The Challenge

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) faced a critical information management crisis that threatened operational efficiency across the agency. As the organization responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating vital agricultural trade information worldwide, FAS needed seamless communication and efficient access to mission-critical data among thousands of employees across multiple divisions and global offices.

The existing FAS intranet SharePoint site had become a significant productivity obstacle. Employees struggled to navigate the confusing system and discover relevant content across diverse program areas. The platform suffered from inconsistent governance, creating a fragmented user experience with no standard look and feel. Content remained scattered across disconnected sites, making it nearly impossible for staff to efficiently locate information needed for global agricultural trade operations.

This fragmented system failed to promote essential communication and collaboration for an organization operating across multiple time zones while coordinating with agricultural stakeholders worldwide. Additionally, FAS operated a public-facing website built on a non-standard Drupal implementation running on Microsoft technology stack—an unusual configuration creating maintenance challenges and limiting the agency’s ability to leverage standard development practices.

Our Solution

Prime Source Technologies partnered with USDA FAS to deliver comprehensive modernization that transformed both internal intranet experience and public website architecture. Our approach addressed the full spectrum of information management needs while implementing industry best practices for content governance and user experience.

Comprehensive Intranet Redesign
We completely reimagined the FAS intranet as a sophisticated content management system designed around usability, governance, and collaboration. Working closely with stakeholders across all nine program areas, we developed a unified platform balancing agency-wide consistency with program-specific functionality.
The redesigned intranet featured curated, highly-governed content with enterprise search and browse capabilities that dramatically improved information discovery. We implemented custom master page layouts adhering to USDA Style Guidelines while providing an intuitive, modern user experience. The new architecture included specialized areas for agency-level content, program-specific resources, and collaborative communities.
Our team established a robust governance framework led by a SharePoint Governance Board with representatives from the Information Services Division and business program areas. This structure provided ongoing oversight of content quality, design standards, and user access while maintaining flexibility for diverse program requirements.

Agile Implementation Methodology
We implemented an Agile Scrum process for all development and enhancement efforts, completing over 20 successful two-week sprint delivery cycles. This iterative approach allowed continuous incorporation of stakeholder feedback and adaptation to evolving requirements. The Information Services Division site launched first, followed by systematic delivery of remaining program area sites over twelve weeks using the proven Agile framework.

Public Website Architecture Modernization

Recognizing that FAS’s non-standard Drupal implementation on Microsoft stack created ongoing maintenance challenges, we successfully migrated the public-facing website to industry-standard LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack. This architectural transformation leveraged USDA’s NITC Platform as a Service model for Drupal, providing a more sustainable and cost-effective foundation.
The migration addressed critical technical debt while positioning FAS to take advantage of standard Drupal development practices, broader community support, and more cost-effective hosting solutions. This infrastructure-level improvement significantly reduced long-term maintenance costs while improving system reliability and security.

Enhanced User Experience
The modernized intranet introduced sophisticated features including dynamic site banners with slider functionality for featured news and announcements, rich scrollable content areas, and custom menu structures providing intuitive access to program areas and agency communities. We developed multiple site templates tailored to different organizational levels—from agency-wide content to division-specific resources.
The platform supported both formal content publishing workflows for official agency communications and flexible collaboration spaces for project teams and working groups. This dual approach balanced authoritative, controlled information sharing with collaborative flexibility required for daily operations.

The Results

The FAS intranet modernization delivered transformative results across multiple dimensions, fundamentally changing how the agency manages and shares information.

Operational Excellence Recognition
Prime Source Technologies received the USDA FAS CIO Outstanding Achievement Award for contributions to the SharePoint Governance and Redesign project, recognizing both technical excellence and significant operational impact.

Enhanced Information Accessibility

The new intranet dramatically improved information discovery and access organization-wide. Enterprise search capabilities enabled employees to quickly locate relevant content regardless of originating program area. Unified navigation structure and consistent design standards eliminated previous confusion that hindered productivity.

Improved Governance and Content Quality

Implementation of robust governance processes and the SharePoint Governance Board created sustainable frameworks for maintaining content quality and consistency. Program areas gained clear guidelines for content creation and management while retaining flexibility for unique operational requirements.

Technology Modernization Benefits

Migration from non-standard Drupal implementation to industry-standard LAMP stack architecture provided immediate benefits in reduced maintenance complexity and cost. The new infrastructure positioned FAS to leverage broader community resources and standard development practices for ongoing enhancements.

Beyond Technology: Cultural Transformation

The FAS intranet modernization represented more than technology upgrade—it catalyzed fundamental shifts in agency information management and collaboration approaches. The new platform broke down silos between program areas, enabling more effective coordination of global agricultural trade activities.
Modern, intuitive tools for content creation and sharing empowered employees at all levels to contribute to the agency’s knowledge base. Emphasis on user experience and accessibility drove adoption across the organization, from headquarters staff to field representatives working with international partners.
The governance framework established during the project created lasting organizational improvements continuing to benefit FAS operations. This project demonstrates Prime Source Technologies’ ability to deliver comprehensive modernization initiatives addressing both immediate operational needs and long-term strategic objectives while transforming organizational culture around information sharing and collaboration.