Legislature(2015 - 2016)HOUSE FINANCE 519

02/11/2016 01:30 PM House FINANCE

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01:34:29 PM Start
01:35:14 PM Presentation: Shared Services Initiative - Department of Administration
02:49:21 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Presentation: TELECONFERENCED
"Shared Services Initiative" by Sheldon Fisher,
Commissioner, Dept. of Administration &
Everett Ross, Alaska Shared Services Consultant
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                  HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                     February 11, 2016                                                                                          
                         1:34 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:34:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Neuman  called the House Finance  Committee meeting                                                                    
to order at 1:34 p.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Mark Neuman, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Steve Thompson, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Dan Saddler, Vice-Chair                                                                                          
Representative Bryce Edgmon                                                                                                     
Representative Les Gara                                                                                                         
Representative Lynn Gattis                                                                                                      
Representative David Guttenberg                                                                                                 
Representative Scott Kawasaki                                                                                                   
Representative Cathy Munoz                                                                                                      
Representative Lance Pruitt                                                                                                     
Representative Tammie Wilson                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Sheldon Fisher, Commissioner,  Department of Administration;                                                                    
Everett Ross, Consultant, Alaska Shared Services.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
^PRESENTATION:  SHARED SERVICES  INITIATIVE -  DEPARTMENT OF                                                                  
ADMINISTRATION                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:35:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHELDON FISHER, COMMISSIONER,  DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION,                                                                    
explained that shared services  was a historically different                                                                    
approach  to savings  that involved  centralizing functions,                                                                    
but  as part  of the  centralization  there was  a focus  on                                                                    
streamlining  and driving  efficiencies.  He  said that  the                                                                    
efforts would  be ongoing to  continue to  make improvements                                                                    
with  a  focus  on  customer  services.  He  introduced  the                                                                    
PowerPoint  Presentation:  "State  of Alaska  Department  of                                                                    
Administration: Shared Services Overview."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher  shared the genesis of  the department's                                                                    
relationship  with   Everett  Ross.  He  relayed   that  the                                                                    
administration felt  the initiative was right  for the state                                                                    
and that Mr.  Ross had private sector  experience that would                                                                    
prove  useful  for  the  implementation  of  the  Integrated                                                                    
Resource Information System (IRIS).                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:38:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher turned to Slide 1: "Table of Contents":                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     · Iris Overview                                                                                                            
     · Shared Services Overview                                                                                                 
     · Public Sector Examples                                                                                                   
     · Scope Of Shared Services Model                                                                                           
     · Client Migration Approach and Timeframe                                                                                  
     · Governance                                                                                                               
     · Key    Performance    Indicators   and    Independent                                                                    
        Verification and Validation                                                                                             
     · Expected Challenges and Resolutions                                                                                      
     · Project Status Dashboard                                                                                                 
     · Cross Departmental Efficiencies Background                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher  turned to Slide 2:  "IRIS Schedule". He                                                                    
stated  that  the  state  had  launched  the  financial  and                                                                    
procurement components of IRIS in  July 2015, and was now in                                                                    
the stage of stabilizing  and optimizing the environment. He                                                                    
said that  the human resources  module would be  launched at                                                                    
the  end  of   2016.  He  continued  to   Slide  3,  "Change                                                                    
Management  and   'Managing  Change'".  He  said   that  the                                                                    
department was in  the process of adding data  to the system                                                                    
and  that the  capabilities  of the  system were  increasing                                                                    
daily.  He  estimated  that   most  state  departments  were                                                                    
between hope and acceptance. He  added that some departments                                                                    
were behind schedule, but that  work was being done to catch                                                                    
up.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:40:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher  scrolled to Slide 4:  "Looking Forward:                                                                    
The Promise of IRIS":                                                                                                           
     Reengineering Financial Business and Decision-Making                                                                       
     Processes                                                                                                                  
        · Real-time access to complete information                                                                              
             · Ability  to  search  by session  reference  -                                                                    
               legislative bill source for an appropriation                                                                     
             · Expense  budgets  linked to  revenue  budgets                                                                    
              for better compliance controls                                                                                    
        · Accounting corrections tied directly to original                                                                      
          transaction                                                                                                           
             · Budget   structures   control   and   enforce                                                                    
              budgets for projects and grants                                                                                   
        · Expedite   annual    close-out   activities   that                                                                    
          normally occur over two month period                                                                                  
        · Easier Comprehensive Annual Financial Report                                                                          
          (CAFR) development                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Reengineer Purchasing for Improved Savings                                                                                 
        · Vendor Self-Serve - empowers vendors to be                                                                            
          custodians of business opportunities available                                                                        
