Section 3: IT Initiatives

This section describes the major IT initiatives within the IT Program's IT Portfolio that will lead the Department to achieve its five IT strategic goals and ultimately fulfill its IT Program mission and vision. In addition to the pursuit of Department-level goals, each DOL Agency, Bureau and Office has specific IT initiatives that are directed at achieving its unit's mission. This section discusses these initiatives in some detail. It is also important to refer to Appendix E in which IT initiatives are aligned very specifically with IT strategic and Departmental strategic goals.

3.1 Alignment of Strategic Initiatives to Departmental, Business and IT Strategic Goals

Each of the following IT initiatives is designed to contribute to the achievement of the Department's strategic goals. Initiatives are grouped into four categories: Federal-Level Initiatives, Department-Level Initiatives, Common-Shared Initiatives and Agency-Level Initiatives. Additionally, DOL is leading or partnering with other Federal Agencies collaboratively on a number of IT initiatives that cut across the Federal government (Line-of-Business Initiatives and Cross-cutting Initiatives).
It is valuable to be able to see how these many initiatives link not just with Departmental strategic goals but also with Presidential Priority Initiatives, legislative requirements, and other Federal imperatives. This integration and linkage of IT initiatives to Program-level and Department-level goals is one of the keys to success.
The Department recognized that the IT strategy and IT initiatives link directly with the Congressional Budgetary Review process. DOL seeks to present the IT initiatives consistently and in sufficient detail for future measurement and evaluations (e.g. internal E-Governance Program evaluations and OMB's Program Assessment Rating Tool).

3.2 Federal-Level Initiatives

Federal-level initiatives refer to those IT initiatives that originate in legislation or Presidential directive. They are intended for all Departments of the U.S. Government and include:

• Presidential Priority Initiatives that are directly a result of Presidential directive and stem from work being performed by the President's Management Council
  
  
• Line of Business Initiatives that originate within the Federal-wide Enterprise Architecture (EA) planning and development efforts (within OMB) which seek to set standards for provision of common services across various Departments of the U.S. Federal Government.
  
  
• Cross-cutting Initiatives are IT initiatives that span several Departments but not all Departments of the U.S. Federal Government.
  

3.2.1 Presidential Priority Initiatives

The e-Government Task Force of the President's Management Council has identified a portfolio of e-Government initiatives known as Presidential Priority Initiatives (PPIs). PPIs are designed to drive transformation across Federal Agencies. DOL is the managing partner for some of these initiatives, a partner in others, and a potential partner in the remainder. Appendix B, Tables 1-3 provide a complete listing of these initiatives and the extent of DOL involvement in them. DOL is playing an important role in many of these wider e-Government initiatives, particularly GovBenefits.gov and DisabilityInfo.gov, as described in the following sections.

In addition, DOL is currently undertaking many IT initiatives that align with the Federal PPI initiatives and is working closely with the Agency heading the PPI initiatives to stay in compliance with its direction and requirements. Appendix B, Table 4 summarizes how DOL's IT initiatives map and align with the wider PPI initiatives.

GovBenefits.gov

GovBenefits.gov is an e-Government Office of Management and Budget (OMB) initiative that is part of the Administration's plan to better connect citizens with their government. The initiative is a partnership of sixteen Federal Agencies (Commerce, DHS, DOE, DOI, DOJ, DOT, ED, HHS, HUD, SBA, SSA, State, Treasury, USDA and VA) and other stakeholders, (GSA OCSC, USA Services) with a shared vision - to provide improved, personalized access to government benefits programs. The GovBenefits.gov website is a single centralized portal that provides benefit program information to citizens and determines potential eligibility. The specific GovBenefits.gov objectives are:

• Continue to improve citizen access to benefits eligibility information through a one-stop web portal. Provide a single entry point on the Internet that citizens can access to determine their eligibility for the universe of government benefits. Prioritize benefits of interest to the particular citizen, provide information on the benefits, and link to the government benefit providers.
  
  
• Continue to improve the efficiency of the benefits determination and dissemination process. Increase the availability and accuracy of benefits eligibility determination to the neediest segments of the beneficiary population and their support/advocacy organizations and enable feedback from all stakeholders on program performance.
  
