U.S. Department of Agriculture
eGovernment Program
October 16, 2002
eGovernment Working Group Meeting
Chris Niedermayer, USDA eGovernment Executive
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Welcome
Smart Choice Update
Agency Updates – Round 1
Q&A
Next Steps and Wrap-up
Agenda
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Smart Choice Update — Funding/OMB
• Initial investment reviews and scores on Exhibit 300s for most Smart Choices received from OMB last week
• Partnering with the CPIC Team, the eGovernment Program worked with the business case leads to ensure that OMB’s issues were addressed: Revised 300s, addressing specific comments, issues, and weaknesses mentioned by
OMB were returned to business case team leads on Friday
Team leads reviewed the changes made to the 300s and are working to get their agencies’ CIOs to “re-certify” the 300s
The eGovernment Team is entering the revisions into the I-TIPS system for re-transmission to OMB
Attempting to make process of revisions as painless as possible
• Our goal after this round of revisions is for all Smart Choice 300s to receive a score of 4 or 5 on OMB’s scale, ensuring that they are in a good position to be included in the President’s budget.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Define Functional (Business) Requirements
•Educate stakeholders• Identify best practice requirements
•Review best practices with mission areas
•Gather agency specific and strategic functional requirements
•Synthesize functional requirements and disseminate for review
•Finalize functional requirements
Define Select-Level Business Case Section Templates
• Review CPIC guide• Create templates• Obtain sign-off from IRM• Publish final templates
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Marketing and Communications
Document Best Practices for completing select-level business case
*Includes Workplan, Project Scorecard, Status Reports, quality assurance and general project management activities
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Project Management*
September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 Dec 2002
Smart Choice Update—Select Business Cases / Implementation Planning Gameboard
Define Technical Requirements
•Technical Requirements
•Security Plan•Telecommunications Plan
•Analysis of Existing Systems (if applicable)
•Technical Architecture Plan
•eGovernment Plan
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Enterprise Solutions Center Planning• Define enterprise services to be offered based (in part) on functional and technical requirements• Architecture schema to support enterprise services• Organizational requirements, governance, and communications to support enterprise services
Complete Cost/Benefit Analysis
Complete Risk Assessment
Complete ImplementationProject Planning
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Obtain Approval & Submit
• Complete OMB 300• Enter in to ITIPS• Obtain approval from CPIC
• Obtain approval from EITIRB
• Submit to OMB
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Finalize Business Cases
• Complete executive summary and one page overviews
• Disseminate to agencies for final review and comments
• Complete final drafts of all sections
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Agenda
Welcome
Smart Choice Update
Agency Updates – Round 1
Q&A
Next Steps and Wrap-up
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Agency Updates
• Today’s agencies:
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Departmental Administration
Forest Service
Office of the Executive Secretariat
Risk Management Agency
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Name of highlighted initiative: Research, Education, and Economics Information System
Purpose: A Congressionally mandated, comprehensive, integrated system to assist USDA, its partner institutions, and the public in monitoring and evaluating the research, education, economics, and extension activities conducted or supported by USDA.
Stakeholder groups involved: Citizens, business partners, and employees Benefits: Single point of entry for evaluation and accountability information about
agricultural research, economics, education, and community outreach programs, projects, and activities
Time/cost to create: Approximately $26.9M when complete Links to eGov Program: Data Management, Information Management, Knowledge
Management
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: Strong Federal project management
Working chunk by chunk, rather than trying to address everything from the outset
Sound development of system requirements and traceability of requirements through testing
Develop guidelines and standards as appropriate to promote high quality, stable data structures throughout evaluation and accountability data sources; robust data standards are key
Web-enabled metadata from the outset
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Departmental Administration
Name of major initiative: eProcurement (Integrated Acquisition System-IAS) Purpose: Provide backend processing capability for procurement staff Stakeholder groups involved (citizens, business partners, or employees): Employees Links to eGov Program (Smart Choices, Tactical Plans, etc.): Smart Choice, also
complements Federal eProcurement initiative
Awards and achievements: Contract awarded; progressing to pilot
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: Challenge: Convincing OMB that the Federal eProcurement is a front-end system, and IAS is a back-end system.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
DA: Office of Administrative Law Judges
Name of highlighted initiative: Agriculture Decisions On-Line Purpose: To provide a web-based publication of Agriculture Decisions to the general
public. Stakeholder groups involved (citizens, business partners, or employees): Citizens,
litigants, enterprise employees Benefits: Research at no cost. Open & transparent access. Time/cost to create: Initial Year $8,000, thereafter $1,500 Lessons learned and future direction: Add decisions that are not currently in electronic
format; explore appeal filing Links to eGov Program (Smart Choices, Tactical Plans, etc.): Contained in DA Tactical
Plan; Quality Search Engine is essential (link to Portals/Web Presence initiatives)
Awards and achievements:
eGov Expos or other activities (past or future):
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: A lot can be done with very little expense, but a quality environment and tools (search engine) are critical.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Forest Service
Recreation One Stop: Purpose: Help the public “find the fun” by providing authoritative and reliable information
about publicly-owned outdoor recreation areas, historic and cultural sites, museums and visitor centers, plus links about recreation activities.
