This document primarily addresses technology project proposals, but also includes important information regarding new and replacement technology equipment requests. There is a resources and forms section at the end of this document that summarizes available resources and submittal requirements related to each type of technology need. Please read these instructions thoroughly and let your BMO Analyst know if you have any questions. Additional documents and resources related to this process are located on DOT under Global Menu/Budget and Finance/Budget Resources.
How Technology Related Services are Delivered
Information Technology (IT) consolidation began in 2003 and continues today through Shared Services. Technology related services are provided in three primary ways.
1. Problems
Break/fix and trouble-shooting services Catastrophic production problems Loss of production data
System functioning in severely reduced capacity Loss or interruption of service
2. Work Orders
Requests for future product enhancement or modification Reoccurring operational tasks related to an existing system Requests take 80 hours or less to complete
Requests are prioritized and included in Technology Services work plan 3. Projects
New technology initiatives that require more than 80 hours to complete
Proposed projects are considered for funding during the annual budget development process
Approved projects are added to the Technology Services Department’s work plan Mid-year project proposals will be considered only in the following situations:
1. Proposal is considered an emergency and cannot wait until the following budget development process
2. There is significant cost savings to be gained as a result of funding the project mid-year
To obtain any service from the Technology Services Department, contact the Help Desk by emailing [email protected] or by calling 720-913-HELP (4357). Help Desk staff will route the service request to the appropriate group within Technology Services. If you are proposing a project that needs funding, however, you will need to submit the proposal during the technology project proposal process, which is part of the annual budget development process. Project proposals for 2012 funding consideration are due to the Budget Submittal inbox by close of business on 4/15/11.
IT Governance and the Role of the Project Sponsor
There is significant demand for new technology and limited resources available to implement new technology projects. To best meet demands within a strategic City-wide view, a formal IT
governance framework was established to support prioritization and decision making processes for technology projects and investments. The Information Technology Investment Council (ITIC) seeks to fund projects with the greatest benefits. Cross-agency collaboration and exploration of common enterprise-wide solutions are highly encouraged.
The City’s IT Governance framework consists of:
Party Role
Technology Services Department Ongoing planning and customer support Information Technology Investment
Council (ITIC)
IT investment decision making body, comprised of representatives appointed by the Mayor's Cabinet ITIC Support Committee
Three member group (Technology Services project
Management Office Director, Manager of Business Process Analysis, and the BMO Analyst for Technology Services) responsible for supporting the ITIC
Information Technology Advisory Committees (ITACs)
Staff members from various departments that provide subject matter expertise for various technology and service area domains
Budget & Management Office Financial management, analytical support, and business process analysis
Project Sponsor
Executive level individual responsible for managing the core service area and business process to be impacted by the proposed project; the sponsor promotes a given project from initial project proposal through project closeout and benefits realization
The role of the project sponsor is critical. The project sponsor is involved in the project every step of the way. This includes:
Proposing the project
Developing the business case for the proposed project Determining measurable success criteria of the project
Being engaged during the implementation and delivery of the project Measuring project results
Reporting on those results
Below is a summary of the Project Lifecycle. The project sponsor is expected to be involved throughout the lifecycle.
Project Delivery
(Project Sponsor & TS – PMO)
Ongoing Operations & Project Evalution
(ITIC & Project Sponsor)
Closing Executing Monitoring & Controlling Large Technology needs/changes that require ITIC Funding Ongoing/Periodic Post-Implementation Reviews (Possibly – First 6 &/or 12 Months post-delivery) Planning
Initiating
Project Selection
(ITIC & Project Sponsor)
ITIC Selection Process
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What is a Technology Project?
A technology project is any initiative designed to deliver a new service, a new functionality, or a significant enhancement to existing capabilities, regardless of potential funding source. The determination of what constitutes the scope and priorities of a project may vary depending on available funding and resources, business requirements, and direction from City leadership. Additionally, the project discovery process, which includes understanding of the scope, impact, and priority of the proposed project, will be impacted by projects already in progress at the time. Examples of technology projects include, but are not limited to:
Acquisition of new application or implementation of new technology Development of major enhancement to existing application or technology Effort requiring one or more of the following:
- Significant number of hours for staff to complete - Significant overall cost
- High visibility or service delivery impact at the organizational level - High degree of complexity or risk
- Multiple agency coordination
- Significant business process consideration - Major production support or maintenance effort
Projects require an executive level sponsor (department/agency director or manager) from the proposing agency, business case development, and measurable success criteria. Projects are approved through the annual budget development and ITIC processes. Approved projects will be assigned a Project Manager from Technology Services and added to the Technology Services’ work plan. Project sponsors are required to provide the status reports during project implementation and to report on project results post project implementation.
How to Propose a Technology Project
To propose a technology project, submit a Project Proposal Form (available on the 2011 Budget Process page on DOT), with as much detail as possible. Incomplete proposals may not be fully considered for funding.
