University Times

University lists five highest paid firms

In addition to disclosing salary information, the University's IRS Form 990 lists the five firms that received the most money from Pitt during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1999.

Four of those firms were paid for computer consulting.

Pitt paid $1,013,651 to Pittsburgh firm Keanne, Inc. to test and modify computer programs so they could handle the Y2K rollover on Jan. 1, 2000.

Chicago's Oracle Corp. received $989,830 for Pitt's new Human Resources information system and for software support.

Architects Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates of Butler, Pa. were paid $979,778 to do infrastructure engineering for mechanical and electrical work and for research lab design.

Ciber, a Carnegie, Pa. firm, received $492,856 to consult on the PRISM computer system.

Pitt paid Pittsburgh's SEEC, Inc. $458,258 for work on University administrative systems and modifications to ensure Y2K compliance.

From 1995 to 2000, the University spent about $5 million on Y2K readiness, and individual units spent at least another $1 million that wasn't tracked by the central administration, according to the task force that led Pitt's effort to avert Y2K disruptions.

— Bruce Steele