2ndWave LLC

Our certified professionals have extensive experience implementing large, complex public sector programs; helping clients solve their most pressing financial and business management challenges, and implementing proven leading-edge technology solutions that enable them to operate more efficiently while minimizing risks and costs. Our associates are certified in their respective areas of expertise – Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), Certified Government Financial Managers (CGFMs), and Project Management Professionals (PMPs). They have demonstrated their expertise in implementing large Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs) – including Oracle Financials, PeopleSoft, and custom enterprise-wide Information Technology (IT) solutions.

Our Proven Success

Our professionals have led or supported successful enterprise-wide technology and program management solutions for a variety of government clients.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

New Core Interface Solution (NCIS)

2ndWave designed and developed NCIS as part of HUD’s New Core migration project to move the agency from HUD’s core financial and key administrative system – HUDCAPS, HUD Central Accounting and Program System – to the Department of Treasury’s ARC Shared Service Financial Management solution. This large program represents the first adoption by a Cabinet-level Department of a financial shared services solution.

2ndWave designed and developed the software following HUD’s PPM v2.0 methodology. As part of integrating HUDCAPS to ARC’s Oracle Federal Financials solution, we developed all of the financial crosswalks and coordinated budgetary and proprietary transactions from HUD feeder systems to the core financial management system. The solution was delivered in releases, all on time and within budget, culminating with HUD’s go-live to ARC’s system in October 2015. We continue to support the solution through operation and maintenance as we prepare for new releases.

Development Application Processing (DAP) System

2ndWave provides operations and maintenance to support to this Multi-family Housing system that provides pre-endorsement information for underwriting new financing instruments. The system supports HUD users in regional offices across the country and at headquarters as well as lenders. Our consultants support day-to-day operations with trouble-shooting and customer data support. We are currently working to modernize the system from its current obsolete PowerBuilder and Sybase architecture to a modern, cloud-based J2EE platform using an Agile-based approach.

Department of Treasury

2ndWave provides financial management and accounting support to various Department of Treasury Agencies.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) A-123 and Accounting Services Support

2ndWave supports OCC’s Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Financial Management department, with General Accounting Support, General Audit Support, and help maintaining a robust Internal Control program that facilitates OCC’s compliance with applicable rules, laws and regulations (e.g., FMFIA, A-123, FFMIA, GPRAM and CFO Act).

  • General Accounting Support – 2ndWave is providing comprehensive financial, operational, and system-related capabilities rooted in a knowledge of federal regulations and statutory requirements for financial management. We support OCC in the areas of account reconciliation, auditing support, travel card operations, data analytics, accounting policy, and financial operations (AR, AP, Investments, Fixed Assets, Purchasing, Relocation, and Payroll).
  • General Audit Support – we are providing support to assess and improve controls in or related to OCC systems. Support includes, but is not limited to, assisting the OCC audit support team; helping perform control reviews (e.g., external and internal audits, certification and accreditations, annual assessments); assessing IT general controls; performing root cause analysis for control weaknesses; developing and implementing corrective actions for control weaknesses; reengineering business processes (development and implementation) to address or prevent control weaknesses; and providing ongoing internal controls and audit support.
  • Internal Control Support – we are assisting management to maintain a robust internal control program within the OCC by providing analysis, advice, data analytics, and compliance support with the rules, laws and regulations governing federal programs, including FMFIA, A-123, FFMIA, GPRAMA, and CFO Act. In addition, we are providing assistance in establishing and monitoring internal controls and assessing third-party service organization reports and mapping of relevant third-party user control considerations (UCCs) as they relate to the OCC.

2ndWave SMEs and accountants help OCC to support its mission and customer service needs and ensure compliance with Federal financial management regulations.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

2ndWave conducted a strategic assessment of NOAA’s cross-enterprise portfolio of administrative and financial management systems and business processes to optimize how the systems and data support stakeholders across NOAA.

To support NOAA’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), under the direction of the Financial Systems Division (FSD), 2ndWave completed a strategic assessment of NOAA’s Commerce Business System, supporting financial management and administrative systems, business processes and data. The project’s goal was to optimize the use of existing systems and to improve data reporting, strategic decision-making and analytics across the enterprise to be more responsive to internal stakeholders and external stakeholder needs, including OMB, the GAO, and Congress.

2ndWave SMEs developed Strategic Roadmaps to guide NOAA IT investments

2ndWave conducted a multi-stage analysis to develop investment recommendations in the form of Strategic Roadmaps to support release planning and IT investment decisions for NOAA’s leadership. For the findings that we identified through research and stakeholder interviews, we developed a set of strategic and tactical solutions, and organized these into executable roadmaps. We evaluated solutions based on their value to cost ratio and stakeholder priorities.

