Essay on Technology and Public Sector Performance

The Digital Government Services Division within GITA (Government Information Agency of Arizona) is seeking proposals from vendors that are interested in the development of the Strategic Technology Plan. The goal is to design the structure that would allow citizens, businesses and other government entities to get an easy access to Arizona’s e-Government Services. To meet this goal, The Digital Government Services Division will choose a vendor for the preparation of a Strategic Technology Plan for activities associated with the Government e-Services.

Background

The Digital Government Services Division within GITA (Government Information Agency of Arizona) is announcing a competition in search of a vendor responsible for developing a Strategic Technology Plan. The Plan is a part of the Arizona’s state strategy of providing accessible, reliable and cost-effective development of government e-services and support of Arizona’s state e-Services portal. (GITA, Web) The activity involves the creation of the Plan that would allow an easy and fast access for citizens, businesses and other government entities to Arizona’s e-Government Services. The Plan consists of the stages and required steps of the State web portal custom application development and web site development. In addition, the Plan also involves the development of hosting and support services for State and local government agencies. The state has recognized the fact that effective citizen  services are delivered independently of existing organizational structures. It is so-called one-stop  shopping, one window approach, a central entry point such as as a portal. (West 45)

Such platform allows citizens of the state to access services  without having to know which department handles the service. (West 46) Therefore, development of Strategic Technology Plan this is a first step to progressive way of managing the  customer relationship more effectively. (West 46)

The development of the Strategic Technology Plan aims to:

• “Remove the complexity of state government programs for the customer;
• Create a one-stop portal for decision makers and citizens of the state;
• Introduce the  services in the most efficient way, making it in a cost-effective way for the government and for tax payers;
• Maintain a high degree of accountability to the decision makers and public.” (GITA, Web)

According to West (115), an examination of national survey data shows that the American public is positive about Internet technology and citizens like the convenience of government websites and the ability  to access information 24/7.  But they also worry about privacy and security and two-thirds don’t make much use of e-government.  The goal of the Strategic Technology Plan is to overcome these worries and ensure citizens that privacy and security are certified.

The present ‘Terms of Reference’ were designed to outline the objectives, methodology, and costs associated with the development of Strategic Technology Plan.

Objectives

The objectives of the development of the Strategic Technology Plan:

1. To create a competitive advantage for Arizona state community by supporting an electronic integration, economic development, and intergovernmental communication through e-platform. (GITA, Web)
2. To suggest the statewide visualization e-platform for the state. (GITA, Web) This platform will be the place where authorized decision makers including state and local government planners get an access to the state information and obtain a reliable view on the situation. As a result, it will allow building a better situational awareness of decision makers.
3. To develop an infrastructure of the on-line presence of Arizona’s state administration that would simplify the development, implementation and maintenance of the state’s online services
4. To enable and enhance the on-line presence of Arizona’s state administration in the areas of licensing and permitting; different kinds of inter/intra-governmental data sharing, providing an access to government information and other utility services. (GITA, Web)
5. To arrange the integration of geographic information systems (GIS) technologies into information technology arsenal of the state. (GITA, Web) The plan will provide an analysis of the information that would allow decision makers planning for, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from pandemics, man-made emergencies and natural disasters. To provide an easy access to the information to authorized emergency management users through the integration of the datasets.

Parties

Two organizations have been selected by the Digital Government Services Division within GITA to develop the Strategic Technology Plan:

1. NIC, Inc (a current vendor supplying e-services to the state administration).
2. Centrelink, Inc

Methods & Process

The following methods have to be used by the vendors to prepare the

• A review of the current state of the Government e-Services provided by the vendor.
• A review of planning documents and other documents relevant to the present process.
• Presentation of the Strategic Technology Plan to the Digital Government Services Division within GITA for the purposes of obtaining official endorsement of its contents.

Selection Criteria

Plans must meet the following Selection Criteria:

• Strategic Technology Plan has to include stated goals and anticipated results and explains how the plan will make a contribution into the development of the Digital Government Services of Arizona. The Digital Government Services Division within GITA welcomes Strategic Technology Plan that demonstrates the clear potential to be effective as a basis for the future development of e-platform.
• Strategic Technology Plan suggests the adequate budgeting of the proposed strategy.
• Strategic Technology Plan has to be individually tailored, and it can’t be used by any other organization prior the present tender.
• The information presented in it has to be complete and accurate.

Review Criteria

In addition to the selection criteria stated above, there will be the following review criteria applied to the proposals:

• The benefits of the Strategic Technology Plan to citizens and decision makers?
• The opportunity of cost reduction for the state as a result of adoption of the Strategic Technology Plan
• The methods and approaches used in the Plan, are they reasonable enough?
• The creativity and originality of the Strategic Technology Plan.
• The inclusion of the latest technological developments in the Plan.

Time frames

A draft plan needs to be sent no later than October 1^st 2012.

The final Strategic Technology Plan will be presented to The Digital Government Services Division within GITA on October 15^th 2012.

Intellectual Property

The technical information in proposals is the intellectual property of The Digital Government Services Division within GITA. The use of these materials in other circumstances is possible only under condition of the written approval from both parties.

Costs Estimate/ Indicative budget

There is not an indicative budget will be suggested to the vendors in accordance with conditions of the present tender. It’s up to proposers to come up with their budget estimates based on the tasks required.

Final decisions for all applications are at the sole discretion of The Digital Government Services Division within GITA