  
• Establish the enabling technological foundation to transform the citizen/government benefits determination and delivery relationship. Government strives to make the benefits process citizen-centric through pro-active, personalized services that minimize hierarchical, bureaucratic, or geographic boundary limitations. GovBenefits.gov is one means of enabling this comprehensive restructuring of benefits and benefits delivery.
  

DisabilityInfo.gov

DisabilityInfo.gov is a citizen-centric web resource for information on employment, training, housing, transportation, income support, health care, technology and other disability-related information. DisabilityInfo.gov presents the citizen with a consolidated view of Federal, state and local information, programs, and services relevant to critical stakeholders, including public and private sector employers, service providers, and people with disabilities. In addition, through this concept, businesses are educated on policies and effective practices regarding the employment of people with disabilities.

DisabilityInfo.gov is the result of an Executive Memorandum issued by President George W. Bush on August 28, 2002 as part of his New Freedom Initiative which directed Federal Agencies to work together to build a one-stop interagency Web portal for people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers and community members.

3.2.2 Line-of-Business Initiatives (LoB)

Building upon the efforts of the Federal Enterprise Architecture Program to support the President's Management Agenda for e-Government, the Office of Management and Budget and designated Agency task forces have launched the LoB initiative. This initiative seeks to develop business-driven, common solutions for six lines of business that span the Federal government including financial management, human resources management, grants management, Federal health architecture, case management, and IT security. DOL is fully engaged in collaborating with other agencies on these initiatives to build solutions that work across the government, particularly in the areas of financial management and human resources management, as described below.

Financial Management Line of Business

The Financial Management function is being implemented via three separate systems, as described below. DOL is one of the Managing Partners along with the Department of Energy of the Financial Management Line of Business that includes:

New Core Financial Management System

This initiative is a Department-wide project to enhance the operation of DOL's current core financial management system. The new core financial management system will utilize advance portal technology and an integrated system approach to transform the organization from one that concentrates on processing transactions to one that concentrates on decision support and information management. It will provide a technology platform that accommodates integration with future e-government initiatives.

E-Travel

The Federal e-Travel initiative will create a common Internet Website for Federal travel services. This initiative will automate travel services across Federal Agencies and allow them to reduce processing time and costs for voucher claims.

Human Resources Line of Business

The Human Resources initiatives vary greatly throughout the U.S. Federal Government and look to align different Departments to a common set of practices regarding payroll, training, and HR management.

PeoplePower

PeoplePower is a Department-wide integrated human resources, personnel, payroll, and time and attendance system. PeoplePower enables business alignment and integration along Federal lines with DOL payroll operations migration to the National Finance Center (NFC). NFC will also become a feeder system to DOL's New Financial System.

PeoplePower represents an integrated HR IT portfolio by aligning to these PPIs: Integrated Human Resources and e-Clearance, e-Payroll, e-Training and e-Travel, a business system that is important to supporting Federal personnel.

PeoplePower and NFC systems will interface with the DOL's core financial system and the Department's travel management system.

E-Recruit

The DOL Online Opportunities Recruitment System (DOORS), launched in October 2004 and the first Federal hiring system to fully integrate with OPM's USAJOBS, fully supports the Federal e-Recruit initiative. DOORS is an electronic recruitment process that is competency-based and standardizes the hiring process Department-wide while creating a seamless Federal application process for job applicants. DOL, as a result of its unique USAJOBS integration, will continue to partner with USAJOBS to pilot new innovations to improve the interoperability and integration of the hiring process across Federal lines.

E-Recruit enables business alignment for the hiring process within DOL by: streamlining business processes, converting from a paper-based to an electronic system, reducing the use of ranking panels, utilizing electronic Certificate of Eligibles, integrating Business Intelligence tools, and reducing application processing costs. E-Recruit also allows DOL to achieve a business alignment with Federal hiring processes through collaborative efforts with other Federal agencies to maximize the streamlining of processes that cross-cut Departmental lines.

