality, transparency,
security, and user acceptance.

If the instructions are very clear, if it answers a particular need easier than the paper-
based APCPI. We will test if the OPPCIS program has no interoperability or compatibility
issues with various browsers Mozilla, Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, etc. We
need to determine if the server will keep up with the volume of data later on.

[Results Expected #2] Create and complete the 2014 Agency Procurement Compliance and
Performance Indicators (APCPI) Ratings of 12 pilot test project teams. The Completion Rates are
25% by Week 1; 50% by Week 2; 75% by Week 3; and 100% by Week 4.

{Key Persons] Incumbent members of the Bids and Awards Committee of these offices
specifically the HOPE (to approve), the incumbent BAC Chair (to evaluate, review and
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endorse to the HOPE), and two (2) members of the BAC Secretariat (who will prepare the
report (2014 APP, PPMP, PMR) for endorsement, approval and submit /record online). They
will comprise the Pilot Test Project Team in every NGA/LGU to introduce, implement,
monitor, and evaluate the execution of OPPCIS.}

The GPPB-TSO Pilot Test Project Team will manage the pilot test and coordinate with the various
pilot test project teams in 12 central offices of NGAs/LGUs and conduct four (4) field visits (if
necessary) to monitor the developments.

To successfully accomplish this task, we will need the following hardware requirements:

II Hardware Requirements

One is Pilot Test area. A dedicated area exclusively for the members of the Bids and Awards
Committee, the BAC Chair and key members of the BAC Secretariat and the HOPE. This is a
no brainer.

Two is dedicated equipment (server, pc). We need to secure these for at least a month or 20
days. We want to test the reliability of the program, of the server, the interoperability or
compatibility with other browsers with no interruptions at least for said period. It should be
a controlled environment.

Three, is Project Support (a Hotline or client support representatives at GPPB-TSO) to
answer your every query in real time but during office hours. We can always provide
technical advice, training support, or even crafting a change management strategy for this
purpose.

Fourth is a User Manual that should come handy during weekends or when there is a need
or a concern. People will surely ask the same set of questions or requests for further
clarifications. Sometimes, having a manual provides peace of mind to some people.

Fifth, is User training which we are doing right now. A more specialized session might be set
up once the OPPCIS is up and running online for all members of this team. Once you have
determined that this is fool proof and maybe future-proof too and therefore can be adopted
agency-wide, nationwide, we can proceed as planned.

Sixth are public procurement documents such as the 2014 APPs, PPMPs and PMRs.

Seventh is a back-up server as our back-up plan just in case the server #1 is not up and
running and also to save the stored data just in case the first server one is compromised.

In todays soft launch, we are just asking you to take a spin and test drive the OPPCIS for a
day, for a few hours. Your observations, comments will be collected, evaluated, assessed,
and improved on so that we can proceed with the actual pilot testing involving real
procurement documents, not just dummy ones for four weeks.



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III Peopleware Requirements

One is Management Commitment. We will only succeed with everyones support. The Head
of the Procurement Entity (HOPE) should be locked in on this. So are the BAC Chair and the
BAC Sec members.

Two is a Project team per partner agency involved in this pilot test. We need the HOPE (for
Office Order), BAC Chair and BAC Sec representatives to be the technology champions or
OPPCIS ambassadors. They have very specific tasks to do. An Office order signed by the
HOPE to create a project team, secure the computer equipment, a room and a commitment
to run the test for a month is already one big start.

Three is proper training and background on public procurement and IT. We need people
who are knowledgeable and experienced about procurement policies and guidelines.
Getting someone who has never been exposed to public procurement is a big NO. You can
always refer to the Guidelines on the Establishment of Procurement Systems and
Organizations where the qualifications for people who should join the Bids and Awards
Committee, the Technical Working Group, Observers, and their respective duties and
responsibilities are spelled out. We also expect everyone to be computer literate or have IT
experience.

Fourth are well-defined processes. The instructions in the program are very detailed and
simple and should be followed. There should not be any short-cuts because there are no
short cuts. This will follow after my presentation as you can see in the program.

Fifth is Individual and collective self-esteem. There will surely be problems that might arise
with this web-based program during the four-week period. We expect you as individuals and
as a team to work together and make this work. We will be here to support everyone who is
on board the OPPCIS Pilot Test.

Sixth is a Communications strategy or plan. The Project Team will have to tell our internal
and external clients about our journey with the OPPCIS. They will convince our co-
employees that there will be no employees who will be retrenched in the process or that
people will be trained on the use of the OPPCIS. The procurement processing time and
workloads will be reduced by 40%, and that there will be more transparency and
accountability. This will reduce our paper consumption considering most of the transactions
will be paperless. OPPCIS is web-based. Any member from the media or the civil society
organizations, or even employees in government can check online about the procurement
work in the public sector. Finally, that this program is free, compliments of a grant from the
World Bank.

But once it is already up and running, we will proceed with the four-week pilot test. And we
will require the following from our partners who are convinced that public procurement
should be more transparent, accountable, participative, effective, and efficient, follows the
rule of law, etc.; it is for good governance after all.

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Finally, as a Summary, I will share a study from the medical industry on the factors that
usually contribute to facilitating the adoption of a (technological) innovation:

Users have had an opportunity to try out and experiment with the applications.
[This what we are doing right now with you and will repeat once OPPCIS is online
and in service or when there are new interested BACs from various NGAs and LGUs.]

Leaders in their work environment are not opposed to it. [Your superiors are not
opposed to this by sending you here. Right?]

Among the first users are people with credibility in the eyes of their co-workers.
[When one is selected as BAC member, there is a certain degree of integrity,
honesty, respect demanded.]

The new system offers significant advantages over existing practices.

It is easy to understand and implement.

It is compatible with the values, practices and needs of the users.

The Secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on
building the new. Socrates

Thank you.

References
1. Bill Booth. Technology: Pilot Testing Your Clubs New Software. The Boardroom.
Issue 25. http://www.hftp.org/Content/NCA/PilotTesting.pdf
2. Government Procurement and Policy Board. Guidelines on the Establishment of
Procurement Systems and Organizations.
http://www.gppb.gov.ph/downloadables/forms/GPM%20-%20Vol.1.pdf
3. Michael J. McCord, Graham A.N. Wright and David Cracknell . A toolkit for Planning ,
Conducting and Monitoring Pilot Tests.: A tool Kit.
http://www.microfinancegateway.org/gm/document-1.9.29430/3332_3332.pdf
4. Merriam-Webster Dictionary
5. National Archives and Records Administration E-Gov Electronic Records
Management Initiative. Electronic Records Management Initiative: Recommended
Practice: Developing and Implementing an Enterprise-wide Electronic Records
Management (ERM) Proof of Concept Pilot http://www.archives.gov/records-
mgmt/policy/pilot-guidance.html#1
6. Edgardo P. Sabalvoro. A Case of a Career Womans Legacy to a City.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/66139629/Woman-s-Legacy-to-a-
City?secret_password=kh2re6mrwztqandlz99