We received four responses to our request for
proposals. Tom Clarke and I have reviewed them and discussed the
trade-offs. The choice turns on political and interpersonal issues.
For that reason, Tom and I feel it necessary to involve the Steering Committee
in the decision.
The
applicants, in alphabetical order, are:
Betty
Harvey (she is president of her own company)
Dr.
Laurence Leff (Western Illinois University)
Eric Tingom (eCorridor, a contractor
who has done a great deal of integrated justice work with
Maricopa County, Arizona, including
XML and the GJXDM)
Todd
Vincent (xmlLegal)
Tom
and I rate Vincent and Leff at the top on technical and business skills and familiarity.
Betty Harvey lacks background in the justice arena. Eric Tingom lacks
experience in the OASIS/W3C world. Tom and I both rank Vincent a bit
higher than Leff on technical and business criteria. However, both are
clearly capable of performing the work. I expect that both Harvey and Tingom
could also perform very well.
Leff’s
is the least expensive proposal. Vincent’s is the most
expensive. Leff offers to work for us for nine months for the cost of a
graduate student -- $16,054 flat rate. It is not clear exactly how much
time he would make available but the proposal represents that he will meet our
timetable for products. Presumably the graduate student would give us all
of his available time. Vincent, on the other hand, would charge $200 per
hour.
Vincent
has agreed in his proposal to donate all of his IP in 2GEFS and any other IP
that would be involved in the Electronic Filing Blue specification and schema
if we hire him. After talking with Christopher Smith and Vincent
recently, Tom believes that hiring Vincent is the only way that we will gain
access to the 2GEFS materials. However, it is not clear how important the
2GEFS materials are to Blue, if our emphasis is on GJXDM and open standards.
Both Vincent and Leff bring unusual personalities to the role. Most of us
have had dealings with both and can make our own personal assessment of that
factor. Vincent has some negative baggage with some important court
leaders in Georgia and elsewhere. That factor
should be considered; I believe it could be overcome if we conclude that effecting
a rapprochement with Vincent is sufficiently important for the Member Section,
OASIS, and the court filing community.
We
have a Steering Committee conference call scheduled for next Wednesday –
September 8th. I ask that this issue be the principal topic on that
agenda. Please keep in mind that OASIS management has the final say on
this. OASIS will enter into the contract, not the Member Section.
We have the option of recommending that OASIS enter into requirements contracts
with all four, with the idea that Harvey might work with Legislation, Tingom
might work with the IJTC, and E-filing would decide whether to go with Vincent
or Leff. I do not recommend that course. The issues are
sufficiently important that the Steering Committee should decide which
direction to take and advise OASIS management accordingly, understanding that
they have the right to make the final decision.
Let
me know if any of you want to review any or all of the proposals.
John M. Greacen
Greacen Associates, LLC
HCR 78, Box 23
Regina, New Mexico 87046
505-289-2164
505-289-2163 (fax)
505-780-1450 (cell)