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Project Planning and
Management Plan
FIS ebtEDGE System
June 2012
Draft 1.0
2
Copyr ight © 2013 FIS - Fidel i ty National I nformation
Services. Al l Rights Reserved. This document is
intended only for the use of FIS Corporation
customers in connection wi th the products and
services FIS Corporation has author ized. Any other
use is not author ized.
eFunds is a whol ly owned subsidiary of Fidel i ty
National I nformation Services, Inc.. Al l other marks
are the proper ty of thei r respective companies.
4
Revision Log
Release/Updated
Date
Summary of Changes
5
Table of Contents
Revision Log ___________________________________________________________4
State of Florida Project Planning and Management Plan ______________________6
Overview ______________________________________________________________ 6
Objective ______________________________________________________________ 6
Project Work Plan ______________________________________________________7
Scope/Change Management _______________________________________________8
Change Management _____________________________________________________ 8 Work Requests __________________________________________________________8 Change Reporting _______________________________________________________9 Change Recording ______________________________________________________ 10
Integration/Quality Management _________________________________________12
Quality Management Principles ____________________________________________ 12
Ensuring Project Requirements Are Met _____________________________________ 12
Methodology and Approach ______________________________________________ 12
Early Test Involvement __________________________________________________ 13
Secured Test Labs and Controlled Environments ______________________________ 13
Consistent Defect Reporting and Management ________________________________ 13
Continuous Improvement Retrospectives ____________________________________ 14
Communications Management ___________________________________________15
Project Management Reports ______________________________________________ 15 Project Implementation Reports ____________________________________________ 15 Project Status Report ____________________________________________________ 16
Issues Management _____________________________________________________18
Problem Tracking System ________________________________________________ 18
Severity Level Guidelines ________________________________________________ 18
Risk Management ______________________________________________________20
State-wide Implementation Plan __________________________________________21
6
State of Florida Project Planning and Management Plan
Overview
This Project Planning and Management Plan is a description of the project management
techniques, controls, and reporting mechanisms FIS will use for the State of Florida EBT Project.
We have a flawless reputation of planning the implementation and conversion of all our projects
on time. Our very successful project management experience with single and multi-state
projects, allows us to offer the State an approach that incorporates proven methodologies,
processes, and automated project management tools. FIS’ project management approach
includes:
Detailed, phased approach to the entire project with all activities and anticipated timeframes,
and estimated completion dates clearly defined in a Project Work Plan.
Functional Requirements Document that provides specifications necessary for the batch and
administrative interfaces from the State’s System to the FIS ebtEDGE System, an overview
of the proposed webADMIN platform, and card and PIN issuance for State cardholders. This
document will be considered a working document until all of the requirements have been
satisfied and any outstanding items have been resolved.
Standardized procedures for system modifications and enhancements, change requests,
quality control, and other quantifiable processes.
Use of automated tools, such as Microsoft Project, for comprehensive project control and
reporting purposes.
Regular project status meetings between the State staff and the FIS Florida Project
Management Team. Team members responsible for the administration of the project and
services will review the Project Work Plan and subtasks to ensure tasks within their area are
completed and meet State requirements.
Regular communication between the Project Manager, senior management and members of
the Government Solutions Oversight Management Committee regarding the status of the
Project and any issues or concerns.
Quality assurance checkpoints will be conducted for all major project deliverables, including
planning documents, testing processes, and other required deliverables. Our Project Team
will work together to define the quality metrics, which can be used for each deliverable.
Objective
The goal of this plan is to accomplish a successful conversion of the State’s data and provide the
continuing operations throughout the life of the project. Effective project management requires
accurate and detailed work plans, and tasks that are well controlled and consistently monitored.
Our project management approach provides a responsive and easily accessible team for the
conversion of the State’s databases and the ongoing operations of your EBT Project.
7
Project Work Plan
Based on industry standards and practices identified by the Project Management Institute®, our
proposed Project Work Plan outlines a phased approach to manage the State’s EBT Project,
including a timetable, activities, and deliverables, with minimal impact to the State and other
stakeholders. The Project Work Plan is a living document allowing data to be saved and reports
generated. The Project Work Plan identifies all transition activities, including EBT system
functionality development, interface development, retailer conversion, data conversion and
cutover, and other required tasks. Individual tasks and deliverables will be identified by project
phase.
