State and Vendor System Updates (66)
Description:
State and vendor technology systems will need to be updated to allow for program growth, corresponding to changes in law or rulemaking. To further support growth and transition, correct any technology issues discovered during small-scale operations. It is possible that a new system or technology procurement will be required.
Details:
The implementing RUC agency updates specification documents to allow the systems to support the new law, rulemaking, and operational procedures. To make such updates, the implementing RUC agency follows systems engineering procedures and leverages lessons learned during the implementation of the original system. Depending on system architecture, specification documents may be separate for state and vendor systems. After the specification documents have been updated, the agency should determine whether a new procurement is necessary, or whether the changes can be handled under existing contracts, possibly with a change order.
Primary Use:
Update state and vendor systems for growth/transition.
Best Practices/Lessons Learned:
- Begin specification changes as soon as the law passes, and incorporate rulemaking and operational policy changes when they are available.
- Plan the system for the future. Allow flexibility to support expected future growth and changes, within reason.
- Maintain technology lessons learned and refer to them when implementing changes.
- If there will be substantial growth, open the market to new vendors to create an open market at the same time as a new procurement.
- Compute and consider the overall cost impact of changes.
- Consider realistic timing of procurement and implementation; changes may take a year or more to fully implement.
State Government Context and Assumptions:
The implementing RUC agency constantly maintains a log of technology lessons learned, makes specification document updates when the growth-enabling legislation passes, and accounts for changes in rules and operational policies.