For each roadmap, we recommended specific investments and identified supporting bases of estimates, durations to implement, and required NOAA and contractor staffing commitments. We presented the Strategic Roadmaps to NOAA’s CFO Council for approval, with supporting documentation for NOAA teams to implement. We developed governance documentation that NOAA can use to execute internal investment processes and create the required acquisition plans. We developed risk assessment profiles for each roadmap and mapped them to enterprise strategic objectives.

Throughout the process, we managed communications across the NOAA-wide stakeholder group and engaged the stakeholders directly through feedback sessions.

 

MWAA ERP Implementation and IT Governance

Metro Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) FIRST Project

ERP Systems Implementation Support

MWAA created the Focusing on Innovation through Reengineering and Systems Transformation (FIRST) project to provide the Authority with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to enable and fully integrate the functionality of their back-office operations. Legacy MWAA business processes and systems were generally independent of each other; business processes and systems were inefficient, did not allow for full data control and accountability, easy user access to consolidated information, elimination of data redundancy, or data integrity.

Data integration, where it existed, was attained through custom interfaces between a variety of COTS and proprietary software applications running on a variety of platforms. The environment created redundant data repositories, interface maintenance synchronization issues, and required Authority staff to duplicate data stores and manual processes in order to support the various office and organizational needs. Because many of these business processes and systems were independent of each other, the Authority spent a substantial amount of time and resources operating, synchronizing, reconciling, and maintaining them.

The project leveraged Oracle Enterprise Business Suite (EBS) Release 12 to automate eight end-to-end business processes.

2ndWave’s role was to provide functional Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) as part of the ERP implementation team.

Our consultants were responsible for working with MWAA client personnel to validate the requirements (developed by another contractor), and then elaborate and expand on those requirements through the use of several techniques, such as group interview/discussion sessions and conference room pilots. 2ndWave consultants also participated in testing the solution and training the end-users.

After implementation, 2ndWave was a part of an Integrated Project Team (IPT) providing ongoing production and end-user support, at the Tier 2 and 3 levels, and for functional and technical enhancements to the deployed solution. This effort includes the full range of testing activities, including working with functional end-users for User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

Metro Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Information Technology Governance Strategy

Assessment and Recommendations for Board of Directors governance and use of IT as a strategic asset in high-performing organizations

The Board of Directors (Board) of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) requested that the Office of Audit develop and present a White Paper on information technology governance and the Board’s role in overall IT governance in large, complex organizations. 2ndWave provided analysis and functional subject matter expertise in information technology, strategic planning, governance, and industry best practices.

The White Paper addressed how IT governance policies and processes can best address major information technology challenges including:

  • Aligning IT with business goals
  • Developing IT plans that support corporate business objectives
  • Implementing new enterprise technologies (e.g., radio frequency identification, enterprise resource planning systems)
  • Controlling IT costs and increasing efficiencies, and
  • Ensuring data security and integrity.

The paper also addressed the role of the Board of Directors in setting policy and allocating resources for functions critical to effective information and technology management:

  • Capital planning and investment management
  • Enterprise architecture
  • Information security
  • Information technology/information resource management (IT/IRM)
    strategic planning.
Veterans Affairs Financial Management Systems Implementation

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Management Systems Implementation

Governmentwide Treasury Account Symbol Adjusted Trial Balance System (GTAS)

2ndWave professionals provided functional and technical support services for the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Management Systems’ (FMS) implementation of the Governmentwide Treasury Account Symbol (GTAS) Adjusted Trial Balance System for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Treasury enacted the GTAS Adjusted Trial Balance System, a web-based system implemented for use in a Governmentwide reporting setting to replace and merge the functionality of four separate reporting systems (FACTS I, FACTS II, IFCS, IRAS). Consolidation of these systems will facilitate data consistency checks, save the government significant maintenance costs, and save VA substantial reporting costs. The VA will submit proprietary and budgetary data simultaneously in one simple submission. This will save the users time, will provide more consistent and complete financial data, and will allow for better analytical reporting. Edits will check data across both budgetary and proprietary reporting.

2ndWave provided subject matter expertise and advisory support services that enable VA to understand, perform, report, and monitor all existing requirements of GTAS.

We developed and executed the templates, tools, and processes used in the development, documentation, testing, evaluating, reporting and remediation phases, and compliance with laws and regulations. The consulting team is helping the VA meet the GTAS requirements including: developing the data needed for submission, uploading the files in production, reviewing and researching failed data validations and accounting edits, reconciling VA GTAS bulk file attributes to Treasury GTAS bulk file attributes, identifying and performing a root cause analysis, and making recommendations for remediation.