The plan is created and maintained in Microsoft Project. The Project Work Plan contains
milestones and key deliverables, as well as all tasks and subtasks needed for the transition to FIS.
Each task shows a planned start and planned finish date. In addition, the plan lists an actual
finish date and a percent complete, so that FIS and the State can clearly monitor the progress of
the project as we move through each phase. In the Resource Column, responsibilities are clearly
assigned to FIS, the incumbent contractor, the State, or FNS. The Plan presents separate
activities for each project task and includes:
Logical sequence of tasks
Clear definition of each task
Staff required for each task
Specific completion date for each task
Task relationships and dependencies
FIS will update the proposed Project Work Plan based on our Draft Project Work Plans included
with our proposal. We will submit the final Project Work Plans to the State within 45 days after
signing the contract. The Project Work Plan will be maintained throughout the life of the
project.
8
Scope/Change Management
FIS has formal change management procedures in place today for all of our EBT projects to
manage changes that affect time, scope, and/or cost. We will implement any design changes or
corrective actions through this change order process. The mechanism to track requested changes
made to the FIS ebtEDGE System is described in detail below and identifies the State’s
opportunity to provide input on the prioritization of new features and enhancements. These
procedures include extensive testing of all changes prior to any change being introduced into the
production environment, and the application of hardware upgrades and patches, when necessary.
Change Management
Change management is concerned with managing the changes that occur or may be requested
during the various phases of the project life cycle. For the project to meet its objectives it is
important to understand the types of changes that might occur and then to have the necessary
policies, procedures and organizational constructs in place to control the change.
Underpinning the ability to control change is the concept of baselines. This concept is derived
from the fact that, for any project, there are many interdependent components. For example, a
requirements definition results in functional and test specifications that, in turn, result in system
specifications, tests, and test results. This combination constitutes a system baseline. Change
management is the process used for implementation of changes to the baseline.
Change management is an important part of the project discovery process. Some of the guiding
principles that will help with this process are:
FIS Project or Operations Manager will act as the change request manager.
Throughout the project, any team member/stakeholder may submit change requests.
Project or Operations Manager will assign change requests for analysis and cost estimates.
Change requests will be tracked and monitored to ensure resolution.
Change requests will be submitted for review and approval prior to the start of any work.
The change management process is concerned with the receipt, review and disposition of change
requests, plus the storage and maintenance of information relating to those requests.
Work Requests
Changes and enhancements are initiated in the Work Request database, internal to FIS. This
database is used to track the Work Request from project initiation through project closure. The
Work Request is part of FIS’ Project Management Methodology (ePM2). ePM
2 combines project
forms, a repository for project documents, and project processes into a cohesive project
management tool. ePM2 is used to manage the project life cycle, to internally communicate
project statuses, and to manage project documents. Using this proven methodology, while
working closely with the State, we can ensure that change requests will be handled in a logical
9
and efficient manner. The ePM2 process allows the State to specifically request system
enhancements, system changes as a result of federal or state legislation, changes in procedures,
or changes to specific tasks associated with any aspect of the project.
Work requests become one of the following types of changes to the existing environment:
Customer Authorization (CA): When the State requests a change to an agreed-upon or
established system, the change is considered a Customer Authorization and is to be at the
expense of the State. Customer Authorizations are subject to State approval before resources
are assigned.
Product Enhancement (PE): When a change is initiated by FIS that affects the entire FIS
ebtEDGE System, the change is considered a Product Enhancement. In most cases, these
changes benefit the integrity and functionality of ebtEDGE and its ability to manage multiple
state systems and processes. Prior to installation, a formal Product Announcement is issued
in order for each State to review the changes being made, to assess the impact the change
may have, and to take any action that may be required by you to fully use the enhancement.
