NewsVentera Corporation Supports USDA's Efforts to Streamline Management of Nationwide Food Stamp Program
New information system helps USDA manage key business operations.
In October 2004, Ventera supported the launch of a replacement system for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). FNS administers the Food Stamp Program, under which more than 153,000 grocery stores and specialized meal service providers deliver food assistance in return for food coupons or electronic benefits. The new web-based system is the next iteration of the Store Tracking and Redemption System, now known as STARS II. STARS II brings Food and Nutrition Service retailer management current with technology and allows FNS to look toward future opportunities such as receiving on-line information updates direct from licensed or applicant firms.
Ventera designed, developed, tested, and implemented STARS II in conjunction with USDA/FNS. Ventera performed all development work using the Rational Unified Process (RUP), an industry-standard system lifecycle methodology. Ventera conducted formal code reviews, employed a risk management process, conducted unit and integration testing, and supported the Government's formal independent testing process. FNS set a system implementation date, which Ventera met.
The STARS II system leverages various technologies, including MS-SQL Server database, BEA Weblogic 8.1, Actuate Reporting, various hardware integrations for a multi-tiered architecture, network switching devices, firewalls, load balancing, and intrusion detection. The system includes more than 700,000 lines of code and 300 database tables. Ventera migrated 9 Gbytes of legacy data for STARS II, and built the system in compliance with the Government's Section 508 requirements.
Ventera continues to provide application maintenance support for STARS II, providing daily system performance monitoring, on-site database administration, response to user questions, problem research, support to the Government's help desk personnel, and preparation of ad-hoc reports.
About Ventera
Ventera is an information technology professional services firm serving a diversified client base,
including the U.S. Departments of Labor, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services, the Securities
and Exchange Commission, Fannie Mae, the U.S. Navy, and Nextel. Ventera provides IT services
that span the technology lifecycle and include web-based application development, systems
integration, IT strategy and technology consulting, independent verification and validation
and program and project management. Ventera's strength, and the value it brings to customers,
is in improving and simplifying business operations before automating them.
For more information contact Joe McMahon Jr. at Ventera: (703) 760-4600 or visit www.ventera.com