Other Government Agencies

Additional Government Agency Experience

Enterprise-wide Systems Implementation and Program Management Success

Prior to our roles at 2ndWaveLLC, our Program Management team (in their experience with the Big 4 consulting firms) have led and/or provided significant technical and SME support to large, complex ERP (both financial and HR/payroll) implementations for a variety of government agencies. Those technology and program management solutions include:

  • Department of Education’s Central Automated Processing System (EDCAPS)
  • Department of Education’s Grants Administration and Payroll System (GAPS)
  • Department of Education’s Oracle Financials Implementation
  • Department of Education’s Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX)
  • Department of Transportation’s Delphi Oracle Financials Implementation
  • Department of Labor e-Payroll migration (PeopleSoft / National Finance Center)
GNMA Financial Accounting System and Loan Level Accounting

GNMA Financial Accounting System (GFAS) & Loan Level Accounting (LLA)

PeopleSoft core accounting systems support and requirements analysis

2ndWave Consultants provide Operations and Maintenance Support to GNMA’s PeopleSoft-based core accounting system. GFAS supports the financial functions required to process payments and receipts, track financial events, and provide for government financial management and reporting per OMB and GAO requirements.

2ndWave Consultants are using the HUD PPM 2.0 methodology to lead requirements definition, evaluate alternatives, and develop solution recommendations for implementation of the Commitment Control Module, a major ongoing enhancement to GFAS. This enhancement will improve GNMA’s budget execution process, ongoing management of budgetary transactions, and both high-level and program-level budgetary reporting. Our Team provides accounting and financial expertise and PeopleSoft systems integration consulting to assist GNMA with tracking and reporting of budgetary supplemental data.

2ndWave consultants are also providing maintenance support for the current production system, working with end-users to streamline their work processes, and providing enhancements to the current PeopleSoft solution. 2ndWave consultants are also responsible for ensuring that the proper controls are designed and integrated into the system and its related operational processes.

OPM Trust Funds Benefits Assessment

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Trust Funds Benefits Systems Assessment

Assessment and analysis of alternatives for business process and technology solutions to support OPM’s nearly $1 trillion in trust fund assets.

OPM operates three (3) civilian employee earned benefits programs: retirement, health benefits, and life insurance. The retirement program consists of the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS). The health benefits program provides medical protection to federal employees, retirees, and family members as well as former employees and former spouses. Similarly, the life insurance program provides group term life insurance coverage for those members. These benefit programs are supported by four trust funds that incur obligations and make payments to cover the financial commitments.

2ndWave’s professionals served as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to provide an assessment of trust funds and benefits systems business processes to determine the alternatives that are available to meet OPM’s desire to further modernize its trust funds operations. Tasks included a Viability Study, Analysis of Alternatives and Systems Requirements, and Development of Recommendations, including legislative, regulatory, and policy changes.

2ndWave’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) provided government financial and accounting expertise and systems integration experience

Our consultants served as part of the team who performed a broad range of activities to support the modernization of the trust fund business processes and systems. The team completed ten tasks and deliverables:

  • Viability Study – Reviewed the broad range of modernization alternatives available, and narrowed the list of options to the top three alternatives. The Viability Study included a market survey of large trust funds and their technology support approaches.
  • Functional & Technical Requirements – Reviewed, validated, and updated the baseline requirements for trust fund processing.
  • As-Is Process Models – Reviewed, validated, and updated the baseline process models for trust fund processing.
  • System Architecture – Created a systems architecture diagram to document the systems, data flows, and information exchanges to and from trust fund systems.
  • Gap-Fit Analysis – Developed a “To-Be” state based on the requirements and stated OPM priorities, and assessed the gaps between the “To-Be” and “As-Is” environments.
  • Concept of Operations – Developed a CONOPS to describe the high-level operational view of the system from a user’s perspective.
  • Analysis of Alternatives – Analyzed the modernization alternatives using an extensive list of criteria.
  • Acquisition Strategy – Provided a framework for the development of an acquisition plan and statement of work (SOW) to support the modernization effort.
  • Business Process and Operational Recommendations – Identified process improvement opportunities.
  • Implementation Plan and Approach – Described a framework and guidelines for a detailed implementation plan for the final solution.
  • Change Management and Acceptance Plan – Provided a strategy for managing the changes associated with the modernization.

These project deliverables and the overall assessment results provided a solid basis for OPM’s execution of this significant modernization effort.