          through state procurement                                                                                             
             · Over  100 solicitations  posted to  VSS since                                                                    
               Go-Live (44 RFQ, 20 RFP, 19 ITB, 15 IRFP and                                                                     
               2 RFI)                                                                                                           
             · 20   solicitations    have   had   electronic                                                                    
               responses from 33 vendors                                                                                        
             · Vendors   have    submitted   86   electronic                                                                    
               invoices, ranging from $1.50 to $88,500                                                                          
        · Greater Transparency                                                                                                  
             · Vendors  and members  of  the general  public                                                                    
               can track the prices paid per NIGP unit per                                                                      
               commodity code                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Workflow Reengineering                                                                                                     
       · Approvals and workflow are integrated and                                                                              
         inseparable                                                                                                            
             · Workflow - routing of  the document to "team"                                                                    
               work lists                                                                                                       
             · Email notification when an event occurs                                                                          
       · Serve as internal controls - provide central                                                                           
         control and monitoring of transactions                                                                                 
             · Specific     department    and     managerial                                                                    
               requirements                                                                                                     
       · Significantly reduce elapsed time for document                                                                         
         approval processing - eliminate routing of paper                                                                       
         files                                                                                                                  
       · Three-way-match - integrating procurement and                                                                          
         financial processes                                                                                                    
             · Purchase Order using Punch-Out E-commerce                                                                        
               capability / Vendor ships / Receiving                                                                            
               Confirms / AP processes….all tied together                                                                       
               in an automated process                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner   Fisher   expressed    excitement   with   the                                                                    
possibilities for efficiencies that  the system would bring,                                                                    
but  stressed  that  processes needed  to  be  built  around                                                                    
collected data in order to facilitate those possibilities.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:42:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Neuman queried the original proposed cost of IRIS.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher stated that  the department had budgeted                                                                    
$85 million to $90 million and expected to stay on budget.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Neuman thought  $90  million  had been  originally                                                                    
appropriated for the initiative.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher agreed.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:43:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair   Saddler  asked   that  the   acronyms  in   the                                                                    
presentation be identified as the conversation progressed.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:43:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
EVERETT  ROSS,  CONSULTANT,  ALASKA SHARED  SERVICES,  began                                                                    
with Slide 5: "Business Model Compare":                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Shared Services Model vs. Centralized                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Decentralized Model                                                                                                        
          · Federated support model of varying processes &                                                                      
             systems within the agencies.                                                                                       
          · Focus on responsiveness and customer service.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Centralized Model 5% - 15% Savings                                                                                         
          · Processes and systems consolidated into a                                                                           
             single cost center.                                                                                                
          · Standardized processes with a single technology                                                                     
             platform.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Shared Services Model 30% Savings / 50% Hybrid                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
         · Centralized, standardized, simplified.                                                                               
          · Profit center driven to create efficient                                                                            
             service delivery & meet customer needs.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross  related  that the  savings  associated  with  the                                                                    
Centralized  Model was  short-term;  the  savings went  away                                                                    
because the  focus was on  information technology  (IT), and                                                                    
staff,   and   not   business   process   reengineering   or                                                                    
standardization.  He said  that  the  Shared Services  Model                                                                    
focused  on   centralizing  technology,   standardizing  the                                                                    
business process,  training staff, using customer  data, and                                                                    
delivering value  based on those  factors. He  asserted that                                                                    
the  model constantly  focused  on process  standardization,                                                                    
reducing  cost,  increasing   efficiencies,  and  delivering                                                                    
higher quality service to the customer.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:47:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Saddler understood  that  the Centralized  Model                                                                    
would  yield   only  short-term  savings,  and   the  Shared                                                                    
Services Model  centralized IT while maintaining  a focus on                                                                    
business process.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross replied  that the Centralized Model  was a business                                                                    
process that  was supported by  a technology  platform which                                                                    
were  all centralized.  He stated  that the  initial savings                                                                    
was  because staff  was being  reduced and  the process  was                                                                    
coming before  one entity; savings eroded  because there was                                                                    
not a  constant focus on business  process, standardization,                                                                    
and staff  training. He offered  the example that  the state                                                                    
had 13  different cabinet agencies,  with 13  different ways                                                                    
of doing accounts payable; all  13 variant models would need                                                                    
