Veterans Benefits Administration

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Veterans Benefits Administration Office of
Information Management Chief Information
Officer K. Adair Martinez February 25, 2002
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Agenda

• VBA IT Focus
• Recommendations of VBAs IT Task Team
• OIM Accomplishments
• VBAs Modern Architecture Overview of VETSNET
  (optional)

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VBA IT Focus VA Strategic Thrusts
1. Implement the Enterprise Architecture
2. Reorient the current data networks from
circuit-based to performance-based
3. Secure the IT enterprise
4. Strengthen program management oversight
5. Define performance metrics
6. Ensure continuity of operations and
continuity of government
7. Build a strategy to mold and shape the work
force of the future
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Charge of VBA IT Task Team

• Evaluate recent IT initiatives implemented in the
  field and assess their impact on production and
  quality.
• Propose the core set of business applications
  that should be mandated for full utilization by
  all regional offices.
• Identify applications appropriate for
  implementation at the option of the regional
  office director.
• Identify any applications or enhancements that
  should be totally suspended pending additional
  evaluation and/or revalidation of the
  organizational need for the application or until
  after the current workload situation is back
  under control.

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 1 Evaluate recent IT initiatives
implemented in the field and assess their impact
on production and quality.

• Conclusion
• There is a greater impact on productivity when a
  business process
• change is embedded in a new IT application.
  Examples are
• Claims Automated Processing System (CAPS)
• Rating Board Automation (RBA) 2000
• SHARE
• Compensation and Pension Record Interchange
  (CAPRI)

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 1 Evaluate recent IT initiatives
implemented in the field and assess their impact
on production and quality.

• Recommendations
• An effective evaluation process should be
  developed prior to deployment of a new IT
  application
• Applications should be deployed incrementally
  with sufficient training

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 2 Propose the core set of business
applications that should be mandated for full
utilization by all regional offices. Conclusion
Core business applications are those
essential to help VBA employees do work. They
involve streamlining the business process,
improving timeliness, and/or providing critical
information to make decisions.
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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 2 Propose the core set of business
applications that should be mandated for full
utilization by all regional offices.

• Recommendation VBAs core business applications
  include
• Compensation and Pension Record Interchange
  (CAPRI)
• Claims Automated Processing System (CAPS)
• Control of Veterans Records System (COVERS)
• Inventory Management System (IMS)
• Rating Board Automation (RBA)/RBA 2000
• SHARE
• 301-GUI Interface
• Benefits Delivery Network (BDN)
• Fiduciary Beneficiary System (FBS)
• Veterans Appeals Control and Locator System
  (VACOLS)
• Personnel Information Exchange System (PIES)
• Statement of Case/Supplemental Statement of Case
  (SOC/SSOC)
• Personal Computer Generated Letters (PCGL)

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 3 Identify applications appropriate for
implementation at the option of the regional
office director.

• Conclusions
• Some applications development efforts appear to
  compete for the same resources as VBA top
  priorities.
• These efforts neither focus on streamlining the
  work process nor making it more efficient.

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 3 Identify applications appropriate for
implementation at the option of the regional
office director.

• Recommendation
• The following applications are recommended for
  optional use
• Veterans Assistance Inquiry (VAI)
• ADVISOR
• Training and Performance Support System (TPSS)
• Automated Reference Material System (ARMS)/Web
  Automated Reference Material System (WARMS)

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 4 Identify any applications or
enhancements that should be totally suspended
pending additional evaluation and/or revalidation
of the organizational need for the application or
until after the current workload situation is
back under control.

• Conclusions
• MAP-D, AWARD, and FAS are components of the
  modernized environment
• They should not be considered separate entities
• Each component provides benefit
• Total payoff comes after the complete system is
  developed, installed, and integrated.
• BDN does not allow conformity with VAs
  Enterprise Architecture

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 4 Identify any applications or
enhancements that should be totally suspended
pending additional evaluation and/or revalidation
of the organizational need for the application or
until after the current workload situation is
back under control.

• Recommendations
• VBA must develop a modern data processing system
  with modern tools and equipment
• Adequate resources must be assigned to ensure
  VBAs successful development of a product that
  helps employees do work
• Suspend any further enhancement to E-commerce
  applications until it is determined where they
  fit into VBAs overall vision and work process
• Continue development of MAP-D
• Develop a formal test environment for IT
  applications

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VBA IT Task Team Recommendations
Charge 4 Identify any applications or
enhancements that should be totally suspended
pending additional evaluation and/or revalidation
of the organizational need for the application or
until after the current workload situation is
back under control.

• Recommendations (continued) Establish an IT
  oversight body to
• Fully evaluate new IT proposals at the beginning
  of development to ensure alignment with VAs
  Enterprise Architecture
• Ensure alignment with VBAs business vision
• Focus scarce resources on developing core
  applications critical to VBAs largest work
  process.

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OIM Accomplishments

• Enterprise Architecture Development
• Extensive participation in highly successful VA
  effort

• VETSNET
• Independent Audit - VETSNET a Green
• Successful Pilot
• Chapter 18 Child Benefit Award
• MAP-D in Salt Lake City and Little Rock

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OIM Accomplishments

• Strengthened VBA Security Program
• New Security Director, Luigi Tenore
• Conducted User Orientation and Awareness Training
• Successful Infosec 2001 Conference Presentations

• Obtained Approval of VBA Log-in Banner
• Implemented strong passwords throughout VBA
• Established an Intrusion Pilot Program

• Established an Information Security Working Group
• Revised VBA Security Handbooks and M23-1
• Developed first report for GISRA

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OIM Accomplishments

• Corporate WINRS
• Successful Deployment

• Social Security Administration Inquiry
• Successful Deployment

• Sequent/Sun Migration
• Successfully Migrated COVERS

• Data Center Consolidation/Continuity of
  Operations
• Successfully Completed Move of Eastern and
  Southern BDN Systems from Philadelphia to Hines
  ITC

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OIM Accomplishments

• Successful ITC Support
• New ITC Directors, Carol Waldt and Bill Miller
• 10,328 tickets opened 10,280 tickets closed
• Processing of approximately 22 million Internet
  mail messages

• Installation of National Access Service to allow
  remote access
• Installation of new cartridge tape system for
  Insurance
• Developed Licensing and Certification Assignment
  System for Education