New Software Category Discovery Helps CA Port Secure $4.2M in Grant Funding
Problem
The maritime department at a top-five California port had long utilized a manual process in its day-to-day operations across several facilities. Understanding the benefits of department-wide digital transformation, the port zeroed in on the promises of terminal operating systems (TOS), which stood to automate many of their manual processes while also reducing the number of steps each process required. But choosing a vendor among the many TOS offerings proved complex. Selecting the right solution was paramount as it would form the cornerstone of a grant proposal the department hoped would secure funding for its implementation. Recognizing the gravity of the decision, the port brought in Excelerate to help identify the disparate information system needs within the maritime department’s operations and to evaluate these needs against any potential vendor’s solution.
Approach
Excelerate began with a review of client documents and stakeholder interviews before facilitating workshops to understand the different processes associated with each of the maritime department’s facilities. Notably the port operated a wide variety of facilities, and Excelerate coalesced the disparate processes for each, synthesizing the data and grouping specific needs around common themes.
From there, Excelerate helped generate a list of TOS providers that met the department’s needs, reaching out to 10+ potential vendors before whittling the list down to five providers invited to demo their capabilities. Through the research and demo process, however, Excelerate remained flexible and questioned assumptions, ultimately determining no TOS could meet the client’s needs. In doing so, Excelerate uncovered a new software category the client had yet to consider, Port Management Information Systems (PMIS). Excelerate ultimately recommended the port integrate a combination of TOS and PMIS features.
Results
Excelerate helped the client discover a previously unexplored software category, which, when combined with TOS features, provided precisely what the department required. This became the foundation for a grant proposal to support implementation and begin data sharing with the other top 5 California ports; the application proved successful, and the port received $4.2 million in state funding. By not rushing into their digital transformation and leveraging a brand agnostic partner like Excelerate, the client properly evaluated its needs and uncovered the optimal solution, streamlining operations and securing funding while avoiding common digital transformation pitfalls.