to be  standardized in  order to move  them to  one platform                                                                    
without losing cost savings.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:48:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross explained  Slide  6:  "Shared Services  Overview",                                                                    
which  offered  an  illustration of  Decentralized  Services                                                                    
versus  the  Shared Services  Model.  He  asserted that  the                                                                    
Shared  Services  Model  was  a  "win  on  both  sides."  He                                                                    
explained  that  the core  mission  of  the Shared  Services                                                                    
organization  was   to  deliver  high   quality  back-office                                                                    
functions,  with  efficiency, and  at  a  low cost.  Meeting                                                                    
customer needs cheaply and efficiently  would free up budget                                                                    
and  staff  in  the  agencies   to  focus  on  core  mission                                                                    
activates.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross continued to Slide 7: "Shared Services Overview":                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Shared Services Foundation                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Mission                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
        · Provide    back-office     support    of    common                                                                    
          administrative transactions to allow agencies to                                                                      
          use budget and staff to focus on core mission                                                                         
          responsibilities.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross explained that if  an organization wanted to expand                                                                    
into a new service offering,  customer data would need to be                                                                    
collected in order to assess need.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Structure                                                                                                                  
        · Strong data-centric organization focused on Key                                                                       
          Performance Indicators (KPIs).                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross stated  that the KPIs were  metrics around quality,                                                                    
cost,  efficiency, and  staff associated  with each  service                                                                    
offering, and were reviewed with clients monthly.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
        · Use of Lean Methodologies to drive continuous                                                                         
          improvement (reduce costs, improve quality,                                                                           
          reduce cycle-times).                                                                                                  
        · Service Level Agreements (SLAs) established with                                                                      
          each client / service.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross shared that if accounts payable were provided to a                                                                     
client, the client would request that drivers be measured,                                                                      
which was part of a Service Level Agreement. He elucidated                                                                      
that SLAs were two-way: the service delivery on the shared                                                                      
services organization side, but was also on the client                                                                          
commitment to change. He asserted that in order to fully                                                                        
leverage the technology investment, or the investment in                                                                        
the new business process, there were certain actions were                                                                       
required of the client.                                                                                                         
        · Strong governance and controls of spend while                                                                         
          supporting adoption of enterprise investments.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Benefits                                                                                                                   
        · Shared Services Models targets 30% - 50%                                                                              
          reduction in costs.                                                                                                   
        · Increased quality and service delivery.                                                                               
        · Increased speed delivery.                                                                                             
        · Increased client satisfaction.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Strong leadership is required to support and mandate                                                                       
     the use of a shared services model.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross advanced  to Slide  8: "Business  Model Compare  -                                                                    
Accounts Payable":                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Before Shared Services                                                                                                 
        · Manual Volume: 1.5M Transactions                                                                                      
        · FTE: 219                                                                                                              
        · Cycle Time: 30 + Days                                                                                                 
        · Transaction Rate: $56                                                                                                 
        · Annual Cost: $13.5M                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     After Shared Services                                                                                                  
        · Manual Volume: 150K Transactions                                                                                      
        · FTE: 45                                                                                                               
        · Cycle Time: 1.4 Days                                                                                                  
        · Transaction Rate: $0.00 - $12                                                                                         
        · Annual Cost: $2.7M                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The  slide contained  an  example of  actual  data form  the                                                                    
state  of Ohio  Accounts Payable  service offering  before a                                                                    
shared  services  approach  and after  implementation  of  a                                                                    
shared services model. The  shared services approach allowed                                                                    
the  state to  realize reductions  in: manual  volume, full-                                                                    
time equivalents  (FTE), cycle  time, transaction  rate, and                                                                    
annual cost. Reduction  in cycle times from 30  plus days to                                                                    
1.4 days  allowed the state  to leverage  additional savings                                                                    
with  prompt-pay  discounts  (2/10  net 30),  with  a  total                                                                    
opportunity of $150 million.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:52:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Saddler  asked whether  the cost line  for annual                                                                    
transactions    included   both    automated   and    manual                                                                    
transactions.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross said that was correct.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Saddler  assumed that much of  the remaining cost                                                                    
was because of the manual transactions.                                                                                         
Mr. Ross  agreed that  most of  the annual  transaction cost                                                                    
was due to manual transactions.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Saddler posited that  the transaction rate on the                                                                    
slide of  $12, was  the average for  both the  automated and                                                                    
the manual.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross relayed  that  the  number was  a  point in  time;                                                                    