Stakeholder groups involved: FS, NPS, BLM, FWS, BR, USGS, BIA, ACE, FHA, NOOA, Smithsonian, TVA
Benefits: Provide Recreation for America, improve customer service of the Federal Government by a “portal” web site and by simplifying computerized data sharing
Time/cost to create: $3 million at completion, 2 years Lessons learned and future direction: Need interagency agreements, need clear
governance, map-based navigation (GIS later?), driving directions Links to eGov Program: Tactical Plan, President’s Initiative, Smart Choice, ePermits
Awards and achievements: In the top 15 web sites – Government Executive, Hamer Award - Vice President Gore
eGov Expos or other activities: Multiple interagency and public demonstrations
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: federal 1st – extend to other government – and stop at private, XML standards needed to allow private web site use of government information, scope creep, think big – build small- scale up, get early successes, homeland security may cause additional cost
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Forest Service
Name of highlighted initiative: ConnectHR Purpose: A single sign on for web-based human resource applications Stakeholder groups involved (citizens, business partners, or employees): All USDA,
OMB, up to 110,000 end user potential Benefits: Secure SSL, SSO, WWW access, single system image, timeliness of
information Time/cost to create: $1 million, 2 years Lessons learned and future direction: need marketing plan, bridge between legacy and
future applications, retain intellectual property, expand to all of USDA Links to eGov Program (Smart Choices, Tactical Plans, etc.): Tactical Plan, Smart
Choice, HR Online
Awards and achievements: eGov 2002 Pioneer Award
eGov Expos or other activities (past or future): eGov 2002
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: remain vendor independent, avoid creating a stovepipe application, avoid proprietary systems
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Forest Service
Name of highlighted initiative: Volunteer.Gov Purpose: Provide a “clearinghouse of clearinghouses” for volunteer opportunities across
public, private, and non-profit organizations. Stakeholder groups involved (citizens, business partners, or employees): The President,
many federal, state and local agencies, and the public, over 300,000 volunteers. Benefits: A one-stop resource for citizens seeking volunteer opportunities in important,
satisfying projects that benefit this nation and its citizenry. Time/cost to create: $120,000 first year Lessons learned and future direction: privacy of public supplied information is important Links to eGov Program (Smart Choices, Tactical Plans, etc.): Tactical Plan, Smart
Choice
Awards and achievements: not sure
eGov Expos or other activities (past or future): White House ceremony.
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: support and coordination must start at the top levels of government to be successful.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES)
Name of highlighted initiative: USDA Correspondence Management System (CMS) Purpose: To replace unsupported legacy correspondence management system with
an application that can serve as a pilot for a wider USDA document management effort, particularly in terms of developing “electronic” business practices and facilitating required cultural change.
Stakeholder groups involved: Initially all those who correspond with the Secretary and Deputy Secretary and employees and officers who answer and manage the correspondence.
Time/cost to create: About 18 months (thus far) and $1 million in development, management, and infrastructure upgrades to date from OES, ARS, and OCIO. OES has contributed about half of the funding to date.
Lessons learned and future direction: Application initially used to manage OSEC correspondence. The next logical users will be those who manage documents in similar administrative business processes. Eventually, all USDA employees who create, use, or manage documents, will do so electronically.
Benefits: Improved access to documents throughout their life cycles resulting in improved service. Administrative processes will be more transparent and efficient.
Links to eGov Program (Smart Choices, Tactical Plans, etc.): Not yet.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES)
Awards and achievements: Prototype nearing completion. Implementation scheduled for later this year.
eGov Expos or other activities (past or future): Prototype demonstrated at 5th Annual USDA Agency Information Technology Showcase on October 9-10, 2002
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: Business needs must drive the development process and set priorities for changes and enhancements.
©Accenture 2001 All Rights Reserved
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U.S. Depa rtment o f Agr icultur e eGovernm ent Program
Risk Management Agency
Name o f highl ig hted ini tiative: Web Content Managem ent
Purpose: Core method by which personali zed content is delivered via a portal
Stakeholder groups involved (c itizens, business partners, or employees): policyholders,prospective policyholders, private insurance companies, approved insurance providers,RMA employees and employees of private insurance companies or approved insuranceproviders
Benefi ts:
Al lows content providers to create and update pages without learning web authoringlanguages
Within a defi ned workflow, the content wi ll be up-to-date
Custom content can be delivered to core audiences
The webteam staff will spend less time clearing and post ing content allowing moretime to be spent on R&D, site improvements, and special website projects
Time/cost to create: Estimates will be available after the select -phase business cases arecomplete, and RFP is awarded, and available eGov funding is announced.