1. Projects will be evaluated and prioritized along with all other project proposals
2. Business cases for high priority projects will be presented to the ITIC for funding considerations and decisions
3. Projects approved for implementation will be integrated into the Six-Year Technology Investment Plan and Technology Services’ work plan
Most technology project funding decisions will be made to coincide with the annual budget process. However, special consideration will be given to emergency or other mid-year proposals to take advantage of cost savings opportunities. Technology projects tend to be complex in nature and require extensive scoping, costing, and vetting efforts. Many projects require ongoing resources beyond implementation, so it is important to understand both implementation and ongoing resource needs prior to funding a project. Also, some project proposals may benefit from business analysis. Frequently, projects are not funded for the same year they are proposed, due to the amount of groundwork that needs to be laid to ensure project success.
When determining whether or not to submit a technology project proposal, consider the proposal in light of the three existing technology programs below, which will establish a pipeline of projects to bring agencies on-line with these capabilities.
1. Consolidated Document Management – centralized document management repository and collaboration capabilities
2. Foundational Technologies (Business Intelligence and Identity Management) – reporting, data warehousing, and information search and retrieval capabilities
3. Customer Experience – website capabilities designed to enhance customer interaction through the City’s website
Project proposals related to the three programs above will be considered pipeline projects, to be prioritized and implemented within a broader technology program, rather than approved as a stand alone project.
How Technology Project Proposals are Evaluated and Prioritized
Once submitted, project proposals are categorized, scored, and ranked. It is important to complete all sections of the Project Proposal Form. Incomplete proposals may not be well understood or score well.
Proposals are initially grouped into the following categories: 1. Not complete – needs more information
2. Good request – would benefit from business analysis 3. Good request – ready for more detailed scoring process
4. Project is mandated by Council Ordinance, Executive Order, State or Federal governments, etc.
Proposals that fall into the third and fourth categories above will be scored and ranked according to the following criteria:
1. Strategic Fit - degree to which an agency is matching resources and capabilities with opportunities to improve service delivery to customers; fit within City-wide strategic framework and ITIC funding strategy
2. Cost/Benefit – evaluation of the desirability of a given project proposal based upon quantifiable service delivery improvements and any known cost reduction and revenue enhancement details; strength of the business case
3. Sponsorship - executive sponsor (department/agency director or manager) support 4. Readiness - groundwork laid for project implementation; resources available for project
implementation
5. Risk Assessment – degree to which project proposal is well understood; risks associated with the project and how risks might be addressed
Projects are scored and ranked by the ITIC Support Committee. Scores and rankings are presented to the ITIC and ITIC members determine which projects move forward for scoping and cost estimating. Sponsors of those projects that move forward are required to build and present business cases to the ITIC. Following these business case presentations, ITIC members make funding decisions.
Funding decisions are made in light of existing project workloads (see Six-Year Technology Plan for listing of current projects), financial resources available to fund new projects, and capacity available within Technology Services to staff projects. A mixture of internal Technology Services staff and external contractors is used to manage and implement approved projects. Project proposals should detail resources needed for project completion, whether internal or external.
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It is hoped that funding decisions will be made between late summer and early fall. However, time requirements of the scoping and cost estimating processes and informational needs of the ITIC may delay this timeline. Project proposal dispositions and results will be communicated to project sponsors at major steps throughout the process.
Please see the 2011 ITIC Process Flowchart and the 2011 Technology Project Evaluation and Scoring Criteria for additional information.
Post-Implementation Reviews
The City invests millions of dollars in technology each year. So, it is important to track the benefits realized from technology investments. One of the key duties of the project sponsor is to report on project results.
The purpose of post-implementation reviews is to:
1. Determine whether the project delivered the intended value/impact
2. Utilize metrics to drive ongoing process improvements and make informed decisions 3. Ensure project sponsor accountability to project success
4. Provide lessons learned for future funding decisions and project delivery improvements In order for a post-implementation review to be successful, measureable success criteria must be identified and baseline data gathered prior to project implementation.
Six-Year Technology Plan
Due to the high implementation costs, effort required to build solid work plans, and ongoing maintenance and support requirements of technology projects it is necessary to have a long-term vision. Projects approved for implementation will be integrated into the Six-Year Technology Investment Plan and Technology Services’ work plan.
Similar to the City’s Six-Year Capital Program, the Six-Year Technology Plan addresses the following three expenditure areas:
1. Payments – any necessary lease payments associated with technology projects or planned replacement of technology equipment
2. Maintenance – any necessary maintenance costs associated with technology projects or planned technology equipment purchases; these costs are initially budgeted in the appropriate technology project or equipment fund, then rolled into the Technology Services operating budget post project implementation or following successful equipment purchase and installation
3. Discretionary – any remaining funding available to continue phases of existing technology projects and support new technology projects
The Six-Year Technology Plan is just that – a plan – and is subject to change based upon available funding from year to year. The Plan includes lease payments and non-financeable costs associated with multi-year technology projects and anticipated annual maintenance costs associated with planned equipment replacements. The Plan is updated as new technology projects are approved.
