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Information Technology Consolidation
[ index ]
FY2011 House 2 Budget Recommendation:
Issues in Brief
Deval L. Patrick, Governor
Timothy P. Murray, Lt. Governor
In fiscal year 2010, IT leaders across the Commonwealth enacted the provisions of Executive Order 510 Enhancing the Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Executive Department’s Information Technology Systems. Their work includes consolidating IT spending, operations, administrative functions, and physical IT infrastructure at the Commonwealth and Secretariat levels. The Patrick-Murray Administration’s fiscal year 2011 House 2 Budget reflects the progress and efforts made toward consolidation.
Why is IT Consolidation Important?
IT Consolidation will dramatically improve the Commonwealth’s current IT environment which has been too complex, too difficult to maintain, and impossible to secure. In only 10 months, consolidation has begun to combat these challenges by aligning Secretariat IT resources with their business strategies and priorities; building a stronger and more agile IT workforce; and standardizing IT resources to make infrastructure more robust and services more reliable. The ultimate result will be government services that are more efficient, transparent and responsive to the public.
How is the Commonwealth implementing IT Consolidation?
E.O. 510 defines a unique model for IT consolidation that balances standardization and economies of scale, with responsiveness to Secretariat business needs. Per Governor Patrick’s Executive Order, a strategic two-year work plan was developed by the Commonwealth Chief Information Officer, with three key phases of Secretariat and Infrastructure consolidation: high-level planning, detailed planning, and implementation.
Figure 1. Phases of IT Consolidation
High-level planning began in the fiscal year 2010 budget with the consolidation of IT spending and personnel into eight secretariat budgetary and eight intergovernmental service accounts. During the first phase, the Secretariat Chief Information Officers (SCIO) and other secretariat leaders, such as Human Resource and Finance staff, met regularly to discuss best practices, collaborate on spending and governance decisions and identify common technology solutions. One notable outcome of this collaboration is the negotiation of a Commonwealth-wide Oracle license that will save the Commonwealth an estimated $50 million over the next 5 years.
Detailed planning focused on developing inventories of IT assets and workforce and creating detailed plans to consolidate Secretariat Helpdesks, Desktop and LAN organizations and redundant applications.
While currently in phase three, IT assets are being consolidated and streamlined. Data centers are being moved into one of two Commonwealth data centers. This will enhance security and reduce the risk that constituent information could be compromised. Hundreds of Commonwealth employees have been moved to the MassMail email system, and thousands more will transition over the course of 2010. The Commonwealth will communicate with a single tool for the first time. Consolidation of IT assets are being supported by training and redeployment activities underway for human resources. With these workforce development activities, the Commonwealth’s IT staff will become stronger and more flexible, and we will reduce our dependence on expensive contractors. The consolidation of IT assets and human resources will be enabled by new operating models that streamline the administration of Secretariat IT services. These operating models require the authorizing language reflected in Outside Section 5 of House 2 that allow Secretariats to “share services” such as processing payroll for IT employees and bill-paying. As described in the issues brief outlining the benefits of a Shared Service Model, this language does not make changes to current decision-making authority, but does allow “back room” functions to be performed in an efficient manner. The language proposed will enable the successful completion of consolidation by the target date specified in E.O. 510.
IT Consolidation is supported by the work of nearly 60 working groups and more than 400 people. With continued support from the Patrick-Murray Administration and the Legislature, IT Consolidation will be substantially complete before 2011.
Benefits of a Successful Consolidation
IT Consolidation has developed a program to track, measure and report on the program benefits as required by E.O. 510. Consolidation will result in efficiency, effectiveness, and information security.
Figure 2. Benefits of IT Consolidation
Efficiency – The Commonwealth will spend and invest in IT more wisely.
Effectiveness – Our IT services will be delivered more reliably and with better alignment to business priorities.
Information Security – Information will be more secure and protected using industry leading practices.
Efficiencies from IT Consolidation will enable key reinvestments in creating a stronger IT workforce, and make infrastructure more robust and services more reliable.
For More Information:
The Commonwealth’s IT Consolidation program has been recognized as one of the most transparent of its kind in the country. Citizens, employees and leaders alike can find detailed program information on the IT Consolidation wiki page
Prepared by Chantal Mont-Louis, Executive Office for Administration and Finance ·
www.mass.gov/budget/governor
For more information contact: contactanf@massmail.state.ma.us (617) 727-2040
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