The proposed FIS Account Manager for the State, Shari Akin, will work with you to address
any questions or concerns you may have regarding any FIS-initiated change. All costs
associated with the type of change will be borne by FIS. Should the State decide to formalize
FIS-initiated changes or enhancements in a contract amendment, we will work with the State
to execute the contract amendment if necessary.
All product modification requirements and estimate requests undergo a multiphase approval
process from the time a change request is made until it is accepted and entered into production
status.
Change Reporting
FIS will work closely with the State to ensure that any change is handled in a proficient manner
and that a proposed change is documented in writing. No FIS-initiated change affecting
Florida’s EBT System will be made without providing the State with a proposed development
and implementation schedule. The notification to the State will include known or anticipated
impacts that the change will have on your system’s functionality, file formats, screens, reporting,
performance, and any costs to the State. The timeframe for implementation of all non-remedial
changes will be coordinated with the State to ensure the availability and participation of State
program and technical staff.
Implementation of changes to the ebtEDGE System involves reliance on a defined change
control process that includes extensive testing to ensure that changes are compatible with the
existing hardware and software, and to maintain the integrity of the entire system. FIS uses the
same change control process for internally requested changes, as well as external customer
requests. We have regularly scheduled monthly installation dates for changes to be implemented
to the system. These established dates and times allow FIS to provide adequate support during
and after the implementation of the changes. The implementation dates and times are selected to
occur at a time when there is minimal transaction activity on the system.
10
During regularly scheduled status meetings, FIS’ EBT Project or Operations Manager will
provide the State’s EBT Project Manager with a report of any proposed system changes. This
includes changes requested by other users that may impact the Florida EBT System and changes
impacting FIS’ EBT Gateway services. Product Announcements will be issued for any internal
system performance enhancements or product improvements initiated by FIS that may impact the
State. We will work with the State to include testing that ensures the FIS-initiated changes do
not unintentionally impact your functionality, file formats, screens, reporting, or performance.
Change Recording
FIS has a mechanism in place to track changes and modifications by software version, source,
and reason. A strict change process is in place for the implementation of all changes into
production. A change packet is initiated in development and is our means of relaying the change
information through the testing and installation service areas prior to implementation. The
change packet contains specific detail on the change, supporting authorization for the change, an
operational impact statement, and special installation considerations. No changes move into
production without a completed change packet.
The change packet provides the Quality Assurance (QA) Group with the results of the unit
testing performed by development. QA expands upon this initial testing during their independent
testing and regression testing of the packet. The results of the testing are retained in the change
packet document for the installation and support groups to review. Any additional installation
considerations are documented by the testers and included in the packet so that the installation
group do not incur issues at the time the changes move into the production environment.
Prior to installation, the Product Manager reviews the change packet to verify that the changes
described and tested meet the specifications of the customer’s CA, or internal PE change request,
and issues any necessary Product Announcements.
The change packet is also tied into our program code modification process. For code
management, FIS uses PVCS Version Manager (PVCS) for our PC code and Revision
Management System (RMS) for our HP NonStop code. These version control software
programs require the developer to identify each code change with the change packet tracking
number. The tracking number ensures that changed program code or objects can be reproduced
faithfully and exactly from their original sources. It also ensures that objects running in
production are exactly those that are expected to be in production.
Software movement is controlled through strict security that enforces version control.
Developers are allowed access to a limited set of software libraries, and several stages of
approvals are required to move the software into production libraries. This requirement helps
enforce and track all program and module changes throughout the Development, Transition, and
Operational phases.
An FIS Change Coordinator monitors all of the EBT changes entering the system and works with
the data center to ensure compliance to data center change procedures and system integrity. The
Change Coordinator reviews all changes for thoroughness, completion of supporting
documentation and testing, and necessary approvals. Once all criteria are met, the change is
11
scheduled for production to allow for adequate certification and/or endpoint testing and
installation preparation. The lead times established have been proven to be effective for staging
changes, either alone, or in conjunction with others, to assure minimal system interruption.
