Enterprise GIS

Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines
 Enterprise GIS Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines

Table of Contents

1.0 Document Control............................................................................................................................ 3

2.0 Revision History............................................................................................................................... 3
3.0 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 4
4.0 Executive Committee....................................................................................................................... 5
4.1 Role................................................................................................................................................ 5
4.2 Composition.................................................................................................................................. 5
4.3 Chair and Secretary ..................................................................................................................... 5
5.0 Executive Committee Operation..................................................................................................... 6
5.1 Meeting Schedules ....................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 Attendance .................................................................................................................................... 6
5.3 Agenda .......................................................................................................................................... 6
5.4 Voting ............................................................................................................................................ 6
5.5 Time Management ........................................................................................................................ 6
5.6 Procedures.................................................................................................................................... 6
5.6.1 Request Initiation................................................................................................................... 7
5.6.2 Request Classification .......................................................................................................... 7
5.6.3 Request Justification ............................................................................................................ 8
5.6.4 Request Determination ......................................................................................................... 8
5.6.5 Project Initiation..................................................................................................................... 8
6.0 Reporting .......................................................................................................................................... 8

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 Enterprise GIS Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines

1.0 Document Control

Document name: Enterprise GIS Steering Committee Operating Guidelines

Document version: Draft v.02
Document status: DRAFT
Document management: Committee Chair

2.0 Revision History

Version Date Author Change Description

Draft v.01 6.2.2010 D. James Initial creation
Revisions based on feedback from County
Draft v.02 9.1.2010 D. James Attorney and EGIS Committee
Revisions based on feedback from the Property
Draft v.03 9.1.2010 D. James Appraiser.
Draft v.04 9.3.2010 D. James Revisions based on feedback from EGIS
Approved by EGIS at 10.07.2010 Committee
V1.0 10.13.2010 D.James meeting.

If reviewing a printed copy of this document, there may be a more current electronic
version of this document available on the SharePoint site

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 Enterprise GIS Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines

3.0 Executive Summary

This document provides the Operating Guidelines for the Enterprise GIS Steering Committee (Executive
Committee)

The purpose of the Executive Committee is to provide sponsorship and leadership that ensures that
Pinellas County GIS interests are carefully considered and where appropriate supported through the
effective use of GIS technology, staff resources and funding. The Executive Committee will act as
sponsors for an information gathering process and the development, approval and publication of an
Enterprise GIS Strategic Plan. The Executive Committee will also sponsor annual updates and revisions
to ensure that the Strategic plan is kept current with ongoing requirements.

The Executive Committee will oversee the establishment and adoption of Enterprise GIS policies,
procedures and standards. In addition the Executive Committee will encourageall Pinellas County GIS
stake holders comply with and support GIS policies and standards. General technology oversight for GIS
will be governed by policies, procedures and standards that have been established by BTS through
consultation with other County agencies and the Pinellas County Technology Steering Collaborative.

The Executive Committee will also review, approve, prioritize and obtain funding for all Pinellas County
GIS initiatives including any GIS application development activities and the purchase of GIS technology,
data and consulting services. The Executive Committee will be responsible for ensuring that GIS
solutions are implemented when required to support legislatively mandated requirements, improve
efficiency, enhance the accountability of our business and provide more effective delivery of services to
our internal users, external customers and Citizens. Initiates will be prioritized by the Executive
Committee based on the factors of quality, business understanding, and effective cost management.

The Executive Committee will look to Business Technology Services as a major working partner for
assistance with classification and justification of new initiatives, as well as for delivery of approved GIS
solutions. The business relationship between the Executive Committee and BTS will be defined in a
separate Service Level Agreement (SLA, located at http://pinellas.sharepointsite.net/egis/default.aspx).

A high level graphic of the working relationship is included both within the body of SLA and in the
Procedures section of this document.

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 Enterprise GIS Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines

The remainder of this document will focus on the composition of the Executive Committee, the process of
project approval and the interaction with BTS.

