IT Governance Arrangement

Federated/hybrid

Central IT Office

Kansas Information Technology Office (KITO)

Positioned within the Department of Administration, KITO supports the statutory responsibilities of the executive, judicial, and legislative branch Chief Information Technology Officers (CITOs) and the Chief Information Technology Architect (CITA).

The Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) is part of KITO. It has been in existence since the late 1990’s, providing oversight to information technology. The EPMO reviews and makes recommendations for policies, guidelines, and best practices for information technology projects throughout Kansas state government. It provides consultation on major IT projects throughout Kansas government in the areas of project plan development; specification development, review, and approvals; project reporting; and project close-out. The EPMO manages the Project Management Training program, which includes the state of Kansas certification program for project management methodology. The EPMO provides the executive branch CITO support for the Information Technology Advisory Board meetings and a number of other official and ad hoc committees.

State CIO

Each governmental branch has its own appointed Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO).

Executive Branch Chief Information Technology Officer (Executive CITO)
The Executive CITO is appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Administration upon approval from Governor. The Executive CITO is a member of the Governor’s cabinet and reports to both the Secretary of Administration and the Governor. He or she reviews and consults with each executive agency regarding information technology plans, monitors compliance with all information technology policies, and coordinates implementation of new information technology. The Executive CITO also informs CITA of all deviations from the state information architecture, which the executive agencies report to him or her.

Specific responsibilities:

• Project approvals for projects above $250,000.
• Bid specification approvals for bids above $250,000.
• Reviews updates to agency three-year IT plans and submits his or her recommendations to the Division of the Budget as to the technical and management merit of information technology project estimates and information technology project changes and overruns submitted by executive agencies. He or she submits the same information to the legislative Joint Committee on Information Technology.
• Project management training.
• Project reporting.

Chief Information Technology Architect (CITA)
The CITA heads the Office of the CITA and is appointed by the Secretary of Administration, which is subject to approval by the Governor. Chief responsibilities include proposing to the Information Technology Executive Council: (1) IT resource policies and procedures and project management methodologies for all state agencies; (2) an IT architecture, including telecommunications systems, networks, and equipment, which covers all state agencies; (3) standards for data management for all state agencies; and (4) a strategic IT management plan for the state. The CITA also serves as secretary to the Information Technology Executive Council.

Roles of other agencies in state IT management

Joint Committee on Information Technology
The Joint Committee is a legislative body consisting of ten members, including five senators and five representatives. It is responsible for developing specific procedures on projects’ approval and review. These project reviews are done on a regular basis and are in accord with specific review guidelines that assist its members with determining the project’s status and possible need for change or termination.

Legislative Chief Information Technology Officer
The Legislative CITO, under the direction of the joint committee, monitors state agency execution of information technology projects and reports progress regarding the implementation of such projects and all proposed expenditures, including all revisions for the current fiscal year and for ensuing fiscal years. The Legislative CITO also reports to the CITA all deviations from the state information architecture, which the legislative agencies report to him or her.

Department of Administration
The Division of Purchases handles IT procurement for Kansas.

State Agencies
State agencies prepare and submit their three-year IT plans to the appropriate branch’s CITO for review and recommendation. After projects are funded, they are responsible for project management and periodic review. Projects over $250,000 are reported on every two months.

Governor and Legislature
As in most states, the Governor has the power to make budget recommendations to the legislature, but the legislature makes the funding decisions.

Coordination Mechanisms

Information Technology Executive Council (ITEC)
The seventeen member Council is responsible for approval and maintenance of the following: IT resource policies and procedures and project management methodologies for all state agencies; an IT architecture, including telecommunications systems, networks and equipment, which covers all state agencies; standards for data management for all state agencies; and a strategic IT management plan for the state. It provides direction and coordination for the application of the state's IT resources, and designates the ownership of information resource processes and the lead agency for implementation of new technologies and networks shared by multiple agencies in different branches of state government. The Council's members are chosen as follows: the Secretary of Administration; two cabinet and one non-cabinet agency head appointed by the Governor; the director of the Budget; the executive CITO; the legislative CITO; the judicial CITO and the judicial administrator of the Kansas Supreme Court; the executive director of the Kansas Board of Regents; the commissioner of Education; one representative of cities; one representative of counties; the network manager of the Information Network of Kansas (INK) ; and three representatives from the private sector who are chief executive officers or chief information technology officers.

The ITEC Security Council
The Security Council is a sub-council of and advisory to ITEC. It recommends and reviews policies, guidelines, and best practices for the overall security of IT systems, infrastructure, and data within Kansas state government.

Information Technology Advisory Board (ITAB)
ITAB functions as a technical resource to the Executive CITO. ITAB is made up of senior managers of state information technology organizations, along with representatives of private industry and local units of government.

Kansas GIS Policy Board
The Board is responsible for the development of standards, strategies, and policies that emphasize cooperation and coordination among agencies, organizations, and government entities in order to maximize the cost effectiveness of GIS by creating public and private partnerships throughout Kansas. The board, consisting of 37 members appointed by the Governor from state and local government agencies as well as public, private, and academic interests, provides review, coordination, and recommendations for GIS programs and investments.

Information Network of Kansas Board
The Board has ten members who are appointed by the Governor, including the Kansas Secretaries of State, Transportation, and Revenue, the president of Kansas, Inc., a representative from the Kansas Association of Libraries, and private Kansas citizens to ensure information in the public domain is administered for the public good. It oversees the Information Network of Kansas, which was created by an act of the Kansas State Legislature in 1990 to provide equal electronic access to state, county, local, and other public information via the Internet.