The Change Coordinator also holds weekly meetings to review all forthcoming changes for all
EBT customers. Meeting attendees include developers, testing analysts, installation analysts,
Release and Change Control analysts, offline analysts, EBT support representatives, EBT
product and account managers, and data center change management. The meetings provide a
forum to discuss all the changes, their status within the queue, the impact to the system or its
users, and any issues that have been uncovered. By discussing the changes early in the process,
issues may be resolved in a timely fashion, prior to installation. Additionally, it ensures proper
and accurate information is communicated to the account management team.
This entire change control process is audited on a regular basis to assure that no unauthorized
change is introduced into the production environment. The processes and procedures of all
divisions within FIS are subject to regular FIS Software Development Life Cycle internal audits.
Auditors consistently give Government Solutions the highest ranking for our processes and
procedures with respect to change processing and the software development life cycle.
12
Integration/Quality Management
Quality is a high priority for the FIS Team. Our project cannot be successful if the end products
we deliver are not high quality and in line with the requirements and expectations of the State.
Our quality management methodology enables us to provide consistent, premier services to our
customers with an emphasis on prevention through quality support systems and building
effective relationships.
Quality Management Principles
FIS will use our principles and practices of Total Quality Management (TQM) and Continuous
Quality Improvement (CQI) in servicing and supporting the Florida EBT Project and all of its
stakeholders.
Ensuring Project Requirements Are Met
FIS’ ability to consistently meet or exceed project requirements in all of our EBT projects
represents a significant benefit to the Florida EBT Project. We use a combination of
sophisticated tools, reports, and procedures to accurately measure system and staff performance.
We also use an enterprise-wide project management system to track all of our contract
obligations by work requests and customer authorizations. For large, complex projects,
Microsoft Project is used to develop the project-specific detailed Project Work Plan. This
automated tool, in conjunction with our project tracking databases, allows us to determine tasks,
duration, resource analysis, critical paths, and milestones–the necessary elements to report and
track project performance. By including task-level activities within this system, the State can be
certain that all development activities will be monitored and reported. Biweekly, senior-level
project steering committee meetings are held to review, in detail, the status of key projects such
as the Florida EBT Project. In addition, FIS will hold weekly project status meetings with the
State to verify that performance is meeting the requirements of the contract.
Methodology and Approach
FIS uses a quality assurance methodology comprised of multiple, well-integrated best practices
and test disciplines to achieve high-quality, consistent results. Our test process consists of the
preparation of test scenarios and data, test coverage review, test acceptance/entry criteria, first-
pass execution and finally regression phase execution. The same disciplines and quality
measures are adhered to whether the test is of a single line item during a functional test, a
collection of enhancements for a release during a system test, or a ground up development effort.
This process ensures the quality of the code deliverable and maintains customer satisfaction.
Our approach is outlined below and results in a solid, repeatable process which consistently
yields solid, repeated success.
Early test involvement
Secured test labs and controlled environments
13
Consistent defect reporting and management
Continuous improvement retrospectives
Skills transfer
Causal analysis reviews
Early Test Involvement
FIS’ Quality Assurance (QA) team is involved early on in the planning stages of every
deliverable, and engaged throughout the development and delivery cycle. This end-to-end
interaction has proven successful, making it a key best practice. Having QA involved as early as
possible enables the team to gain an understanding of the system being developed and allows
them to create test scenarios prior to code delivery. This ties in nicely with other parts of our
process such as test coverage reviews. QA plays an active role in planning sessions, offering
information and suggestions about a particular area based on their test plans or prior knowledge
about an area of the product. Early test involvement also allows ample time for any special test
that needs to be identified, such as equipment, software licenses, and resource requirements.
Secured Test Labs and Controlled Environments
QA environments are planned and built to represent customer environments in order to achieve
the proper level of testing and coverage. That being said, it is of the greatest importance for
these environments to be maintained and controlled by QA staff only. This practice ensures the
integrity of the test environment. The QA test labs are access-controlled in a secured area. No
changes (hardware or software related) are permitted to these environments without QA
approval. The defect tracking procedure and build process also ensures that our ”customer-like”
test environments are not compromised by random, untraceable, code patches. This strategy
provides confidence that code deliverables deployed to the field match the levels used in our
testing in the QA labs.
