Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 36 - Technology › Part 2 - Information Systems Services › Chapter 9 - Awards and Contracts › Rule 36-2-9-209.3 - 018-030 ITS Director Approval & ITS Board Approval of Procurements

Current through June 25, 2024
Mississippi Code Annotated, Section
				  25-53-5(k),
				  requires that contracts for information technology purchases be approved by the
				  ITS Board. The Board is authorized to delegate this approval to the ITS
				  Executive Director for projects costing less than a specified amount.
The ITS Board is charged in state statute with the
				  responsibility for maximizing the use and benefit of information technology by
				  the agencies, boards, commissions, and public universities of the state. To
				  address this directive, the ITS Board, during state fiscal year 2004, outlined
				  a plan to redirect its focus to place more attention on strategic technology
				  initiatives and to be more involved in the planning stages of mission-critical
				  projects. The ITS Board expressed its intent to increase its ability to impact
				  the responsible use of scarce technology dollars for more effective solutions
				  that leverage state infrastructure investments and promote technical
				  compatibility and coordination among agencies and public universities.
As an important component of this redirection of its role,
				  the ITS Board revised the content and format of board meetings. As the Board
				  shifted its focus from the approval of contract awards at the end of a
				  procurement process to the review, analysis, and approval of strategic
				  technology initiatives, the Board set new thresholds for approval of
				  procurement projects by the ITS Executive Director. With fewer procurement
				  project presentations, the Board will have time to work with ITS and ITS
				  customers on strategic planning, best practices, and leveraging the state's
				  investment in enterprise technology resources.
Prior to presenting a project to the ITS Board for approval,
				  agencies must be incompliance with the Enterprise Security Policy and have
				  obtained an IT Security Risk Assessment within three years of the date of the
				  procurement presentation to the ITS Board. For more information on the IT
				  Security Risk Assessment and the State of Mississippi Enterprise Security
				  Policy, please visit the Information Security page of the ITS website at
http://www.its.ms.gov/Services/Pages/services_security.aspx
.
A business case must be completed on all IT projects
				  requiring ITS Board Approval. ITS has developed an IT Project Business Case
				  Workbook to assist agencies in preparing the business case. Other advanced
				  planning documentation such as a grant application might be substituted for the
				  Business Case if it provides the necessary justification for the technology
				  project. Please work with the IT Planning Coordinator at ITS to determine if
				  the documentation may be substituted.
Business case documentation may be found on the ITS website
				  at
http://www.its.ms.gov/Services/Pages/Agency-IT-Planning.aspx
.
				  For more information or assistance, please contact the IT Planning Coordinator
				  at ITS.
Due to the importance the Board places on technology
				  planning, the new Director Approval thresholds do not apply to agencies without
				  approved technology plans.
ITS Board Approval and Reporting Requirements/
				  Director Approval Thresholds Effective July 2004
Board Approval Requirements for
Agencies with approved IT plans
and for IHLs
Director Approval Thresholds
Procurement Category
Board Approval Required if Total
							 Project
Lifecycle Cost
is Greater Than:
Default
$1,000,000*
Manufacturer Maintenance
No limit: Board approval not required
Bureau of Buildings Projects
No limit: Board approval not required
Consulting Services:
Includes all projects that include either 'body
							 shop' or deliverable-based technology consulting, other than incidental
							 services provided in conjunction with another acquisition.
$500,000*
Projects identified by Board, ITS Director,
							 ITS staff, and/or customer agency staff for special consideration:
These projects will be identified at the direction
							 of the ITS Board. The ITS Board may determine focus areas based on Enterprise
							 Architecture initiatives, analysis of agency IT plans, and continued assessment
							 of emerging technologies and opportunities for interoperability and leveraging
							 state IT infrastructure investments.
Board input and/or approval required
Board Approval Requirements: for Agencies
							 without approved IT plans
Default
$250,000
Board Reporting Requirements
Consulting Services
Semi annually
:
Total consulting services approved, by agency, with
							 list of individual CP-1s
Annually:
IT PINS by agency: filled and vacant, with
							 salaries
IT PINS by position across all state
							 agencies
*Note: The ITS Executive Director only approves state agency
				  projects with a lifecycle cost above $250,000 if those projects are in the
				  current technology plan on file with ITS. Approvals by the ITS Executive
				  Director of projects costing more than $250,000 are designated "Director
				  Approved Planned Purchases." The CP-1 Acquisition Approval Documents for these
				  procurements contain the project number from the agency's IT plan and have
				  special language documenting that the acquisition was authorized under the
				  Director Approval Planned Purchases Procedure.
The
total project lifecycle cost
is used to
				  determine whether a contract can be approved by the ITS Executive Director
				  ('Director Approval') or must be submitted to the ITS Board for approval ( see
				  005-400 Terms: Lifecycle cost).
Because there are many types of projects and associated
				  payment models and because contracts are frequently modified over the life of a
				  project, the table below has been developed to describe situations in which ITS
				  Board approval would be required. The table is not exhaustive. A customer who
				  is uncertain whether ITS Board approval is required for a specific procurement
				  is encouraged to discuss the procurement details with the ITS Technology
				  Consultant assigned to the project after the request has been submitted.
Type Contract:
Board Approval Required if:
(1) Initial: Single Phase
The total initial and ongoing costs (maintenance,
							 support, annual license fees, etc.) to be paid to vendor(s) for the projected
							 lifecycle of the technology exceed the Director Approval threshold.
(2) Initial: Multi-Phase
The total cost of the initial phase is less than the
							 Director Approval threshold, but the RFP/ LOC included an option for the
							 contract to continue for subsequent phases at the State's discretion, with the
							 vendor providing a cost proposal for the next phase as a deliverable in Phase
							 I; the total cost of the initial phase and subsequent phases can reasonably be
							 expected to exceed the Director Approval threshold
(3) Modification/continuation: Amendment or change
							 order to ongoing project
a. Cost increase for the amendment or change order
							 is above the Director Approval threshold; or
b. Cost increase for the amendment or change order
							 is less than the Director Approval threshold, but the new project total is
							 above the Director Approval threshold, and there has been no previous Board
							 approval for the project; or
c. Cost increase for the amendment or change order
							 is less than the Director Approval threshold; the project was approved by the
							 Board; the sum of changes since the last Board approval exceeds the Director
							 Approval threshold
25-53-5
				  (k)