Meeting of the Board of Regents | November 2009

Summary

Issue for Discussion

Presentation and request for feedback on the implementation of a Statewide technology initiative relating to licensure and discipline.

Reason(s) for Consideration

For information.

Proposed Handling

Presentation to the Professional Practice Committee.

Procedural History

A report on the status of the computer system for professional licensing and discipline was included in a larger Office of the Professions technology update provided to the Board of Regents in October 2008.

Background Information

The current iteration of a project to replace the Office of the Professions’ computer system was begun in September 2007. In September 2008 a Request for Proposal (RFP) was ready to be submitted for bids. The New York State Office for Technology and the Division of Budget (DOB) denied our request to submit the RFP, and instead asked us to lead a multi-agency team to develop a plan for a Statewide Licensing and Enforcement system. The multi-agency team is currently waiting for approval from DOB to contract with a technology vendor that will help the team create the RFP.

A multi-agency project of this type is unprecedented in New York State.  While the State Education Department shares the broader goal of collaborating on a “one-stop shop” web portal for licensing and enforcement that will improve service to all professionals and businesses in New York State, the Department’s representatives on the multi-agency team are focused on implementing the goals of the Board of Regents and driving an aggressive timeline to deliver needed improvements to Office of the Professions’ operations.

Timetable for Implementation

The RFP is expected to be released in February 2010. The winning vendor will begin work in August 2010, with the first components of the new Statewide system released in May 2011, and the final phase implemented in April 2012. Within the timetable of the Statewide system, the Office of the Professions expects the winning vendor to begin with us immediately to design and implement the parts of the Statewide system needed for us to improve our business. We plan to implement one-third of the professions by March 2011, the second third by October 2011, and the final professions by April 2012.

However, funding and support for the project by the Governor’s Office has not yet been secured, and without that important commitment, the estimated project schedule could have significant delays, and may not even happen at all.