Department of Professional and Financial Regulation Service Level Agreement For Desktop Services

By Paul Sawyer

Effective October 1, 2000 the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, (PFR) contracted with the Bureau of Information Services (BIS) for desktop support. Outsourced services include support for all computer hardware and all standard software. Hardware in this context includes networking, servers, printers, desktop and notebook computers. Standard software includes networking, operating systems, electronic mail, virus protection, miscellaneous utilities and Microsoft Office. The SLA covers a wide range of support services including problem and service order tracking by the BIS Helpdesk, purchasing, inventory maintenance, full account maintenance, installation and configuration, general maintenance, and regular replacement of hardware and software.

There were several reasons that led PFR to outsource to BIS, but the primary reason concerns the fixed staffing level. PFR was finding it difficult to keep up with an increasing demand for support services and it was absolutely clear that adding positions was not an option. PFR also considered that if we did not provide adequate support, we would not be getting the maximum return on the technology dollars invested. After several months of reviewing options, PFR decided that it could best use its current technology staff to support the use of applications, rather than supporting the infrastructure delivering the applications.

In addition to static staffing, in a business where the demand was constantly increasing, PFR was finding it difficult to maintain the desired expertise in the various technology areas. The time and the expense of the training necessary to keep current was a significant investment for a small department. Worse yet, the investment would all be for nothing if the one person trained in a specific technology was not available at the time the technology support was critical. Training all support staff in all technologies was not practical. The increasing demand for services outside of normal business hours, and the constant draw of higher salaries in private industry, were other factors exacerbating the staffing problem. Small departments such as PFR, just cannot financially justify the support of redundancy required to keep the technology constantly available to meet critical business needs.

In view of the advanced remote administration capabilities of Windows 2000, DHCP and even Office 2000, PFR believes that support can most efficiently be provided at the enterprise level or at least the larger organization level. Because the new technology requires more planning and coordination outside the department, it is just not feasible for support to be provided at the workgroup level. Small support staffs do not have the time for training, and to attend all the meetings necessary to avoid conflicts with other technology installed on the wide area network. Meetings are required by the Information Services Policy Board, the Information Systems Managers Group, the Technical Coordinators, Webmasters and the various subgroups of each, formed to address major issues such as the implementation of Active Directory, standardization of software tools, electronic mail implementation, virus protection, PC purchasing contracts, DHCP etc. The days when each agency could design and operate their own local area network without negatively impacting others are fast disappearing. PFR’s decision was, and is, a continued attempt to keep ahead of the curve.

This agreement will result in changes for PFR’s current staff. Susan O’Connor’s duties will shift from server and e-mail administration to administration of the SLA and coordination of PFR’s plans to increase Web based services. Dan Feeney will shift tasks from maintaining desktop and notebook computers to supporting nonstandard desktop applications and several document management projects currently in progress. Linda Plaisted will no longer be tracking service requests, purchasing and maintaining inventories. Linda will now focus on general administrative tasks, maintaining production printers, training for the professional licensing application and providing "how to" support for PFR users. Tina Turcotte will be transferred to a position at BIS and providing desktop support services to other agencies in addition to services to PFR under the SLA with BIS.

Many have asked why. Hopefully the why is answered in this article. Many have asked how well this arrangement is working out. The answer is that it is really too early to know. It will undoubtedly take six months to get all of the needed procedures and reports in place. It will also take six months or more, for duties to be finally shifted around so PFR’s staff will be able to focus on their new assignments. Meanwhile, I can say that BIS is making a visible effort at cooperation, and they are struggling to get procedures in place to address PFR’s needs. Ellen Lee, and sometimes Don Loud from the Helpdesk, meet weekly with Susan O’Connor to address various issues. PFR has also been pleased with the support provided to date by BIS employees Julio "Bill" Barreto and Tina Turcotte. By the end of this fiscal year we should have a good idea as to how well this arrangement will work for PFR.

Paul A. Sawyer, is the Agency Technology Officer at PFR, and may be reached at paul.a.sawyer@state.me.us with questions. Paul started work with Maine State government at the Maine Highway Commission as an engineering aide in April of 1969. In January of 1970 he went to work for the Maine Real Estate Commission as a field examiner, and two years later was promoted to director of the Maine Real Estate Commission. Paul served in that position until 1989. In 1990 Paul transferred to his current position under the title of Director of Planning and Management Information Systems.