3.2.3 Cross-Cutting Initiatives

These initiatives, new to the Federal Government, involve collaboration across two or more different Departments to solve shared IT issues or needs.
Safety & Health Information Management System (SHIMS)

DOL is improving service to Federal employees with a faster transmission of workers' compensation claims to the Employment Standards Administration's Office of Workers' Compensation for processing and the ability to process the claim in an expedited manner. Previously the claim forms were manually written and mailed which took several days and a response took two weeks. Now the claim is submitted electronically within 24 hours and a response receipt of the claim from the Office of the Worker's Compensation is within 48 hours. This allows the claimant to begin referencing their claim within two days of filing.

Eight Federal Agencies have agreed to implement SHIMS, with three agencies working towards a 2005 implementation target. DOL's continuing good performance in attaining Federal goals for timeliness is a major factor in Agencies seeking to partner with the Department for SHIMS use. DOL is in communication with 25 external Agencies on SHIMS development and implementation through one-on-one presentations and quarterly meetings.

Cost savings can be attributed to the implementation of the SHIMS in DOL. The system was fully implemented in FY 2003 and since then DOL has demonstrated a reduction in workers' compensation costs through quicker processing of claims and the ability to use the systems to identify persons able to return to work and develop light-duty positions for them. As a result of this effort DOL saved $3.23 million in FY 2004, representing a 13% decline in worker compensation costs.

3.1 Department-Level Initiatives

Department-level initiatives refer to those IT initiatives that the Department of Labor on the whole aims to address. For the most part, IT initiatives within DOL divide into:

• Universal Initiatives - those IT initiatives that impact all of DOL's Agencies, Bureaus and Offices.
  
  
• Common Initiatives - those IT initiatives that impact two or more Agencies, Bureaus or Offices.

Universal Initiatives

These are the IT initiatives in which every part of the Department of Labor participates. The Universal Initiatives focus on achieving universal standards and practices in planning, execution, performance monitoring and reporting.

Unified DOL Technology Infrastructure (UDTI)

In order to fulfill the IT requirements of DOL's program areas, it is imperative that the Department maintain an agile, reliable, and secure technology infrastructure. IT modernization efforts are driven by business area requirements and the overall goal of cost-effective infrastructure management. Generally, a more modern IT infrastructure will save money in ongoing maintenance costs, increase processing speed, increase the reliability of the networks, enhance network and information security because of improved patch management capabilities, reduce the risk of technological failure, increase disaster recovery capability, support projected capacity needs due to the deployment of new systems and applications, and increase productivity.

DOL has undertaken a Department-wide IT infrastructure consolidation initiative. The Unified DOL Technology Infrastructure (UDTI) initiative is consistent with OMB guidance. The plan includes determining consolidation opportunities in a federated approach within and across agencies. This federated approach ensures that consolidation will occur at a level that provides the most value to the organization. The consolidation effort will bring together separate parts of DOL's nine independent networks into a single, unified whole to reduce costs and improve effectiveness. DOL's UDTI initiative will adopt a balanced management approach for the delivery and operational support of the common infrastructure service components. Key to infrastructure consolidation is who and how the infrastructure will be managed. As such, a unified and coordinated approach will be undertaken for both:

• Security Management Framework for the protection, privacy, and national security requirements of resources, information, and equipment.
  
  
• Service Management Framework for the delivery and support of information and people (for both privacy and national security); and of consolidated services.

This consists of the processes for service level management, availability management, IT service continuity planning, capacity management, financial management, change management, incident management, configuration management, problem management, and release management.
The UDTI network will provide the ability to transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of governments. These technologies can serve a variety of different ends including better delivery of government services to citizens, improved interactions with business and industry, citizen empowerment through access to information, and more efficient government management. The resulting benefits will include increased transparency, greater convenience, re-investment of savings, and/or cost-avoidance.

Investing in the IT Workforce

DOL is working to sustain and strengthen its IT workforce through a program of carefully selected human capital investments. Key activities include the following:
Skills Assessment

In FY 2004, DOL conducted a Department-wide skills assessment of mission-critical occupations, including IT. All major DOL Agencies have completed skills assessments for 27 mission-critical occupations using the Competency Exxceed Plus skills assessment tool. In addition, DOL continues to participate in the annual Clinger-Cohen IT Skills assessment survey.

