Essociates Group Customer

Project Definition

Essociates Group Customer

re: 2004 ANNUAL PAYMENT FORM

In response to your Request for Project Definition, Essociates Group, Inc. sees our involvement as four distinct phases. We describe below the activities associated with those phases, their respective deliverables and the timelines.

Phase I PROCESS ANALYSIS (the Instruction Guide)

Phase II CONTAINER ANALYSIS (the blank form itself)

Phase III INITIAL REDESIGN of the Form and the Instruction Guide (draft documents)

Phase IV ISSUE RESOLUTION (detail discussions to polish the Form and the Instruction Guide for final
design layout - includes final review and approval prior to submission for production)

Phase I

PROCESS ANALYSIS

Activity

·  Thorough examination of the current seven-page “Instruction Guide” document to obtain a clear understanding of the actions expected of the registrants

·  Development of a list of questions for needed clarification of the document where any action is not immediately or completely understood by us

·  Development of a list of questions to ascertain the nature of the errors encountered by the Knowledge Management Department with reference to documents previously submitted by registrants

Deliverable

·  We will produce a report defining the areas we ascertain to be in need of updating/correction/change and will submit that report for discussion with Knowledge Management Department personnel

Timeline

·  One week following award of contract

Customer Involvement

·  We will arrange teleconferences, as appropriate, to discuss issues and gain clarification from you

Phase II

CONTAINER ANALYSIS

Activity

·  Thorough examination of the current two-page Annual Payment form to obtain a clear understanding of the completion actions expected of the registrants

Note: For this phase, we will need to obtain several (six) copies of the actual physical form since the .tif file does not print clearly because of small type and screening.

·  We will analyze the form from the perspective of the person filling the form to determine where areas of confusion may exist

·  We will identify areas seemingly appropriate for design improvement, will confirm that all areas currently on the form are essential, and will assemble design change recommendations

Deliverable

·  We will produce a report detailing our analysis findings and recommendations for both the Annual Payment form and for the Instruction Guide and will submit that report for discussion with Knowledge Management Department personnel

Timeline

·  Upon completion of Phase I (above), we anticipate Phase II will require approximately one week

Customer Involvement

·  Again, we will arrange teleconferences, as appropriate, to discuss relevant issues and to gain clarification, where needed, from you

Phase III

INITIAL REDESIGN

Activity

·  Using the information gained in Phases I and II above, we will prepare an initial draft layout for the revised Annual Payment form and the Instruction Guide

Note: The initial draft will not include exact positioning markers nor “bubble” locations for the OMR activities that will follow submission by a registrant. Instead, it will only indicate approximately where those markers are to be. Final locations will be one of the last steps in the design process and will likely require conferring with programming personnel to identify exact specifications.

Deliverable

·  Preliminary layouts of both the form and the instructions

Timeline

·  Upon completion of Phases I and II above, we anticipate that Phase III will require two-to-three weeks

Customer Involvement

·  Detailed reviews of both the form and the instruction guide will be needed at this point

·  Detailed spacing specifications will be needed from the programming staff to accommodate any changes in position of the elements on the form that will be scanned caused by the redesign

·  Meticulous proof-reading by your organization (“a second set of eyes”) will be appropriate at this time

·  Approval of the design draft and permission to proceed with the final artwork

Phase IV

ISSUE RESOLUTION

Activity

·  Preparation of final artwork draft

Deliverable

·  Artwork layout for both the Annual Payment form and the Instruction Guide

Customer Involvement

·  Final review of artwork and approval to add scanning controls and OMR mark areas

Activity

·  Adjustments as required, if any, based upon your final review

·  Addition of scanning controls and OMR mark areas

Deliverable

·  Final artwork ready for production, including any last-minute modifications

Timeline

·  Once all outstanding issues are resolved, should require no more than 10 days

·  Total project time estimated at approximately six weeks

Thank you for the opportunity to submit our Proposal for your project. We look forward to working with you.

Ray H. Killam, CFC, CFSP

President, Essociates Group, Inc.

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Essociates Group, Inc.

Initial Response – CNO RFP.doc