Lessons learned and future di rection: Planning phase; lessons learned wil l be sharedwi th staff implementing other eGov ini tiatives
Links to eGov Program (Smart Choices, Tacti cal Plans, etc.): (Combined with DocumentManagement, Data Management , Portals, and Web Presence) eGovernment StrategicPlan
©Accenture 2001 All Rights Reserved
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U.S . Departm ent of Agri cul ture eG overnm ent Program
Risk Management Agency
Awards and achievements: Now in the 90-day select phase
eGov Expos or other activities (past or future): None
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: 1) establishing business requirements, 2) identifying content contributors, 3) performing a content audit, 4) establishing a corporate taxonomy, 5) budgeting for the initial startup and annual maintenance costs, 6) defining and testing workflow, 7) deploying a technology, 8) training staff on the new systems, 9) educating both management and staff on new processes.
©Accenture 2001 All Rights Reserved
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U.S . Departm ent of Agri culture eGovernment Program
Risk Management Agency
Name of highlighted initiative: eLearning Purpose:To develop a business case and requirements for an enterprise-wide level of
educational service
Stakeholder groups involved (citizens, business partners, or employees): The eLearningInitiative is currently limited to extending eLearning capabilities and opportunities to USDAemployees. As a byproduct, that meets the RMA mission, eLearning has been or will beextended to other USDA employees, our business partners and special interest groups
Benefits: Pooling resources and requirements to obtain a cost effective and efficientLearning Management System
Time/cost to create: Estimates will be available after the select-phase business cases arecomplete, and RFP is awarded, and available eGov funding is announced
Lessons learned and future direction: Planning phase; lessons learned will be sharedwith staff implementing other eGov initiatives
Links to eGov Program (Smart Choices, Tactical Plans, etc.): eLearning is one of the 12eGovernment smart choice high prior ity enablers
©Accenture 2001 All Rights Reserved
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U.S. Department of Agri culture eGovernment Program
Risk Management Agency
Awards and achievements: eLearning is one of the 12 eGovernment smart choicehigh prior ity initiatives
eGov Expos or other activit ies (past or future) : None
General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: Some Agencies, such as RMA,have unique requirements that are required by legislation and mission-related goalsand objectives. System features should be broad enough to address these needs.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
• Name of highlighted initiative: Web Based Portfolio Information/Reporting
• Purpose: This initiative has converted paper intensive and complicated automated processes to a secure agency web site. The web site provides field staff with rapid access to loan portfolio information including status of obligations, applications, and borrower portfolio. In addition, the site provides a reporting mechanism for states to report on loans made in special initiative areas associated with annual appropriations and the agency annual performance plan.
• Stakeholder groups involved: Employees
• Benefits: Easy access by field staff from any location on applications pending, and active portfolio information. Paper based reporting processes on loans in special initiative areas are now tracked on the web.
• Time to Implement: 120 days.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
• Lessons learned and future direction: Stay involved with developers on a regular basis, even (especially) if they are in house
to make sure system is developed to specifications.
Use input from field staff in systems that they will have to use. Feedback from field staff was provided late in the process; it should have been provided earlier.
Future Direction: Incorporate web reporting into other automated systems, and change with annual funding appropriations to comply with Administrative Initiatives.
• Links to eGov Program: This initiative is identified in the RBS Tactical Plan.
• Awards and achievements: System went on line 9/15/02 and was implemented with minimal problems. Being used by State Offices. Reporting for FY 2002 activities ends 10/15 and is on schedule.
• General eGovernment challenges/lessons learned: Think “BIG” but start small. Build systems in phased- incremental approaches.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Agenda
Welcome
Smart Choice Update
Agency Updates – Round 1
Q&A
Next Steps and Wrap-up
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Questions and Answers
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Agenda
Welcome
Smart Choice Update
Agency Updates – Round 1
Q&A
Next Steps and Wrap-up
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U.S. Department of Agriculture eGovernment Program
Next Steps
• We will continue the agency updates at our next meeting
• We have still not received a completed update template from many agencies—please send these in by next Wednesday, October 23, in preparation for the next Working Group meeting
• Two new eGovernment scorecards will be released soon
• One is for SES, part of 5-part PMA scorecard (eGovernment, Financial Mgt, Budget & Performance, Human Capital, Outsourcing)
• Second is for eGovernment Program; details on the scorecard will be coming soon
• We are reorganizing the eGovernment Web site and welcome your suggestions about additions or changes.
• Next EGWG meeting will be Wednesday, October 30, at 11am in room 108-A.