October 1, 2015, and was an average rate.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He  shared that  reducing  cycle times  had presented  other                                                                    
opportunities  in  other   procurement  areas  For  example,                                                                    
prompt   pay  discounts,   which  were   standard  in   most                                                                    
contracts, often  resulted in a  2 percent reduction  of the                                                                    
overall invoice.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gara  asked whether Alaska was  receiving the                                                                    
2 percent, prompt pay discounts for prompt pay.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross clarified  that his information was  limited to the                                                                    
experience of the state of Ohio.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher interjected  that the administration was                                                                    
in  the process  of modifying  its contractual  terms in  an                                                                    
effort to lock in the 2/10 net 30 terms.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gara asked why a  company would want to offer                                                                    
a 2 percent reduction for paying a bill 30 days early.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross stated  that the time value of  money was important                                                                    
to  most business  and it  was  not unusual  in business  to                                                                    
receive a 2 percent discount for prompt payment.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Neuman thought  that the  prompt payment  discount                                                                    
made  business  sense.  He  felt that  the  idea  of  making                                                                    
payments, electronically  in to  IRIS, rather  than manually                                                                    
entering them, had value.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gattis thought  that  being paid  back on  a                                                                    
timely basis  when borrowing  at higher  than 2  percent was                                                                    
significant. She stated that the discount was common.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Thompson  commented  that   as  a  vendor  he  had                                                                    
experienced  the benefits  of  the 2  percent discount,  and                                                                    
added  that it  was a  common business  practice across  the                                                                    
United States.  He shared that  the discount  created faster                                                                    
turn around and financial savings.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:00:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Munoz  asked whether the  Medicaid management                                                                    
system would benefit from the IRIS.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher believed  that the  Medicaid management                                                                    
system was a "different can of worms."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara deduced  that 2  percent, for  30 days,                                                                    
was equal to  24 percent per year, which  was a surprisingly                                                                    
high number.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:01:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross  turned to  slide  9:  "Business Model  Compare  -                                                                    
Travel & Expense":                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
   Before Shared Services                                                                                                   
     · Annual Transactions: 28,000 - 30,000                                                                                     
     · Avg. Cycle Time: 32.5 days                                                                                               
     · Cost: $267.21 per transaction                                                                                            
     · FTE: 129                                                                                                                 
     · Annual Cost: $7.75M                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   After Shared Services                                                                                                    
     · Annual Transactions: 28,000 - 30,000                                                                                     
     · Avg. Cycle Time: .8 days                                                                                                 
     · Cost: $6.42 per transaction                                                                                              
     · FTE: 3.1                                                                                                                 
     · Annual Cost: $285K                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
The slide  reflected the  difference before  shared services                                                                    
and  after shared  services using  the same  drivers as  the                                                                    
previous slide.  Travel & Expense processes  supported by 26                                                                    
Agencies were  migrated to Ohio  Shares Services  from 2009-                                                                    
2010.  Ove the  next  24 months  several re-engineering  and                                                                    
standardization efforts  resulted in reduced  costs, reduced                                                                    
FTE  support,  increased  compliance,  higher  quality,  and                                                                    
faster cycle  times. Changes in  policy, process,  and fully                                                                    
leveraging existing  technology resulted  in a  $7.4 million                                                                    
savings  annually.  Mr. Ross  noted  that  the changes  were                                                                    
experienced over 3 years, and that gains were constant.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Neuman  wondered   how  many  transactions  Alaska                                                                    
handled annually.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher responded  that the  Ohio numbers  were                                                                    
comparable to Alaska.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:04:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Neuman  queried   the   total  of   all  of   the                                                                    
transactions in every department.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher said  that  he would  get  back to  the                                                                    
committee with the information.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Edgmon  thought that it would  be interesting                                                                    
to  apply  the  before   and  after  scenarios  to  Alaska's                                                                    
operations.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher  believed  that the  magnitude  of  the                                                                    
change could  differ between Alaska  and Ohio,  but expected                                                                    
that,  directionally,   there  would  be   similarities.  He                                                                    
anticipated the  savings to  the state  would be  between 30                                                                    
and 50 percent.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Neuman asked  how much the state spent  per year in                                                                    
purchasing.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher  lamented  that  he did  not  have  the                                                                    
numbers  but   that  the   department  was   working  toward                                                                    
establishing those benchmarks.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Neuman  asked how much  the state spent in  FY16 in                                                                    
purchasing transactions.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher  stated  that  the  total  spend,  some                                                                    
funded  by the  federal  government,  and was  approximately                                                                    
$1.5 billion for procurement of goods and services.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Neuman  asked how much  of a percentage  of savings                                                                    
on that total the state could expect with the new system.                                                                       