2011 Technology Project Proposal Timeline
The following calendar details the timeline for major activities related to the 2011 Technology Project Proposal Process.
Date Activity
March 3 Instructions distributed and informational session held
April 15 Project Proposals due to Budget Submittal Inbox
April 18 – June 6 Project categorization, scoring, and ranking
June 7 Project scores and rankings presented to the ITIC
Technology Services prepares scopes and cost estimates June 8 – August 29
Project sponsor prepares detailed business case
August 30 Project scopes, cost estimates, and funding worksheet presented to the ITIC
September Funding decisions made by the ITIC
October – December Technology Services work plan developed for upcoming year
February - March Six-Year Technology Plan finalized
Resources and Forms
The following resources and forms are to be used when proposing technology projects and requesting technology equipment.
Item Resource/Form Due Date
Proposal Instructions Proposal Form
Six-Year Technology Plan Project Scoring Criteria Technology Project Proposal
ITIC Process Flowchart
April 15th
Replacement Technology Equipment* Replacement Capital Equipment Form (BRASS) May 23rd
New Technology Equipment* Decision Package Form June 6th
*See bottom of page 6 through the top of page 8 for additional detail.
Information Technology Investment Council (ITIC) Support Committee
Theresa Wilson BMO Analyst for Technology Services 720-913-5543 Primary Contact
Scotty Martin Manager of Business Process Analysis 720-865-2574
Terry Tanner Technology Services Project Management
Office Director 720-913-4811
Secondary Contacts
The information below addresses how to request new or replacement technology
equipment (not related to a technology project)
New Technology Equipment
Requests for new technology equipment associated with a technology project should be included in the cost estimating and business case development steps for the applicable technology project being proposed.
Requests for new technology equipment that is not associated with a technology project should be submitted via a Decision Package Proposal during the annual budget development process.
Replacement Technology Equipment
There are planned replacement programs for existing technology equipment (desktop/laptop computers, servers, radios, software, and other IT equipment/infrastructure). Details regarding how to submit each type of these requests are provided below.
7 Desktop/Laptop Computer Replacement
General Fund agencies should not request replacement of desktop/laptop computers and mobile data computers (MDTs/MCTs). These replacements are planned and funded through the TS User Components Fund. Please note that TS replaces only the CPU, keyboard, and mouse (not the monitor) out of this Project Fund. Monitors will only be replaced upon failure.
Non-General Fund agencies should include replacement desktop/laptop computers in their budget request. Non-general fund agencies need to work with Technology Services to reach agreement regarding replacements and replacement costs will be included in appropriate non-general fund agencies’ budgets. Once agreement is reached with Technology Services, replacement requests should be included in agencies’ Replacement Capital Equipment (BRASS). These requests will be reviewed by Technology Services and BMO and approved equipment will be included in agencies’ capital equipment budgets.
Infrastructure Replacement
Scheduled replacement of servers, routers, hardware/software, and tools necessary to maintain the City’s network infrastructure will be managed by Technology Services for General Fund agencies. These replacements are planned and funded through the Technology Infrastructure Replacement Fund. General Fund agencies whose IT support is not provided by Technology Services should email John Beck in Technology Services regarding needed replacements. Approved replacements for all General Fund agencies, regardless of whether they are supported by Technology Services or not, will be funded through the TS Infrastructure Replacement Fund.
Non-General Fund agencies should include replacement servers and other infrastructure items in their budget request. Non-general fund agencies need to work with Technology Services to reach agreement regarding replacements and replacement costs will be included in appropriate non-general fund agencies’ budgets. Once agreement is reached with Technology Services, replacement requests should be included in agencies’ Replacement Capital Equipment (BRASS). These requests will be reviewed by Technology Services and BMO and approved equipment will be included in agencies’ capital equipment budgets.
Radio Replacement
Replacement of existing 800 MHz radios for General Fund agencies (including Safety agencies) is conducted according to a citywide Radio Technology Advisory Committee (RTAC) Plan, coordinated by Technology Services’ Electronic Engineering Bureau (EEB). Replacements are funded through the Radio Replacement Fund. General Fund agencies should not request replacement radios. TS will submit a consolidated radio replacement request for General Fund agencies to support a replacement cycle giving priority to the oldest portion of the radio fleet. If special considerations apply, please contact your BMO Analyst.
Non-General Fund agencies should include radio replacements in their budget request. Non-general fund agencies need to work with Technology Services’ Electronic Engineering Bureau (EEB) to reach agreement regarding replacements and replacement costs will be included in appropriate non-general fund agencies’ budgets. EEB can provide the age and replacement eligibility for existing radios along with minimum specifications and cost estimates for replacement radios. Once agreement is reached with Technology Services, replacement requests should be included in agencies’ Replacement Capital Equipment (BRASS). These requests will be reviewed by
Technology Services and BMO and approved equipment will be included in agencies’ capital equipment budgets.
If uncertain whether a request constitutes a technology project or a technology equipment item (new or replacement), please contact your BMO Analyst to discuss.
