Functional Statements > Office of the Chief Information Officer

B. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Information Technology Services (ITS) supports all enterprise-wide initiatives that reside on the agency’s network (EDUCATE) to include network security, network and telecommunications design and operations, end user services, production server hosting services, and the agency’s intranet and Internet services.  Additionally, ITS maintains and operates the Department’s disaster recovery facility. As assigned, ITS develops and maintains common business solutions that are required by multiple program offices.

The Director, ITS, reports to the CIO.  The Director provides overall leadership and coordination to the immediate office staff of ITS and to the following components:

• Network Services Team
• Operational Services Team

Network Services Team

The Network Services Team implements, manages and maintains the agency’s information and communications technology infrastructure for voice, video and data solutions.
In performing its responsibilities, the Team:

• Monitors contractor compliance with centralized acquisition and inventory management of business communications solutions, including but not limited to: local and long distance services, toll-free services, network circuits, and wireless services.
• Develops policies and monitors contractor compliance with policies and procedures to ensure the efficient and cost-effective use of ED technology resources for business communications and collaboration.
• Monitors compliance of vendor service providers supporting the operations and maintenance of the voice, video and data communications networks, including network services, telecommunications services, and multimedia services.
• Provides oversight to all agency telecommunications activities, managing vendor relationships, and working in coordination with other OCIO organizations to coordinate orders for all telecommunications circuits, services and equipment.
• Directs and represents ED activities on the Interagency Management Council (IMC) for Federal Telecommunications and other intergovernmental forums.
• Works with the Information Technology Program Services to coordinate the delivery of centralized services for traditional and IP-based telephony communications, including call centers, conferencing, cable TV, and IP-TV solutions.

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Operational Services Team

The Operational Services Team oversees and monitors all service level agreements associated with the provision of EDUCATE services, and ensures that all departmental employees have appropriate access to the Department's IT services. The team works closely with other OCIO teams and vendors to ensure that all approved EDUCATE business solutions have met security, architecture, program management, and customer support requirements prior to implementation and operation. The team monitors contractor compliance and provides oversight to contractor managed disaster recovery facilities (DRFs) for all of the Department's critical applications. Additionally, the team provides assistive technology solutions to the Department's employees with disabilities and ensures that the agency's electronic and information systems are accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities.
In performing its responsibilities, the Team:

• Monitors contractor compliance and oversees contract service level agreements providing daily operation and maintenance of all EDUCATE services.
• Provides EDUCATE oversight, integration of security considerations, stewardship of integrated processes between oversight boards, and implementation of standardized processes for contract service level monitoring and reporting.
• Administers the Technical Review Board process for business solutions to be hosted on EDUCATE. Works with other OCIO organizations to ensure appropriate participation is coordinated for program management, security, and enterprise architecture approvals.
• Supports the Enterprise Architecture Team for management of the change control mechanisms for ED's Life Cycle Management process, the Change Control Review Board, and the Security Review Board.
• Provides administrative support to the Change Control Review Board.
• Maintains disaster recovery plans and procedures that ensure continuity of operations for essential Departmental systems in the event of an emergency or other disruption to normal operations.
• Implements and coordinates activities regarding the agency's Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) focusing on protecting mission essential infrastructure, promoting best practices in infrastructure management, and developing and promulgating policies to implement requirements of Presidential Direction (PDD) 63.
• In accordance with requirements for a Federal Agency General Support System, maintains a Disaster Recover Plan (DRP) to reconstitute the IT infrastructure needed to support mission-critical functions during a disaster.
• Directs all activities related to the agency's alternate site for redundant systems as prescribed by the Department's system and Continuity of Operations Plans.
• Assists ED employees with disabilities and their supervisors in the selection, purchase, and installation of assistive technologies.
• Evaluates and tests software and web applications under development for the Department of Education to ensure their compatibility with the legislative requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and provides technical assistance and remediation strategies to developers and vendors to facilitate compliance.
• Provides advice to program offices regarding strategies for implementing Section 508.
• Provides technical assistance and support to grantees, schools, and interagency and e-gov projects to ensure that electronic and information technology is accessible to students, federal employees, and the public.

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