Commissioner  Fisher  said that  the  main  focus of  shared                                                                    
services  was to  drive the  efficiency of  the organization                                                                    
that was managing purchasing,  accounts payable, and travel.                                                                    
He  said   that  savings  would   be  realized   by  finding                                                                    
efficiencies in personnel and  related costs associated with                                                                    
personnel.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Neuman worried  that smaller  companies would  not                                                                    
offer  the state  the 2  percent, prompt  pay discount,  and                                                                    
those that did  would not have the high average  of Ohio. He                                                                    
reiterated his  request for  a spreadsheet  with all  of the                                                                    
state's transactions.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher agreed to  provide a document that could                                                                    
give the  committee greater insight,  He indicated  that the                                                                    
administration would  be developing a specific  set of goals                                                                    
and targets for savings.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Neuman  asserted that  the  state  needed to  have                                                                    
accountability  for IRIS,  he felt  that the  administration                                                                    
should  already have  transaction and  spending numbers.  He                                                                    
opined  that  Alaska had  fewer  contractors  for hire  than                                                                    
Ohio.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:09:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Guttenberg asked if  there was an interagency                                                                    
aspect to the shared services organization.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher  replied  that  he  would  address  the                                                                    
question further in the presentation.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:10:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Gara  wondered   whether  companies   would                                                                    
inflate prices  by 2 percent  in anticipation of  the prompt                                                                    
payment discount.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher responded that  there was value to being                                                                    
paid promptly.  He reiterated that  the term was  a business                                                                    
standard  and  did  not  believe  that  companies  would  be                                                                    
increasing  their prices  in a  competitive market.  He said                                                                    
that  cash flow  was one  of  the hardest  things for  small                                                                    
businesses to  manage, which increased  the value  of prompt                                                                    
payment.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Thompson  added  that the  majority  of  companies                                                                    
offered the prompt payment discount  for commodities and not                                                                    
services rendered.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross  replied that,  in Ohio,  service contracts  were a                                                                    
little different,  but small  consulting firms  and services                                                                    
gravitated  toward  the 2  percent  discount.  He said  that                                                                    
discounts  were commonly  given for  commodities, but  there                                                                    
had been some crossover into services.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson  thought that some companied  even offered                                                                    
up to a 5 percent discount.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:12:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Saddler  asked whether the shares  services model                                                                    
had already been integrated into the IRIS system.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher replied  that the  presentation was  on                                                                    
how  the IRIS  system could  be leveraged  and expanded.  He                                                                    
said  that  the system  provided  the  capability to  enable                                                                    
shred   services,  but   the   expansion   would  take   the                                                                    
disciplined and sustained effort of the state.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Saddler wanted  clarification on  what could  be                                                                    
added to the system.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher explained  that IRIS  needed to  expand                                                                    
and evolve in  order for the state to  benefit, otherwise it                                                                    
might as well be working under the old system.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Saddler understood  that the  administration was                                                                    
endorsing   the  additional   capacity   of   IRIS  in   the                                                                    
presentation.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher  indicated that  the agency  was already                                                                    
utilizing  the  system  and   proceeding  forward  with  the                                                                    
development of shared services.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson  relayed that  he had been  surprised when                                                                    
he learned  how much of  the state's systems were  under the                                                                    
old mainframe.  He wondered how  departments with  the older                                                                    
systems would  be handled and  how they would  interact with                                                                    
IRIS. He opined that the coding  would be out of date, which                                                                    
would lead to problems.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher  agreed that  there  were  a number  of                                                                    
programs  supported under  the  mainframe.  He offered  that                                                                    
many departments were working  to migrating to other systems                                                                    
off of the  mainframe and that many would be  off within the                                                                    
next 3 years.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Thompson  asked  whether  there  was  interactions                                                                    
between the old mainframe systems and IRIS.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher  responded that some  systems interacted                                                                    
with IRIS  and some did  not depending on  the functionality                                                                    
of the system involved.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:16:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson asked if  it would take legislation in                                                                    
order for there to be only one system.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher clarified  that  IRIS  was the  state's                                                                    
financial system  and all departments  were using  it, there                                                                    
is no  alternative. He explained  that there were  a variety                                                                    
of applications on the mainframe  that IRIS did not provide,                                                                    
and had not been intended to be replaced.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:18:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  understood that moving to  the shared                                                                    
services organization  could result in  greater efficiencies                                                                    
throughout all departments.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher  agreed.  He   said  that  one  of  the                                                                    
challenges for the administration  would be that each agency                                                                    
