DRAFT CHILD CARE ADMINISTRATOR’S IMPROPER …

1 CHILD CARE administrator 'S IMPROPER payments . information technology guide . PART II: information SYSTEMS PROJECT AND. PROCUREMENT GUIDANCE. Prepared for: Administration for Children and Families Office of CHILD Care 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW, 5th Floor Washington, DC 20447. Under Contract Number HHSP23320095656WC. Task Order Number HHSP23337001T. Prepared by: Walter R. McDonald & Associates, Inc. 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 310. Rockville, MD 20852. May 3, 2011. WRMA Childcare IMPROPER payments Initiative (CCIPI). TABLE OF CONTENTS. I. Introduction .. 1. II. Conceptualizing the information System Project.

2 1. Agency Vision, Goals, and Project Objectives .. 2. Financial and Organizational Resources .. 4. Project Governance .. 4. Business Processes and Organizational Change .. 5. Technical Considerations .. 6. III. Project Planning Activities .. 7. Performing a Needs Analysis .. 7. Defining System 8. Assessing Solution Alternatives .. 10. High Level information System Solution Options .. 10. Enhancing the Legacy System .. 10. Adopting Functionality from Other State Systems .. 11. Purchasing a COTS Product .. 12. Transferring Another State's System .. 13. Develop a New System.

3 14. Blended Solution 14. Process for Evaluating Solution Alternatives .. 14. Meeting the Business Objective and System Requirements .. 15. Legal Analysis .. 16. Technical Analysis .. 16. Evaluating the Constraints .. 17. Analyzing and Tracking Risks .. 17. Cost Benefit Analysis .. 18. IV. Initial Project Planning .. 20. Major Project Activities .. 20. In-house versus Contracted Services for IT Projects .. 22. 23. Contracted Project Services .. 24. i WRMA Childcare IMPROPER payments Initiative (CCIPI). V. Developing a Request for Proposal (RFPs) .. 25. RFP Overview.

4 26. Key Success Factors .. 26. Establishing an RFP Development Team .. 26. Developing a Procurement Management Plan .. 27. Establishing an Online RFP Document Library .. 27. Writing the RFP .. 28. Establishing Acceptable Terms and Conditions .. 29. Avoiding Common Mistakes .. 29. Evaluating Proposals .. 31. Best 32. Summary .. 33. VI. Additional Resources .. 33. ii WRMA Childcare IMPROPER payments Initiative (CCIPI). I. INTRODUCTION. Part I: Inventory of State Childcare information Systems of the CHILD Care administrator 's IMPROPER payments information technology guide (IT guide ) examined the status of automation as it is implemented by the States to support their childcare programs.

5 Part II: information Systems Project and Procurement Guidance provides guidance for States considering the implementation of new information systems or major enhancements of existing systems. This document is completely advisory in nature. The information contained herein should not be interpreted as requirements of the Office of CHILD Care, but instead is provided to help States as they deal with the complex issues related to identifying information system needs, examining options, and procuring the needed products and services. Part II of the IT guide provides information about the activities that States can use to prepare for a new childcare information technology (IT) project.

6 These activities include clarifying the agency vision and its desired business processes, defining system requirements, performing feasibility and alternatives analysis studies, and issuing procurements for services and/or products required for the project. The alternatives analysis discussion includes information about the various technology approaches that can be employed by States for their childcare IT project, depending on the objectives of the project. Although the IT guide addresses some of the attributes, advantages, and disadvantages of various technology approaches, it deliberately avoids referencing any specific products or vendors in the childcare information system field.

7 States can learn more about these products, and the performance of vendors, through research and consultation with other States that have pursued projects similar to their planned efforts. Part I: Inventory of State Childcare information Systems of this IT guide provides useful information for readers who may wish to identify States that have undertaken projects similar to those they may be considering. The IT guide in general, and Part II specifically, is written for childcare administrators and program staff who may be involved in planning IT projects to support their programs.

8 Although some material may be of interest to technical staff, the IT guide is written so that readers do not need technical knowledge to understand the material presented. II. CONCEPTUALIZING THE information SYSTEM PROJECT. There are a number of high-level considerations that States should consider examining once it has been determined that an IT investment may be needed to address the replacement or enhancement of existing automation for the childcare program. The State childcare agency, typically, with the assistance of their IT staff, would discuss and document the high-level vision and objectives that underpin the planned IT project.

9 Addressing the following questions will set a context for the project and will ensure that all involved parties understand and are invested in the effort. What is the business vision for the childcare agency as it relates to the new automation, and what goals and objectives are to be met by the automation? What financial and organizational resources are available to support the project? 1. WRMA Childcare IMPROPER payments Initiative (CCIPI). Who will be ultimately responsible for the project and who should be involved in overall project governance? How will the new automation affect the organization and its business processes?

10 Agency Vision, Goals, and Project Objectives One of the most important first steps for a new IT project is to clearly define what the project is to accomplish. This should be anchored in a clear understanding of the business objectives to be met by the new automation. Projects can succeed technically, yet still fail to accomplish improvements to business operations, simply because the vision and objectives were not understood from the beginning and by all involved parties. This step defines the reason for the IT. effort and states the business case for acquiring the new automation.