4.0 Executive Committee

4.1 Role
The Executive Committee’s role includes responsibility for the following:

 Determine the best organizational structure and staffing for delivery of EGIS services.
 Align Enterprise GIS initiatives and projects with mandated requirements and Strategic Plans
within the budgetary constraints of the County.
 Act as an advocate for funding and resources to the BTS Board and the BOCC.
 The Committee may create sub-committees to support specific initiatives and projects if they
wish.
 Manage the business relationship and service level agreement (SLA) with BTS

The Committee provides decision making, guidance and oversight in four areas to new GIS initiatives:

 New initiatives requests:

o To review the viability and justifications for new requests. Approved requests will be prioritized
and funded before they are initiated
 Ongoing Projects:
o To review status and comment of all ongoing projects, both mandated and discretionary
o To review the budget-to-actual expenditures for the ongoing projects
o Make a determination to continue, delay or terminate the project
o Where appropriate, approve funding for continued projects
 Rejected requests:
o To consider rebuttals pertaining to rejected requests
 Exceptions:
o To consider and determine the validity of request for exceptions. Exceptions are limited to:
 Changing the scope and budget of a project
 Evaluating a request for re-prioritization of a project
 Evaluating a request for prioritizing an unplanned project, such as a legislative mandate

4.2 Composition
The Executive Committee will be composed as follows:
 Pam Dubov, Property Appraiser
 Rick Becker, Supervisor of Elections
 Captain Jim Main, Sheriff
 Pete Yauch, Director Public Works & Transportation
 Kevin Becotte, Director Utilities
 James Dates, Assistant County Administrator
 David James, Deputy Director BTS

4.3 Chair and Secretary

The Executive Committee will be chaired by the Property Appraiser. The Chair will preside over the
Committee sessions and is a voting member. The Chair will also be responsible for securing a Secretary
to prepare agendas, record meeting minutes and publish same to the SharePoint site located at
http://pinellas.sharepointsite.net/egis/default.aspx.

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 Enterprise GIS Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines

5.0 Executive Committee Operation

5.1 Meeting Schedules
Meetings will be established in the following manner.
 Scheduled monthly, on each 1st Thursday at 1:30 pm, for the purpose of preserving time on
members calendars
 Meet a minimum of quarterly
 Scheduled dates that are not needed will be cancelled
 Ad Hoc meetings will be called if needed with an attempt to use a scheduled monthly slot
 Virtual meetings may be used, particularly if required by an urgent situation

5.2 Attendance
Members are expected to attend and participate on a regular basis. Alternates are allowed for any sitting
Executive Committee member, and are expected to participate as a full voting proxy. A quorum will be
reached with 3 of the scheduled attendees present.

5.3 Agenda
The Executive Committee sessions will be driven by an agenda prepared by the Secretary and published
to the Pinellas County Public Meeting Calendar web page
(http://www.pinellascounty.org/scripts/publish/webevent.pl?cmd=opencal&cal=cal1) in advance of the
meeting. The agenda content will contain standing items such as approval of meeting minutes and review
of the monthly project summary status report. The agenda and other relevant documentation will also be
made available on the EGIS SharePoint site at http://pinellas.sharepointsite.net/egis/default.aspx

5.4 Voting
To the maximum extent possible, Executive Committee decisions should be based on consensus. In the
absence of consensus, a vote will be taken following majority rule. In the event of a tie vote, the tie
breaker will be provided by the Property Appraiser at a later date.

5.5 Time Management

In consideration of time management, the Chair will be responsible for setting the meeting time span
based on agenda items to be considered. The Chair will control the timetable of each agenda item. In the
event of longer than expected discussion, the Chair may request a motion from other board members to
allow further discussion to continue immediately, or table discussion until the next scheduled session.

