Sreenath Gurrapu
(Photo : Sreenath Gurrapu)

Sreenath Gurrapu, Intelligent Automation Practice Lead at Anika Systems, said that as government customers get more comfortable with the use of automation systems, they are seeing new opportunities how they can automate routine tasks, FedScoop reported Friday.

He discussed the growth of automation in government and what it means for workforce at UiPath Public Sector Conference held in Washington DC.

"One of the highlights we've observed is our ability to provide customers with more than just training on the technology. We offer them a lab setting where they can test their specific use cases and attempt to construct something basic" Sreenath said.

He discusses few examples of automation helping agencies leapfrog or avoid the need for rip-and-replace technology modernization projects. He says he's seen most of that work being done internally before agencies start to modernize-without having to redesign systems and processes. He gives an example of how Anika Systems helped IRS that leveraged automation to reduce manual hours.

At Anika Systems, we deeply understand the challenges faced by pivotal government agencies, such as the IRS, in their revenue collection and tax administration duties. Recognizing the digital age's demands, the IRS saw an urgent need to upgrade its procurement processes. Honored by their trust, we were chosen as the esteemed partner to roll out RPA - a state-of-the-art technology designed to automate mundane and repetitive tasks. This transition empowers the IRS staff to channel their energies into more strategic endeavors.

In our commitment to excellence, we crafted and showcased a minimum viable product (MVP) prototype of the CR Bot solution to various Federal Agencies including the IRS, HHS, CMS, and GSA. The solution resonated with the IRS, leading them to award us a five-year prime contract. We're proud to say we delivered and rolled out the CR Bot in just 4 months, surpassing the initial launch target. This innovative solution notably enhanced the efficiency of the IRS Procurement Office, slashing the time taken for each offeror's responsibility determination from 2 hours, when manually handled by a Contracting Officer, to a mere 2 minutes. This results in an annual savings of 18,000 person-hours per IRS Modernization Plan for Year 2019

Our pioneering RPA bot solution not only ensured that the IRS Contractor Determination Process is in complete harmony with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) but also set a precedent for intelligent automation innovations within the IRS. It was a moment of great pride when The IRS Chief Procurement Officer, Harrison Smith, described the CR Bot as, "...worth its weight in gold."  - Sreenath added