processes and invoice slightly  differently. He related that                                                                    
the state would need to  move to a common management process                                                                    
for accounts  payable as  the result of  moving to  a shared                                                                    
service model.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:21:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson surmised that  a shared services model                                                                    
would allow  departments to share information  and eliminate                                                                    
redundancy.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher  replied  that the  essence  of  shared                                                                    
services was  pulling departments together and  then working                                                                    
with them to  meet their needs in a  standard and consistent                                                                    
way.                                                                                                                            
Mr.  Ross  turned  to  Slide 10,  which  presented  a  table                                                                    
charting  the  scope of  Ohio  Shared  Services, with  color                                                                    
indicators  of: Original  Scope  for  Ohio Shared  Services,                                                                    
Most frequently in Shared Services,  Typically in IT Centric                                                                    
Shared Services. He relayed that  when he arrived in Ohio in                                                                    
2011, 8  of the 26 cabinet  agencies were on board  with the                                                                    
shared services  program. He said  that once  an independent                                                                    
audit was  performed the reduction  in costs  was validated,                                                                    
client demand  rose, and the shared  services program proved                                                                    
successful for the state.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:22:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross  continued  to Slide  11:  "Migration  Approach  &                                                                    
Timeline."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Uphill Stages                                                                                                              
        · LNW Horizons of Value (Vision, Launch, Growth,                                                                        
          Sustain)                                                                                                              
        · Service line(s) identified                                                                                            
        · Service line launch & growth                                                                                          
        · Increase in clients, volume, staff, costs, &                                                                          
          defects                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Downhill Stages                                                                                                            
        · Continuous improvement cycles (Improve, Automate)                                                                     
        · Business process re-design                                                                                            
        · Technology implementation / support                                                                                   
        · Decrease in manual volume, staff, costs, &                                                                            
          defects                                                                                                               
        · Downhill stages are continuous as ROI permits                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross  discussed his approach for  successfully launching                                                                    
the shared services system in Ohio.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:25:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson asked how long  it had taken for the State                                                                    
of Ohio to realize savings.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross replied  that the  savings were  immediate if  the                                                                    
plan  was  implemented  correctly.   He  stated  that  often                                                                    
organizations  would  migrate  everything all  at  once,  or                                                                    
"lift and  shift". He opined  that the lift and  shift model                                                                    
was  unsuccessful  because  of  non-standard  processes  and                                                                    
different  customer expectations,  coupled  with the  shared                                                                    
services organization not being  mature enough to support 13                                                                    
different ways to pay a bill.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson  understood that  the "customers"  in this                                                                    
scenario were state agencies.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross replied in the  affirmative. He added that the lift                                                                    
and shift  model always  failed, and  that his  approach had                                                                    
changed  into a  more incremental  approach. He  shared that                                                                    
the slower  approach allowed for knowledge  of client needs,                                                                    
a    mature   shared    services    organization,   and    a                                                                    
standardization of each client as they crossed over.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:26:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Saddler requested  further clarification of Slide                                                                    
11.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross  responded that the  12, 24,  and 36 months  was an                                                                    
average maturity cycle time. He  explained that as the curve                                                                    
on the  chart grew, so did  the staff, volume, and  the cost                                                                    
of the process  for the internal service  provider. He added                                                                    
that defects  also increased because  of the number  of non-                                                                    
standard processes. He  said that the downhill  slope of the                                                                    
graph  indicated that  continuous improvement  was occurring                                                                    
and automation was pushing staff and costs down.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Saddler  understood that  the  "Y"  axis on  the                                                                    
chart represented cost and staff time.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:28:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross discussed  Slide 12:  "Governance &  Service Level                                                                    
Agreements (SLAs)":                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Governance Council                                                                                                       
        · Executive Council approving overall strategy.                                                                         
        · Address major scope expansion and investment                                                                          
          decisions.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Executive Council                                                                                                        
        · Approve policy recommendations submitted by                                                                           
          Process Council.                                                                                                      
        · Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) to                                                                       
          ensure value realizations.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Process Council                                                                                                          
        · Client Subject Matter  Experts (SMEs) recommending                                                                    
          and   approving   process   changes   and   policy                                                                    
          recommendations to Executive Council.                                                                                 
        · Ensuring  goals established  by Executive  Council                                                                    
          are delivered.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Service Level Agreements                                                                                                 
