IBM has Georgia assets on its mind

Georgia state government officials announced this week that they have awarded a $2.95 million, eight-month contract to IBM for the implementation and integration of a new centralized asset management system to track computers, cell phones, office furniture, vehicles and surplus property.

IBM is implementing asset management software, developed by Bedford, Mass.-based MRO Software. The centralized system will replace other multiple inventory systems that state agencies operate and will result in more than $500 million in savings and cost avoidance over 10 years, according to information provided by Georgia officials.

State officials also expect lower labor and support costs to maintain the current inventory of state assets, better tracking of assets from purchase to use, better decision-making and other benefits.

The state contract is a direct outgrowth of recommendations by Gov. Sonny Purdue’s Commission for a New Georgia, which was a public-private partnership formed nearly three years ago to examine how the state government could become more efficient and improve customer service.

In a report, the commission wrote the state has a limited ability to find out what assets it owns, where they’re located, who’s using them and how much it costs to maintain them, among other issues.

Spearheaded by the Georgia Technology Authority and the Department of Administrative Services, the project will be implemented in phases to manage the state’s fleet and capital and information technology assets.