5.6 Procedures
The procedures described below are intended to ensure that all new GIS initiatives are considered on an
objective and transparent basis, allowing the Executive Committee to reach complete and impartial
decisions. The graphic below presents a high level view, and details follow:

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 Enterprise GIS Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines

Business Technology Services – Enterprise GIS Steering Committee Relationship Overview

Request Initiation Request Classification Request Justification Request Determination Project Initiation

Request is received Estimates are created If required, Business Executive Committee reviews the Business Case BTS Initiates,
by Business and compared to Case is built, by the outputs, determines to approve, reject or request executes and delivers
Technology Services thresholds: Business, with inputs more information. For approved requests they the project.
(BTS) from BTS and other determine priority and request initiation of work:
Thresholds are parties: PMO will provide
Input can be multiple determined by Scoring criteria and funding source is determined by incremental status
methods such as: Executive Committee Business Case need is the Executive Committee reports to Executive
w/inputs from BTS determined by Committee
Via Business thresholds.
Relationship Manager Documents will be
(BRM), Service standardized
Catalog, Customer
Service Center, (CSC)
etc.

Result: Request is Result: Business Case

Result: Request is Result: BTS is approved to initiate work with proper Result: Receipt of
classified major, minor, with specific outputs for
initiated in Service Desk priority and funding completed projects
or below threshold determination

5.6.1 Request Initiation

The initial request will be submitted to BTS by the requesting Department. This can be done in several
ways, such as through the Business Relationship Manager (BRM, the BTS liaison to the Department), or
with a call or email to the Customer Support Center (CSC). BTS will log the request and work with the
Department to gain understanding. BTS will then produce a Rough Order of Magnitude cost and schedule
estimate (ROM).

5.6.2 Request Classification

The request is then classified by the Department and BTS by comparing the ROM to the thresholds listed
below. The thresholds determine if a business case is needed.

Items handled directly by BTS with no Business Case or Committee review (has to meet all points below)
 BTS effort < 40 hours & < $10,000 (third party products/services costs)
 No impact to approved projects
 No negative impact to others if the Service is Enterprise
 No customization
 Requesting Department provides funding

Items requiring no Business Case, but brought to the attention of Committee

 Mandates (Legislative or otherwise)
o Could be major or minor work
o Could impact existing approved work

Items requiring a Business Case for Committee action

 BTS effort > 40 ROM hrs. & > $10,000 (third party products/services costs)

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 Enterprise GIS Steering Committee
Operating Guidelines

5.6.3 Request Justification

This is the process where the requesting Department builds a Business Case to justify the request. This
serves as a form of self evaluation (the Department can choose to cancel the request or proceed) and
provide outputs for the Executive Committee to evaluate. While the Department is responsible for building
their Business Case, they will receive assistance as needed from BTS. A standard Business Case
template and instructions is provided at http://intraweb.co.pinellas.fl.us/bts/pmo/project-mgmt-
templates.htm

5.6.4 Request Determination

During each funding cycle the Executive Committee will review the project requests using a Decision
Chart (included in Business Case document) that rates the requests on value and risk. Value should be
maximized so the maximum number of points is 100. Risk should be minimized so the best possible score
is zero. Projects that are scored as high value and low risk will have the best chance of being approved.
Conversely, projects that are scored as low value and high risk will not have a good chance of being
approved. As a check to the self-scoring of the Business Cases by the requestors, the Committee may
require additional justifications, validation or information. This feedback will be discussed by the
Committee and prior to the Committee making final funding decisions. For approved requests, the
Committee prioritizes the request against other work, determines the funding source and BTS is
authorized to initiate a project.

5.6.5 Project Initiation

BTS initiates the project, evaluates resource commitments and negotiates a project start and planned
delivery date with the Project Sponsor, to be approved by the Committee. They then execute and deliver
following established Project Management Office (PMO) processes. The PMO will provide standard
project status reports at the various project milestones.

6.0 Reporting
The Executive Committee will receive standard Project Management reporting on ongoing projects.

Metrics around the activities of the Executive Committee will be developed, measured and reported.

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