        · Driving  day-to-day tactical  work effort  to meet                                                                    
          customer expectations and shared service goals.                                                                       
        · Client commitments defined.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:30:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross reviewed Slide 13: "Independent Verification &                                                                         
Validation (IV&V) & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)                                                                                          
        · Key Performance Indicators  (KPIs) are the metrics                                                                    
          used to assess the organization's efficiency,                                                                         
          quality, and cost effectiveness.                                                                                      
        · Key Performance Indicators  (KPIs) are established                                                                    
          by clients.                                                                                                           
        · Data  drives  course   correction  and  continuous                                                                    
          improvement initiative (i.e. Lean / Continuous                                                                        
          Improvement Program).                                                                                                 
        · Client Scorecard reviewed  with clients each month                                                                    
          to compare service delivery against Service Level                                                                     
          Agreements (SLAs) and client baseline.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V)                                                                               
        · Independent   Verification  &   Validation  (IV&V)                                                                    
          functions   to   ensure    the   shared   services                                                                    
          organization delivers expected value to clients.                                                                      
        · Aligns agency investment with enterprise goals.                                                                       
        · Validates   successful   delivery  of   enterprise                                                                    
          strategies.                                                                                                           
        · Clients  self-report   data  related   to  program                                                                    
          delivery.                                                                                                             
        · Builds client  confidence in accuracy of  data and                                                                    
          value of shared services model.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross continued to Slide 14: "Expected Challenges &                                                                          
Resolutions."                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Leadership & Stakeholder Support                                                                                           
        · Resistance to change & line of business focus.                                                                        
        · All leaders create and "sell" the vision (Market                                                                      
          vs. Mandate).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Implementation Cost                                                                                                        
        · High cost of implementation / expansion.                                                                              
        · Utilize existing resources to execute on the                                                                          
          vision   and    drive   change    (i.e.   Business                                                                    
          Integration Services).                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Return on Investment                                                                                                       
        · Inability to predict when/if ROI will be                                                                              
          achieved.                                                                                                             
        · Align agency spend to achieve enterprise goals.                                                                       
        · Leverage existing investment to meet objectives                                                                       
          of the business.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Shared   Services    Process   Focus    (Upstream   vs.                                                                    
     Downstream)                                                                                                                
        · Implementation      focused     on      downstream                                                                    
          transactional processes.                                                                                              
        · Upstream    processes   largely    ignored   (i.e.                                                                    
          procurement).                                                                                                         
        · Force upstream focus to drive greatest benefit.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross read from slide 15: "Cross Departmental                                                                                
Efficiencies."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
          Background                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
          Opportunity Review:                                                                                                   
          In  May 2015,  OMB  Director  Pat Pitney  convened                                                                    
          commissioners,    deputy     commissioners,    and                                                                    
          administrative   service  directors   to  identify                                                                    
          cross-department  opportunities   to  address  the                                                                    
          $29.8M in  unallocated reductions. As a  result of                                                                    
          this     session,    eleven     cross-departmental                                                                    
          efficiencies  were  identified;  nine  align  with                                                                    
          common shared services programs.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
          Cross-Departmental Initiatives:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
          Administrative Initiatives:                                                                                           
             1. Train and implement process improvement                                                                         
               principles statewide                                                                                             
             2. Travel process revamp                                                                                           
             3. Renegotiate procurement/lease contracts for                                                                     
               10-20% savings statewide                                                                                         
             4. Implement IRIS                                                                                                  
             5. Unify facility maintenance / management                                                                         
             6. Central collections office for agency fines,                                                                    
               debts and attachments                                                                                            
             7. Re-examine  charge   back   system   between                                                                    
               departments                                                                                                      
             8. Statewide IT consolidation; call centers,                                                                       
               disaster recovery, helpdesk staff, and data                                                                      
               storage                                                                                                          
             9. Streamline billing for LAW                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
          Next Steps:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          The    Departments     of    Administration    and                                                                    
          Transportation  are   leading  the  administrative                                                                    
          efficiency  initiatives.   As  the  administrative                                                                    