Learning and Development

In July 2004, the Department submitted its Departmental IT Training Guide to OMB. In that report, DOL identified the resources for training defined in the OPM Training Report as one resource to close gaps in IT skills within the Department. The Department identified additional resources that will be used to close IT skills gaps. The Department is utilizing the resources identified in the OPM Training Report as well as the resources identified in the Departmental IT training guide to help close the skills gaps identified through the skills assessment activities described above.

DOL has implemented an IT Project Management Program that provides the senior level IT professional with assistance in acquiring the Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification. The program includes required PMP training and funding for the PMP Certification Exam. DOL has updated the e-learning catalog to include IT-related courses for entry and intermediate level IT professionals.

Skill Gap Remediation

In accordance with guidance from OMB, OPM, and the CIO Council, DOL is closely examining several IT job activities which are critical to fulfilling the President's Management Agenda. These include IT Project Management, IT Architecture (Enterprise and Solutions), and IT Security. DOL is also using skills assessment data to identify skill gaps in other important IT job activities.

Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses (elaws)

Elaws is the Department's centralized web service for providing interactive compliance assistance information on labor laws administered by DOL. Elaws is specifically designed to meet the needs of citizens, including employees and employers (especially small businesses).

Elaws advisors are based on intelligent or expert systems, which are legally vetted, computer-based compliance assistance programs that capture a labor law expert's knowledge and decision making reasoning so that these can be disseminated to the public. Workers and employers interact with these expert systems much the same as if they were interacting with a human expert to obtain answers to their employment law questions. Elaws has successfully combined these intelligent capabilities with web and database technologies to provide cost and time efficient solutions over the Internet and DOL enterprise systems - elaws Advisors were used an estimated 23 million times in FY 2004, and more than 45 million times since FY 2001.

Elaws is a Government to Business (G2B) and Government to Citizen (G2C) service that illustrates how electronic government can be used to empower businesses and citizens. Elaws directly supports the PPI Business Gateway, which uses elaws as a primary portal and source for Federal employment laws and compliance assistance information, and is a key resource of the Secretary's Compliance Assistance Initiative.

Mobile Workforce Automation

The Department of Labor Mobile/Remote Workforce is a collaborative crosscut initiative agreed upon by most of the large and small Agencies of the Department. This initiative provides the DOL workforce - inspectors, compliance assistance specialists, frequent travelers, episodic and long-term flexi-place, workers at home or other remote locations, with tools and a standardized mobile infrastructure. The mobile/remote workforce infrastructure allows the DOL workforce to conduct their work activities off-site more effectively and efficiently, and respond more timely to emergencies so that the American workforce is protected from fraud, abuse and can go home from their jobs safely. These initiatives provide the capability for DOL staff to collect and distribute data and information, and perform staff and management responsibilities using portable devices and a standardized telecommunications infrastructure.

Emergency Management

Continuity of Operations Information Management System (COOP IMS) has been replaced with a new file based system called the DOL Support Portal (DSP-Share Drive). The DSP supports the Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan that is maintained and implemented by the DOL Emergency Management Center (DOL-EMC). As part of the DOL-EMC, the DOL Emergency Management Center (EMC) oversees command, control, and coordination activities during an activation of the DOL COOP plan.

Activation of this plan enables and facilitates the continuing operation of essential DOL processes by providing crucial decision making information in a quick and efficient manner. DSP share drive is a key component of this process.

DSP is a secure file system which resides on Emergency Management Network (EM Net) that provides secure access to mission critical disaster recovery DOL COOP Department and Agency level information. The DSP-Share allows users, based on their system privilege level, to enter and manage this crucial information via a username/password protected access scheme that provides necessary system security.

Having the system reside behind the DOL firewall, which further restricts access to the data, provides additional security. DSP utilizes Virtual Private Networking (VPN) Technology and File System Technology to provide secure access to the data. All critical data that is compiled on the DSP-Share system is replicated to the alternative Emergency Relocation Site ensuring that the data is available in redundant locations.

