The MIS department was established in 1990. It is currently staffed by a manager and nine other Information Service professionals. In addition, there is a full-time consultant working on network and help desk projects.

The migration of our legacy COBOL software systems to an Oracle client/server environment is in the second year of a four-year plan. MWCIA, as a part of a three-state ACCCT joint venture, is working with the consulting firm of Intelligent Information Systems (IIS) of Raleigh, North Carolina, on this project.

In conjunction with the migration of software, MWCIA is implementing a PC based Unit Stat reporting software package called Bureau Entry and Edit Package (BEEP). This package is also an ACCCT project, the effort of eight bureaus representing nine states working with IIS. This project will ship in the 2nd Quarter of 1997.

External Access to MWCIA information has been identified as a major effort for the next two years. Four projects have been identified and are in various stages of implementation:

1. Remote User Access is a project that will allow authorized users outside of the MWCIA offices to review policy and other selected sets of information from MWCIA systems. At present, the Department of Labor has been set up to access MWCIA information from their offices.

2. Carrier Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the implementation of a system from Advantis. This package software product is designed to send and receive electronic transmission of unit statistical and policy data as well as other carrier information to and from MWCIA computer systems. Advantis has been successfully installed and used by several other rating bureaus. This project is expected to be operational by the end of the 4th quarter of 1997.

3. World Wide Web (WWW) Inquiry is a project designed to allow carriers and agents to view and print policy, rating and circular letter information via the Internet. This project is scheduled for completion by the middle of the 4th Quarter 1997.

4. Replacement of the present Fax-on-demand system is the last project identified. This project will provide better performance and stability by replacing an existing system that is performed by an outside vendor for a cost of $40,000 per year.