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ETS outlines final-year push for IT consolidation plan, emphasizes shared services and working-group structure
Summary
ETS presented an overview of the state IT consolidation (shared services) plan, the planning timeline for workshops and budget requests, and proposed working-group composition that would include departmental IT and business leaders.
Johan Gauhanen, business architect at the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, presented a detailed update on the IT consolidation plan the Legislature directed ETS to produce. Gauhanen described this year as the “last planning year” and said ETS is focusing on producing a practical shared-services portfolio, transition and operating models, and associated resourcing plans.
Gauhanen said the 2023 planning year involved deeper engagement with departments, while last year’s work was an interim report. This year ETS intends to reconvene a working group composed of departmental IT leads and, increasingly, business leaders such as administrative services officers and budget managers to ensure consolidation proposals respect departmental autonomy and funding mechanisms.
Gauhanen outlined principles guiding the work: consolidate where business value is greatest, protect departmental autonomy, prioritize improvements in cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, and focus on continuous optimization rather than a one-time change. He said some services could be implemented now as enterprise shared services, while others will require additional capacity and budget requests.
ETS proposed a timeline that would begin department briefings and reconfirmations of working-group participants in April/May, run workshops over the summer, prepare budget requests by September, and finalize reporting in the final quarter of the year to align with the state budgeting cycle.
Committee members asked questions about the working-group composition and Sunshine Law impacts. Gauhanen noted that the Sunshine Law requires public notice when more than a quorum attends, which affects how broadly the working group can be populated. Committee members suggested the working group include a small executive review body and separate, more frequent technical sessions with subject-matter experts.
Several IT Steering Committee members urged ETS to include measurable, quantitative targets in the consolidation plan and to seek input earlier in the process. ETS said it will reconvene the working group, develop workshop materials and draft deliverables with departments, and circulate material for feedback while respecting public-meeting rules.