Enterprise Communication Initiative (ECI)

ECI is a Department-wide initiative that will achieve a number of efficiencies and improvements in support of the communication function. Among other things, ECI will ensure all e-correspondence inquiries will be handled in the same manner, with a consistent look for the citizen. Components of the ECI include the following:

• Consolidation to a single Internet development infrastructure.
• Reduction of multiple software licenses for development tools.
• Reduction to one content management system.
• One Internet and Intranet development network.
• Reduction of duplicate contract resources.
• Reduction from several language translation contracts to one performance based contract.
• Consolidation of Tier 1 call centers.
• One standard business process and workflow for e-correspondence.
• Using performance metrics.
• Centralized management, as applicable, of web application and development, to create a consistent look and feel to the public and DOL employees.
• Integration where possible of regional and district offices Internet development.
• Streamlining procurement and contract management.
• Standardized development suite and technologies related to the Internet and intranet.
• Creates a citizen focused approach to dissemination of information to the public.

Departmental E-Budgeting System

The Departmental E-Budgeting System (DEBS) investment will automate the semi-manual formulation and publication of annual budget submissions. This investment was critically evaluated and strategically recommended based on the Department's mature Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) process which uses a weighted scoring analysis model for investment selection. The investment was well positioned for selection based on its defined scope, organizational value and demonstrated commitment to performance goals across the agency. DEBS will standardize the assignment of budget costs to performance goals and combine analysis of how the requested funds will lead to targeted levels of performance driving greater corporate governance and improving decision making clarity. By automating and integrating budgetary resources with performance, and providing access to information online, decision makers can effectively evaluate the performance results against proposed levels of funding; alleviate redundant, rote business processes; and allocate/optimize scarce Federal resources to programs and initiatives that deliver results. Ultimately, the automated budget solution will support Agencies' efforts to quantify and qualify results of their performance-to-budget-spend ratio.

3.2 Common-Shared Initiatives

Common initiatives are IT initiatives in which many entities within DOL participate. The common initiatives involve two or more Agencies that aim to benefit from a cost, efficiency, and effectiveness perspective by sharing in the planning, execution and reporting for a combined or shared initiative.

E-Grants

E-Grants is an online grants management application designed to provide all grant making agencies with a modern, web-based system that allows them to be more efficient and customer centric in pursuing their missions. E-Grants will combine faster processing and consistent data with the capability to streamline and simplify the interactions between the administrative functions and their customers. It will reduce operating costs and increase the quality of service.

Agencies affected by this initiative include the Employment and Training Administration (ETA); Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS); Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA); and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM), which has overall grant making authority for Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS); Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB); Women's Bureau (WB); and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

E-Grants will interface with NCFMS, the DOL financial system, and other financial feeder systems over secure network connections, as well as the Federal-wide grant payment systems, including HHS's Payment Management System, and the Treasury's ASAP system. E-Grants will integrate with the Federal E-Grants Storefront initiative managed by HHS.

E-Judication

The e-Judication project is an IT initiative that seeks to modernize current DOL legal and adjudicatory systems and business processes to integrate the existing processes into a fully electronic, citizen-centric, end-to-end procedure designed for the 21st Century. The results of this effort will be to simplify the delivery of services to the public, accelerate case processing, reduce costs by consolidating and eliminating/upgrading redundant systems, and streamline all aspects of communication (Government to Citizen, Citizen to Government and Government to Business).

This initiative closely aligned with the PMA, the DOL Target EA, and Secretary Chao's Departmental strategic goals, focuses on system interoperability across the Office of the Solicitor (SOL) and the four adjudicatory Agencies: Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), the Administrative Review Board (ARB), the Benefits Review Board (BRB), and the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB).

