Part 2: Management and accountability
- Corporate governance and performance
- Enabling our people
- Environmental management
- External scrutiny
- Information strategies and technology management
- Ministerial and parliamentary services
- Partnerships for people
- Right payments to the right people
- Social Security Appeals Tribunal
Information strategies and technology management
FaCS—information strategies and technology management
FaCS undertook a number of key information communication and technology initiatives during the year. These are summarised below.
Information and Communication Technology Strategic Plan 2004–07
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategic Plan was finalised this year after extensive consultation. The strategic plan provides the platform from which FaCS can maintain a level of market-accepted technology, support programs such as Australians Working Together, provide government-wide interoperability and connectivity, and offer information management solutions to enhance FaCS' ability to harness knowledge.
Information and communication technology support for flexible work practices
FaCS is committed to helping its people achieve a work–life balance. In early 2003, recognising that other Australian Public Service (APS) agencies also want to support their employees, FaCS proposed a whole-of-government project to explore how information and communication (ICT) investment and usage can be better used to support flexible work practices throughout the APS.
The proposal was strongly supported by the then National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE). During 2003–04, FaCS facilitated the project in partnership with NOIE, the Australian Public Service Commission and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Twenty-two Australian Government agencies participated via an interdepartmental committee and three working groups.
The knowledge resulting from this broad pool of experience and practice enabled a set of recommendations to be developed and commitment secured for their implementation throughout the APS. Included in the recommendations were two new better practice checklists.
The Chief Information Office Committee (a cross-agency ICT leadership forum that addresses priorities determined by the Information Management Strategy Committee, the Australian Government's peak information, communication and technology strategy body) endorsed the recommendations (including the new checklists) on 30 June 2004.
Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)
In August 2003 a contract was signed with Inform Systems for the provision of iManage, the new FaCS Electronic Document Management System (EDMS). An extensive design and testing phase followed, which included some customisation of iManage to meet FaCS' specific needs.
A pilot of iManage was deployed successfully to 126 staff in the NSW state office in February 2004. Following a review of the pilot, full implementation of iManage commenced with the Victorian state office in April 2004. iManage implementation across the department will be completed in June 2005.
IT outsourcing
FaCS has entered into a contract with Getronics for the provision of IT services covering help desk, desktop and infrastructure support. The services commenced on 1 July 2004.
FaCS Online Funding Management System (FOFMS)
FaCS is developing an integrated solution for the department's funding management requirements. The enabling tool for achieving this solution will be the FaCS Online Funding Management System (FOFMS). The solution will facilitate the implementation of a common approach to managing the department's arrangements with service providers across all funding programs.
FOFMS aims to support the lifecycle of funding arrangements—from developing applications to establishing the service, managing the agreement and making payments through to reporting and evaluation. The system aims to deliver online claims-driven payments and case-based funding functionality. FOFMS also aims to meet the department's obligations under the Government's online initiative and will enable compliance with ANAO best practice for administration of grants.
A tender evaluation process conducted during the first half of the financial year resulted in Accenture being selected as the preferred implementation partner. Contracts were signed on 13 February 2004 and the design, development and implementation phase of the FOFMS project commenced on 16 February 2004.
Edge expert system
In view of the considerable changes that had occurred in family policy and its delivery, FaCS and Centrelink commissioned a review of the business case for the further development and deployment of the Edge expert system.
The review report was completed in November 2003. The review found that a viable business case for Edge no longer existed for deployment of the system in its then current form. However, Centrelink has commissioned a feasibility study to further explore the targeted use of expert systems in a way that would leverage off the work already undertaken and learnings gained. The feasibility report is yet to be finalised.
Information technology security
IT security has been integrated within the protective security function to provide a more holistic security approach for the department.
An IT security architecture project was completed this year; following on from that, an IT Security Migration Plan was developed to address gaps in the department's current IT security architecture as compared with the requirements of the Australian Government's minimum standards for IT security.
Child Support Agency—IT performance solutions
e-business
CSA will be piloting new e-business initiatives to provide parents with an alternative service channel. The pilot will consist of an online statement facility and, for employers, the ability to send information online. These products were chosen based on extensive research and internal analysis. The pilots will complement the existing range of tools available to help parents manage their separation and child support issues.
CSA Business Continuity Plan
This year CSA continued to consolidate the agency's Business Continuity Plan. This plan includes documentation on IT and telephony recovery in the event of a business interruption. CSA has developed a set of action cards and check lists for the resolution of outages and procedures for evacuations. CSA's aim is to ensure that staff are aware of all procedures relating to business continuity communication and action responsibilities.
Library and research services
The Library and Information Services section continued to expand its information delivery, research provision, research training and tailored information services to all four customer agencies: FaCS, Centrelink, CSA and the Social Security Appeals Tribunal. ATSIS was accepted as a new customer agency, and service to that agency commenced in March 2004. The digital archive of the Guide to the Social Security Act was extended to include the re-creation of missing releases. The Library and Information Services section also became the secretariat of FaCS' Knowledge Committee, and contributed a major part of the draft information architecture for FaCS.