Consistent Defect Reporting and Management
A reliable defect tracking system is an integral part of any development organization. The
recording of issues and management of them to closure is equally important. All functional areas
within FIS follow a standard issue reporting policy. This includes key environment, customer
information, and detailed descriptions of the issue being reported, recreate steps if known,
frequency of problem, and related documentation such as files and/or screen captures. The
defect tracking system provides a structure for logging key data into searchable, reportable fields
in addition to the freeform areas that allow the finer details to be documented. Managing issues
in this fashion creates a self-maintaining information repository that is used by the organization.
Reported issues follow a well-defined life cycle to ensure that they are addressed and resolved
quickly and efficiently.
14
Continuous Improvement Retrospectives
FIS recognizes the importance of revisiting and refining processes to achieve continuous
improvement. Team retrospectives are conducted regularly to reflect on the prior deliverables
and assess ‘what worked’ and ‘what needs improvement.’ Sessions such as this are often the
foundation for growing best practices. These sessions are documented and followed to
completion by the Project Manager.
15
Communications Management
During the Design Phase of the Florida EBT Project, FIS will review with the State our plan for
project communication requirements and project information that is distributed to and received
by Florida project stakeholders. It will detail the frequency and method of communicating with
project participants, such as project status reports and meetings, as well as escalation procedures.
Project Management Reports
FIS will produce for the State of Florida, a weekly Project Status Report containing a summary
by task of major completed project design/development activities during the reporting period.
The report will include problem identification, required corrective action, and timeframe for
resolution. It will also include tasks required by Federal and State agencies, as well as report of
delayed tasks, reasons and revised completion dates and a place to record the scheduled activities
for the next reporting period. An updated work plan will also be provided with the status report,
identifying those tasks updated since the last report. A sample of this report is included in Figure
1.
Figure 1 Project Status Report
Project Implementation Reports
A summary of major tasks and scheduled activities completed during the reporting period for
conversion activities will also be reported to the State of Florida on the same weekly Project
Status report (Figure 1) as the Project Design. The Project Status report will contain a summary
Michigan EBT Project Status
For Week Ending mm/dd/yy
Work Plan Milestones/Tasks Completed Since Last Report: ACTIVITY DATE COMPLETED
Item Mm/dd/yy
Item Mm/dd/yy
Current Activities: ACTIVITY STATUS
Item Text
Item Text
Planned Activities: ACTIVITY STATUS
Item Text
Item Text
Critical Issues/Corrective Action Plan/Revisions: ISSUE ACTION PLAN
Item Text
Item Text
Assignments/Timeframes: ASSIGNMENT TIMEFRAME
Item Text
Item Text
16
of major tasks and scheduled activities completed during the reporting period for Project
Implementation activities. It will include problem identification, required corrective action,
timeframe for resolution, tasks required by Federal and State agencies, reports of delayed tasks,
reasons, revised completion date(s) and their status, and scheduled activities for the next
reporting period for POS device deployment and installation, training (State, county, clients, and
retailers), card issuance, and retailer and TPP agreements.
As part of the weekly Project Status report during Project Design, Development, Testing, and
Implementation phases, FIS will provide additional information on POS equipment deployment
and installation and Retailer agreements.
The sample report shown in Figure 2 is an excerpt from a multipage report that shows all current
Active/Live EBT-only locations and the numbers of terminals assigned to each location. There
are grand totals at the end of the report.
10/15/xx
Equipment
Counts for
Program Id Rollout Id Status Date FNS # - Location Name – Location ID 3200 Grand Total
XXXXX 200x/08/12 7427xxx-7-ELEVEN #2306-15755-A667767 1 1
200x/08/18 7419xxx-7-ELEVEN #2306-19648-a667438 1 1
200x/09/03 6999xxx-MOTT’S FRESH FRUIT-SULTAN-A664826 1 1
200x/09/09 6756xxx-BRIER GROCERY-A663823 1 1
200x/09/18 6136xxx-ASIAN KHEMERA MARKET-A663496 1 1
200x/09/23 6895xxx-WONDER HOSTESS #9818-A664404 1 1
200x/09/23 6899xxx-WONDER HOSTESS #9070-A664424 1 1
200x/09/26 6877xxx-EVERETT AVE GROCERY-A664037 1 1
200x/10/01 6900xxx-ALDERWOOD FOOD STORE & DELI-A664464 1 1
Phase 5 Total 9 9
Total 9 9
Grand Total 9 9
Figure 2 Inventory Report (Sample) The report shows the numbers of EBT-only terminals assigned to individual retailer location.