E-Judication will deliver direct services for citizens by developing a one-stop Web Portal for citizens and stakeholders who are involved in the appeals and adjudication process. The e-Judication Web Portal is, in essence, the centerpiece of this initiative since it is the portion of the project that is visible to all stakeholders and that will facilitate the successful execution of the DOL legal/adjudicatory mission by providing citizens in distress a vehicle to obtain pertinent information and to file claims quickly and easily. One of the primary goals of the e-Judication initiative is to open up the adjudicatory process to the American public and to streamline the process with the introduction of an informational web portal, electronic filing, and electronic service of appropriate documents. The e-Judication System, by employing commercial best practices in terms of citizen-centric case management, knowledge management, case tracking, electronic workflow (including electronic triggers and reminders of tasks) will improve the efficiency with which citizen claims are handled.

3.3 Agency-Level Initiatives

There are different Agency-level Initiatives within the Department. These are the IT initiatives that are either mandatory to the specific Agency, or specific to the business mission of a particular Agency.

Foreign Labor Certification Systems

Foreign labor certification programs permit U.S. employers to hire foreign workers on a temporary or permanent basis to fill jobs essential to the U.S. economy. Certification may be obtained in cases where it can be demonstrated that there are insufficient qualified U.S. workers available and willing to perform the work at wages that meet or exceed the prevailing wage paid for that occupation in the area of intended employment. DOL has developed a suite of web-based systems to facilitate this process. They include the following three online systems:

PERM Online
The Permanent Online System allows U.S. employers who intend to hire foreign workers to work permanently in the United States the ability to file and submit applications for Permanent Employment Certification - Form ETA 9089 with DOL via the Web.

LCA Online

The LCA Online System allows employers or their agents, who intend to employ alien worker(s) for a temporary period in professional occupations or as fashion models the ability to file labor condition applications (LCAs)-Form ETA 9035E with DOL via the Web. This system will automatically determine, within minutes, if the submitted LCA is certified or denied based on information that was entered. Once DOL grants certification, the employer must then print and sign the Form ETA 9035E. The employer may file a copy of the signed certificate Form ETA 9035E in support of a visa petition or change in status request with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS).

H-2A Online

The H-2A Online System allows employers or their agents who intend to employ nonimmigrant alien worker(s) to perform temporary or seasonal agricultural work to complete and pre-submit their applications (i.e., Forms ETA 750/790 and/or G-28) with DOL via the Web.

Executive Information/Corporate Performance Management System

The goal of the Executive Information/Corporate Performance Management System (EI/CPMS) is to allow MSHA senior executives, program area managers, and staff to proactively monitor the performance of the organization by providing mission-critical information and performance measures via a graphical user interface.

Through visual aids such as maps, alerts, charts, tables, and spreadsheets, the EI\CPMS will provide information and analytics on MSHA activities relative to strategic goals, key performance indicators (KPI's), customer metrics, and operational benchmarks. The system will ensure that all data is consistent and accurate, provide drill-down capabilities for additional business analysis, and enable users to investigate cause-and-effect scenarios and their related impacts.

Monitoring performance metrics through an EI/CPMS is an industry best practice that will empower MSHA employees with information on enterprise activities, enable bottom-line impact analysis, and establish MSHA as a model workplace within DOL. The EI/CPMS investment will help MSHA reduce fatalities and injuries in the nation's mines by providing access to mine performance and accident information. The EI/CPMS investment helps to achieve MSHA's workplace performance goals by allowing executives to continuously monitor MSHA's leading metrics and status.

Occupational Safety and Health Information System (OIS)

The system will replace OSHA's current Integrated Management Information System (IMIS). This system replaces the 1991 legacy OSHA Enforcement and Consultation applications, while adding functionality for new regulatory and program areas that have been established since the original application was implemented.
A new application is necessary because OSHA has been assigned new statutes, and has adopted new program areas since the original application was developed. A significant gap exists between the agency's strategic plan and the capacity of the current application. OIS provides OSHA with the tools to identify industries and workplaces with the most serious hazards, based upon superior analytical tools, and develop more effective methods to target worksites needing interventions.
The agency will have an enhanced ability to track existing safety and health trends and to identify emerging safety and health issues. OSHA will be positioned to develop intervention strategies much earlier than before, thus increasing our prevention ability. Laboratory results from Salt Lake and Wisconsin laboratories will be electronically incorporated into the application, thus eliminating double data entry by OSHA staff. Other formerly independent data silos will be eliminated.