Agriculture in China

Our Project Managers contributed to the release of the ICT infrastructure at the new production and management sites

Advisory

We steer and govern all the design phases, guaranteeing the result

To strengthen its presence on the Chinese market, over a period of two years we contributed to the impressive initiative that saw the construction of 3 production sites, one of which boasts an R&D area, the headquarters and the executive office, located in various areas of the country.

The initiative

Within the scope of the activities related to the ICT area, our involvement was in the roles of Project and Program Manager for the release of the technological infrastructure required for each of these new sites and, in particular:
Preparation of the entire ICT infrastructure for the management of a large, new, 400,000 square-meter (of which 80,000 square meters covered) plant built on a “green field” site in North East China. The production site consisted of production systems, a spare parts warehouse, a paint shop, an R&D center, a Training center and a commercial building.
Release of the ICT infrastructure required for both the Headquarters and the Client’s Executive Office
Management of the governance for the release of the ICT infrastructure of two smaller plants (about 16,000 square meters each), complete with assembly areas, a parts warehouse, a training center and a commercial building
We operated as part of the Central ICT Team, coordinating the activities of the local ICT teams (Regional ICT Teams) and the various suppliers involved in the initiative.

From feasibility study to production release:
all phases of the project were managed

We organized and supervised the phases of feasibility study, sourcing, set-up and production release of the ICT infrastructure required for the various sites, ensuring that the solutions adopted were consistent with the technological standards and the Client’s policies, in compliance with both the schedules and the budgets. For each site, and with different degrees of responsibility, we guided all the design phases described in the following table and necessary for the release of the ICT infrastructure requested.
PROJECT PHASES CENTRAL ICT INFRASTRUCTURE
BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
CC
FEASIBILITY STUDY
LEAD & PREPARE
COST CASE
LEAD & PREPARE
PROJECT PLAN
LEAD & PREPARE
BUDGET & INIZIATIVE COST APPROVAL PROCESS
LEAD & PREPARE
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT PREPARATION
LEAD & PREPARE
TECHNICAL MEETING ON RFP DOCUMENT & APPROVAL
LEAD
ENGAGE PURCHASING TEAM
LEAD
SUBMISSION RFP TO VENDOR
CC
EVALUATION ON TECHNICAL & ECONOMICAL PROPOSAL
LEAD
ECONOMICAL NEGOTIATION
LEAD
SOW (STATEMENT OF WORK) EVALUATION
LEAD
CONTRACT PREPARATION & CHOP PROCESS
ASSIST FOR CONSULTANCY
CONTRACT SIGN ON/ PURCHASE ORDER / PAYMENT
CC
DEPLOY BY VENDOR
ASSIST FOR CONSULTANCY
DEPLOYMENT MONITORING
ASSIST FOR CONSULTANCY
COMMISSIONING
ATTEND & APPROVE

The main technologies involved in the project

Network

  • High Availability Fiber Backbone
  • Structured Cabling
  • Full POE distribution
  • Full Wi-Fi coverage in Buildings
  • External Connections (China Telecom) • 10 Mbps to Fiat China Hub • 100 Mbps Local Internet

Voice Services

  • Voip
  • Analog emergency Phones
  • Phones with integrated network switch
  • External Connections (China Telecom)

Power Generator

  • Diesel Generator 150 KW
  • Integrated Container
  • Ambient temperature -40° +50°
  • External 1000 lit. Fuel Tank (20 hours)

Data Center

  • High Availability Facility (TIER 3+)
  • Fully Redundant Power Distribution • 2 x 60KVA + 2 x 80KVA UPSs • 20 Min Backup time
  • Fully Redundant Air conditioning System
  • Gas based Fire Protection System
  • Data Center Monitoring & Management System
  • Dual Power Feeds with automatic transfer switch (ATS)
  • Racks installed

Basic ICT Services

  • High Availability Virtual Farm • Local Domain Controller • Local File Server
  • Storage infrastructure
  • Back Up infrastructure

Our Approach

As PM, we organized and supplemented the activities of the Client’s various technical experts on all infrastructure issues, as well as the experts on End Users services & devices. On the economics side, we prepared the Cost Cases, all the documentation necessary for the approval of the investments, the documentation necessary for the engagement of the Suppliers and, with the support of the Client’s Controllers, prepared the various Budget forecasts and the final accounting of the costs of the initiative.
All project phases were documented and stakeholders at various levels were updated on the progress of the initiative at set regular intervals. In particular, the ICT Vice-President and front-line staff were updated on a weekly basis at reviews of the Infrastructure projects in progress. In addition to the Project Management activity, significant methodological and practical support in ICT Management was provided to the Client’s newly formed local ICT organization, in order to uniform the methodologies and practices for the management of ICT processes to corporate standards.
All the Client’s objectives, in terms of technical solutions, financial aspects (Budget) and timeframes, were achieved