          initiatives  align  with  common  shared  services                                                                    
          support models,  Everett Ross (former  Director of                                                                    
          Ohio  Shared Services)  has  been  brought in  for                                                                    
          external support.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:34:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher referred  to an  earlier question  from                                                                    
Representative  Guttenberg,  noted the  interagency  sharing                                                                    
both externally and internally.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:34:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kawasaki  shared that he had  pondered in the                                                                    
past why every department  needed an administrative services                                                                    
division. He  wondered whether there were  some agencies for                                                                    
which combining procurement efforts could be difficult.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross joked  that every division held the  belief that it                                                                    
was special and unique. He  said that over time that mindset                                                                    
changed,  he  said  when  he  began  offering  zero-cost  on                                                                    
accounts payable  invoices 90 percent of  the divisions came                                                                    
onboard.  He shared  that there  were certain  services that                                                                    
would  not  fit into  the  shared  services model;  a  small                                                                    
percentage of  services should be  expected to  remain being                                                                    
handled solely by their agency.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:36:45 PM                                                                                                                    
Representative Kawasaki surmised  that the eventually Alaska                                                                    
would not need an  administrative services division in every                                                                    
department.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner   Fisher   replied  that   the   administrative                                                                    
services within  each different department  had a  number of                                                                    
functions, some  of which were  specialized. He said  that a                                                                    
paring down would vary depending  on the service provided by                                                                    
the division.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kawasaki  hoped  that  the  all  departments                                                                    
would work to realize savings.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:38:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Guttenberg  asked   about  the   11  cross-                                                                    
department  efficiencies  that  had been  identified,  9  of                                                                    
which had been  aligned. He queried the  2 efficiencies that                                                                    
had not aligned.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross   believed  that  they   were  aligned   with  the                                                                    
Department of  Corrections and  that the  administration had                                                                    
chosen not to focus on those pieces.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher  interjected that one of  the issues had                                                                    
been  improvement  of  prisoner  transport,  which  had  not                                                                    
seemed  like  an appropriate  fit  for  the shared  services                                                                    
model.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:39:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  asked whether the shared  model would                                                                    
centralize   procurement   and  lessen   confusion   between                                                                    
agencies.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher  replied that the  goal was to  make the                                                                    
non-core  mission functions  that  could be  performed in  a                                                                    
shared service model, centralized  and delivered in the most                                                                    
efficient way possible                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:39:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  asked whether  the budget  process be                                                                    
easier with the shared services.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Fisher indicated  that  there  would still  be                                                                    
examples of  interagency payments  for services.  He thought                                                                    
that it  would make budgeting management  and accountability                                                                    
easier to track.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:41:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Saddler  asked  whether there  was  anything  in                                                                    
statute  that  would  pose challenges  to  implementing  the                                                                    
shares services model.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross replied  that every  agency would  have to  review                                                                    
policies and implement laws in  order for the model to reach                                                                    
full  maturity. He  guessed that  changes would  need to  be                                                                    
made to adopt to a new way of doing business.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner    Fisher    interjected    that    substantial                                                                    
impediments had  not been identified that  would prevent the                                                                    
change from moving forward.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:42:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gattis thought that  the transition to shared                                                                    
services was  a good idea. She  said that the onus  would be                                                                    
on  the  administration  to prove  that  the  centralization                                                                    
would  benefit the  state. She  asked  why Mr.  Ross was  no                                                                    
longer working in Ohio.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross related  that he  worked  with a  lot for  Harvard                                                                    
University and  often traveled  on speaking  tours.   He had                                                                    
met Commissioner Fisher at a  presentation and had discussed                                                                    
the  possibilities   of  shared   services  in   Alaska.  He                                                                    
concluded that he  had done all of the work  he needed to do                                                                    
in Ohio and welcomed the challenge of helping Alaska.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:45:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Pruitt who was paying Mr. Ross's salary.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Ross  responded  that  his  contract  was  through  the                                                                    
Department   of  Administration   and   the  Department   of                                                                    
Transportation and Public Facilities.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:46:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Pruitt  asked whether  Mr. Ross was  a vendor                                                                    
who received his payments through IRIS.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Fisher clarified that all state payments were                                                                      
being process through IRIS.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Ross indicated he had gone through the vendor process                                                                       
and had been paid promptly through the IRIS system.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson discussed housekeeping.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
#ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:49:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 2:49 p.m.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
Shared Services Overview.HFIN Committee 02.11.16.pdf HFIN 2/11/2016 1:30:00 PM