First New Brunswick, then the world: CGI aims to lead the international e-government market

“I have been impressed with the very high caliber of their resources. (…) In addition, CGI's proven methodology and demonstrated capabilities in the area of government to citizen commerce… It speaks volumes about their professionalism and project management skills, not to mention expertise in technical architecture and thorough understanding of our needs. (…)”

Mary Ogilvie,Vice-President, Development, SNB

It all started back in 1989, when the Government of New Brunswick pioneered the world’s first “one-stop shop” model for online access to government services. In a bold and farsighted move, it created Service New Brunswick (SNB), a crown corporation with a mandate to fully integrate the delivery of government services to citizens, suppliers and employees. Today, the agency provides some 120 different electronic services on behalf of 11 government departments and conducts some 13 million annual transactions. It’s a resounding success story that has governments everywhere sitting up and taking notice.

As the IT solutions company behind SNB’s success, CGI has built a valuable core of expertise in “single window, multi-channeled government service delivery”. Now, we’re ready to export this know-how around the world

The Challenge
Recognizing that CGI could soon be supporting many, very large g-commerce projects simultaneously around the globe, there was an urgent need to develop a set of re-use methodologies to facilitate knowledge sharing and transfer across all business units. The first challenge was to consolidate and build upon the knowledge and expertise gained through the SNB relationship. From there, CGI needed to develop a unique, all-purpose architectural framework and software toolset that would serve as the foundation for any g-commerce solution, regardless of size, platform or location.

The Strategy
Early in 2001, CGI created the g-Commerce Lab, based in Fredericton, NB. Funded through CGI’s Strategic Investment Program, the Lab’s primary objective is to develop a full-service model that encompasses the methodologies, best practices, architectural framework and software tools to support any single window government initiative.

CGI also developed a formal relationship with SNB through a separate investment initiative, which provides both organizations with enhanced e-government opportunities: SNB benefits from CGI’s continued investment in e-government through accelerated implementation of Electronic Services. CGI, through its relationship with SNB, an acknowledged e-government leader, gets a jump-start on the competition with a cutting edge solution for Single Window, Multi-Channeled government service delivery.

The lab’s first output, a “Preliminary Assessment” methodology, provides clients with a strategic plan for proceeding towards a fully integrated service delivery model. The “Business Transformation” methodology takes that a step further, with specific guidance on how governments can achieve their goals with minimal organizational disruption.

Recognizing that the bulk of single window consulting services would come from outside the lab’s geographical area, it also created Pathways‘, a methodology and infrastructure for remote development. Other key deliverables included a flexible, re-usable architecture which unified all back office processes; and a “g-Biz” software toolset for rapid deployment of electronic services over three platforms: the Internet, the phone, and over-the-counter. Conceived as a prototype, g-Biz was developed into a full-featured product in just three months.

These innovations sum up CGI’s unique, world-class g-Commerce solution.

The Technology

• Component-Based Architecture, a new technology which can be applied to any hardware or software environment and supports distributed remote development

The Results
The g-Commerce Lab has laid the groundwork for a company-wide g-Commerce practice, with consistent, repeatable solutions requiring very little ramp-up time. Already, CGI has reaped some big dividends from its investment in the lab, both at home and abroad.

The g-Biz toolset was used to extend SNB’s single window capability to the municipality of Campbellton (NB), resulting in the first example of multi-level e-government services. SNB was so happy with the results that it is now pursuing 25 other municipalities for single window access.

g-Biz has also been creating quite a buzz at e-government conferences, where government employees and IT practitioners can see first-hand how this unique toolset can greatly reduce the cost and complexity of system development.

Due largely to the work done by the g-Commerce Lab, the company’s g-Commerce practice is growing exponentially. CGI was a key player in the BCE-led consortium that won the Canadian federal government’s Secure Channel bid as well as the successful Services Ontario bid. The lab has also contributed to presentations aimed at potential multi-level government clients in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.

But the biggest coup is CGI’s recent partnership with British Telecom to build a g-Commerce lab along the lines of the successful Fredericton facility. As the saying goes, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. The UK lab will help local authorities meet their 2005 target for getting services online.

As more and more governments around the world receive the same mandate, CGI will have the vehicles, government know-how, professionals and IT acumen to help them meet their needs.

Just ask Mary Ogilvie, Vice-President, Development for SNB. “Since 1996, CGI has been our IT contractor for g-business service delivery and I have been impressed with the very high caliber of their resources. One of the reasons we’ve been able to get services ‘out the door’ so quickly, is due to our harmonious, non-confrontational relationship with CGI. In addition, CGI's proven methodology and demonstrated capabilities in the area of government to citizen commerce was another determining factor for entering into an agreement with CGI.”

“It speaks volumes about the professionalism and project management skills of the CGI resources,” she added. “Not to mention their expertise in technical architecture and thorough understanding of our needs. CGI has also shown a great deal of flexibility, ensuring that customers can access services through their channel of choice – be it over the counter, the Web or a call centre. CGI has a true desire to make g-business an area of specialty and their relationship with SNB is key to establishing that international reputation.”