Right. And here's Top IRS Dog's spiel (I know, they're ALL dogs):
IRS is following the same strategy as any old, large company with inadequate internal resources: hire one of the world's largest (50,000+ consultants) CSC. Helps when their massive fee can be forwarded, then prorated amongst the general taxpaying public with the technical knowledge of the typical Yankee fan, sans fanfare.
Commissioner: IRS Over The Y2K Hump
John Moore, ZDNet
The Internal Revenue Service has put the "biggest part of the most serious risk" behind it as the agency nears the final testing stage of its Year 2000 remediation effort, according to IRS commissioner Charles Rossotti.
Rossotti, who spoke Thursday at the National Press Club, said testing of converted systems is underway and that the last phase of testing is slated to begin Oct. 1. The "tax system will continue as the century changes," he said. By the time it wraps up the conversion, the IRS will have spent nearly $1 billion in bringing its systems into Year 2000 compliance.
That kind of investment, however, has prevented the agency from replacing computer systems that date to the mid 1960s. "In recent years we haven't implemented any new systems, as we consumed most of our technology resources fixing the Y2K problem," Rossotti said.
'Accelerated' Progress In 2001/2002
But Rossotti predicted that in 2001 and 2002 the IRS should experience an accelerated rate of progress. The agency already is establishing a long-term plan for replacing its antiquated computers. Much of that work will fall under the IRS' Prime Alliance contract, which was awarded to Computer Sciences Corp. (NYSE:CSC - news) late last year.
Rossotti calls the upgrade "the biggest, toughest computer business systems replacement project that I have ever seen." But Rossotti is no stranger to managing systems integration tasks; he was a top executive at integrator American Management Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:AMSY - news) prior to joining the IRS in November 1997.
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