Administrative Systems ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report (September 2022)

Summary

The Administrative Systems ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report for September 2022 from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), dated 9/30/2022. It states that VDH is transforming and updating its core administrative systems and processes, and that over the last three months VDH procured a service request solution (ServiceNow), began implementation, and completed analysis of IT Service Management and IT Asset Management. It also mentions Robotic Process Automation (RPA) projects and planned work on a grants management system. The project budget table lists a total appropriation of $50,000,000, obligations to date of $6,295,000 and expenditures to date of $2,096,000.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Full text

                    ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF)




                                9/30/2022
Administrative Systems
ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report
September 2022
Page 2 of 7


Table of Contents
Report Mandate ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Context for ARPA Initiatives .......................................................................................................................... 3
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 3
Objective(s) ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Overview of Quarterly Progress (July – September 2022)............................................................................ 4
Anticipated Next Quarter Activities (October – December 2022) ................................................................ 5
Risks and Risk Management ......................................................................................................................... 6
Change Management Considerations........................................................................................................... 6
Project Budget .............................................................................................................................................. 7
Administrative Systems
ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report
September 2022
Page 3 of 7


Report Mandate
Chapter 1 Enactment Clause 1, paragraph B.2.P.7., of the amended 2021 Acts of Assembly states, “The
department shall communicate a detailed plan and implementation schedule to the Governor, the Chairs
of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Director of the
Department of Planning and Budget by September 30, 2021. Additionally, the department shall report
quarterly to the Governor, the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations
Committees, and the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget on progress made, with the first
progress report to be delivered not later than December 31, 2021.”

Context for ARPA Initiatives
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is excited about the opportunity presented by the appropriation
of ARPA State Fiscal Funds in the August 2021 Special Session II of the General Assembly to improve public
health in Virginia. VDH views this investment as a once in a generation opportunity and will work diligently
to maximize use of funds to create and sustain these initiatives. Modifications to VDH’s plans will be
reflected in future quarterly reports.

Executive Summary
VDH is transforming and updating the Department’s core administrative systems and processes to
increase efficiencies and modernize the Department. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant
pressure on VDH’s outdated administrative processes and systems. These outdated processes and
systems rely on manual workarounds and have created challenges in VDH’s ability to effectively react and
respond to the pandemic.

VDH will improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness over the next three years through updates in
business systems, IT Service Management (ITSM), IT Asset management (ITAM), Financial and Accounting
systems, and the introduction of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) as appropriate. These modernized
systems will enable new capabilities and increase productivity while decreasing manual processes, thus
mitigating errors, and increasing VDH’s readiness to respond to future public health emergencies.

Over the last three months, VDH has procured a service request solution (ServiceNow), begun
implementation, and completed analysis on the current state of IT Service Management and IT Asset
Management to inform the ServiceNow configuration. VDH continues to work on RPA projects both to
remove unneeded electronic files across the department, and to assess existing manual processes to
identify candidates for automation. VDH has also continued to refine the overall initiative roadmap to
make sure the initiative is addressing the department’s most pressing needs and can maximize the agency-
wide impact of the funding.

These activities are planned to continue into the next quarter, with an expected focus on configuring
and rolling out the ServiceNow system across the department, identifying and prioritizing additional
opportunities for RPA, completing a current state analysis for grants management, beginning the
procurement process for a grants management system, and performing a gap analysis on existing
financial management capabilities. The Administrative Systems Initiative is on track to successfully meet
the objectives within the three-year ARPA SLFRF funding window.
Administrative Systems
ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report
September 2022
Page 4 of 7


Objective(s)
VDH aims to assess, upgrade, and/or develop Service Management, Grants Management, Financial
Management, and other agency systems to:
   ●   Increase VDH efficiencies with back-office systems to improve experience for customers
   ●   Reduce duplication of effort and streamline business workflows by integrating existing system
   ●   Implement new tools and workflows to automate manual administrative processes
   ●   Use the best available tools to meet the Department’s needs

Overview of Quarterly Progress (July – September 2022)
Since the submission of the June quarterly status report, VDH has accomplished the below activities
associated with the Administrative Systems Initiative. The activities completed have been important
components in modernizing and streamlining the administrative functions of the agency.

