November 22, 2009 08:18 AM UTC

How technically incompetent is the State of Colorado

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• by: DavidThi808

Ok, this is a very small thing, but I think it is indicative of how the State of Colorado is inexcusably inefficient in their use of technology.

Go take a look at our response to a state RFI. The PDF file is a scanned in image.

Why? That’s an interesting question.

To send in this RFI we were required to mail (not e-mail, snail-mail) 2 printed copies and a CD with the electronic copy. That was the only allowed means to submit.

Clearly they then scanned in one of the printed copies to post up on the web. Which leads to the following inefficiencies:

1) The submissions are not search-able because they are images rather than the text.

2) The labor costs on the state’s end to scan hard copy rather than just copy a file emailed is higher. Multiplied by every document the state receives, this adds up.

My concern is not our one submission. It’s not even the cost to the state for every RFI that comes in. My concern is if they can’t get something this simple right, how many other places do we have other inefficiencies that are costing the state money? It’s not like there is a giant budget surplus and you need to find ways to spend it all.

It’s also weird that an administration that prides itself on being green – requires printing and mailing hard copies & CDs. That unnecessarily adds a small bit to the carbon footprint of this state each time it occurs.

I know the state OIT hates to try anything new, but this is ridiculous.