Key Activities and Accomplishments:

   •   Overall Initiative Roadmap
          o Refined and reviewed initiative roadmap and priority projects based on evolving agency
               needs, ongoing administrative system work, and resource constraints

           o   Continued refinement of spend plan for each project through State Fiscal Year 2024 to
               track progress and verify proper dollar allocation and budget adherence

   •   Service Request System (ServiceNow)
           o Completed Go Live of the Minimum Viable Product for Asset Management, Discovery,
               Configuration Management Database, Core IT Service Management & Service
               Catalog/Service Requests

           o   Began tracking and processing some VDH IT service requests through ServiceNow

           o   Developed agile timeline for additional technical configurations of services

           o   Created training materials and began training sessions for VDH employees to familiarize
               personnel with ServiceNow and how to submit service requests

   •   Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
          o Completed Pipeline Feasibility Analysis, identifying potential opportunities for
               automation at VDH using RPA

           o   Programmed ROT Bot to clean file drives of Redundant, Obsolete, and Trivial files and
               store specific files for retention within the Office of Information Management (OIM)

           o   Began deployment of ROT Bot in the Office of Epidemiology to support Electronic Lab
               Reporting to purge old unused files and increase data storage
Administrative Systems
ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report
September 2022
Page 5 of 7


           o   Created an RPA proof of concept for the ARPA Records Management initiative

   •   Grants Management
          o Conducted requirements validation session with key stakeholders to finalize
              requirements needed for “Statement of Request” preparation

   •   Other Initiatives
          o Compiled market research and industry-leading practices to support functional
               capabilities and requirements scoping for additional technology initiatives prioritized in
               the roadmap

           o   Launched new contractor time keeping system; continuing to migrate new contractors to
               the system

Anticipated Next Quarter Activities (October – December 2022)
The following outlines the activities and tasks planned from October through December 2022:

   •   Overall Initiative Roadmap
          o Continue to review initiative roadmap and refine list of priority projects based on evolving
               agency needs, ongoing administrative system work, and resource constraints

   •   Service Request System (ServiceNow)
           o Complete Operational Go Live for Asset Management, Discovery, Configuration
               Management Database, Core IT Service Management & Service Catalog/Service Requests

           o   Develop phase 2 enhancements roadmap of technical capabilities as additional services
               are identified

   •   Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
          o Continue to deploy ROT Bot across other agency offices to clean file drives and free up
               storage space

           o   Use results from the Feasibility Analysis to prioritize, plan, and launch additional RPA
               initiatives

   •   Grants Management
          o Release a Statement of Requirements (SOR)

           o   Begin reviewing Statements of Work submitted by vendors to identify a solution that
               meets the needs of VDH

   •   Other Initiatives
          o Identify business requirements for Financial Management and Human Resources
               Information System
Administrative Systems
ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report
September 2022
Page 6 of 7


            o Begin review of current state financial management capabilities, conduct a gap analysis,
                and create a future state operating roadmap

Risks and Risk Management
    ●   Risk 1: If adoption of ServiceNow is low, then the expected efficiencies of VDH’s IT asset
        management and service delivery may not be realized.

            o   Mitigation Strategy: Continue to develop and deliver strategic communications and
                tailored training across the organization to better transition the VDH team away from
                legacy processes and towards a more sustainable and streamlined process

    ●   Risk 2: If the procurement process (SOR/Request for Proposal, contract negotiations, etc.) is
        delayed, then VDH will have limited time for implementation before ARPA funds must be used
        obligated.

            o   Mitigation Strategy: VDH plans to develop a work plan to track progress and identify risks
                to the timeline

    ●   Risk 3: If key personnel are not available due to conflicting priorities, then priority area solutions
        may not progress.

            o   Mitigation Strategy: VDH plans to prioritize projects based on set criteria and assign
                resources to support these initiatives

Change Management Considerations
VDH understands that successful transformation initiatives rely on more than just the right technology,
processes, and resources. They also depend on effective change management, engagement, and training
strategies to equip impacted stakeholders with the information and guidance that they need to support
the changes being implemented.

In developing and executing a robust Organizational Change Management (OCM) Strategy and Plan, VDH
will prepare stakeholders to adopt new administrative systems by helping them understand the changes
taking place, the impact of these changes, and the resources and information available to prepare for the
transition. This in turn will accelerate the adoption of new processes while enhancing the capabilities of
offices across VDH, minimizing disruptions to daily operations, and reducing the risk of project delays. The
agency has begun to develop the necessary resources – including an initial analysis of initiative
stakeholders – that will serve as the foundation for the OCM plan. VDH is also currently developing a “Case
for Change” that will equip VDH Leaders with a clear and compelling narrative to effectively communicate
with and engage stakeholders on the importance of the change. Additional activities may include a change
readiness assessment, Change Champion network, communication/engagement strategy, and training
plans to guide VDH in its efforts to prepare stakeholders for adoption of the new systems.
Administrative Systems
ARPA SLFRF Quarterly Report
September 2022
Page 7 of 7


Project Budget
Budget, Obligations, and Actuals as of September 2022



 Total                             Total                             Total
                  $50,000,000      Obligations          $6,295,000   Expenditures   $2,096,000
 Appropriation
                                   (To Date)                         (To Date)


File and source

File

2022-RD511.pdf

Size

228,130 bytes

SHA-256

e0c55e2a04628358036873e349be4dc2495d5c650e7a5bed36be5af409285bd8

Our copy

2022-RD511.pdf

Original

No public link identified.