Project Status Report
Once the project becomes operational the FIS EBT Project Manager for the State of Florida, will
prepare and review with you a monthly project status report called a Report Card summarizing
significant events, accomplishments, outstanding issues, problems, and status of pending
enhancements requests and system change orders. A sample Report Card for the State is shown
in Figure 3.
The Project Manager will also coordinate monthly status meetings, provide other reports, and
arrange meetings requested by the State. The Report Card will include a summary of monthly
host availability, including monthly downtime by category, and will document the performance
of the ebtEDGE System over the last month. This performance information will include: central
computer availability, transaction switch availability, total EBT system availability, and
information on transaction accuracy and benefit authorization updates.
The report will include the State’s specific performance standards and detail the performance of
the system against the processing requirements as specified in 7 CFR 274.12.
17
Figure 3 Monthly Report Card (Sample for the State of Florida)
18
Issues Management
FIS will maintain an issues log for the Florida EBT Project to identify, track, report, and resolve
problems that surface throughout the project life cycle. Our systems include ongoing monitoring
for problem prevention and identification, tracking problems that arise, assigning responsibility
to specific personnel, escalation procedures, projected time for resolution, and final outcome
recording.
The use of timely and accurate data, in combination with timely and effective communication,
strongly reinforces a problem-prevention focus. This experience is one of the greatest benefits to
the State in selecting FIS as your EBT provider. Our operational environment is prepared with
several key tools to support problem resolution. The following systems and guidelines are used
for problem management at FIS.
Problem Tracking System
Problems are tracked using the Case Management System (CMS), a problem-tracking database
used within the FIS data center. CMS provides the Network Operations and System Operations
groups a shared tool that details all of the necessary information needed for quick issue
resolution. Some of the information contained in this database includes customer-specific data,
unique customer requirements, and all active processes associated to that customer’s system.
CMS, a Windows-based application, uses pull-down menus and prompts for data center staff to
identify the impacted customer and effectively describe the issue. CMS can also be used as a
historical tracking tool to search against specified criteria for all previous entries and issues
involving a particular customer. This allows FIS to note any trends or recurring issues for a
particular customer. If it is determined that a problem requires support from other organizations
within or outside of FIS, the FIS data center will continue to use CMS for tracking.
Severity Level Guidelines
The problem-tracking component uses a severity code that is assigned to each problem to
appropriately escalate requests for additional technical and/or management resources to ensure
timely resolution. If a system or network component becomes unavailable, the exact amount of
downtime is recorded within CMS. CMS produces reports that clearly identify week-to-date,
month-to-date, and year-to-date availability and reliability.
All state-identified problems can be reported to FIS’ State Support Services or directly to your
Account Manager by telephone or email. State Support Services provides Help Desk support to
the State during ongoing operations. The FIS Account Manager regularly reviews issues to
ensure the appropriate severity ranking has been assigned. The severity ranking and the parallel
escalation processes are associated with the prioritization and subsequent timeframe needed to
resolve the issue. FIS uses the guidelines in Table 1 to determine the appropriate severity of an
issue within the tracking tool.
19
Table 1 FIS Severity Guidelines
Severity Level Description
1
Problem:
A major system (or network) segment is out of service.
An essential system function or product has been lost.
The system is experiencing major operational difficulties.
The financial integrity of the system or customer is being compromised.
State Support Services enters the problem in CMS and immediately notifies ASG. ASG immediately assigns it to a staff member. The assigned staff member is responsible for updating CMS, including customer impact. The goal is to resolve the problem within 24 hours. ASG staff will work around-the-clock troubleshooting the problem until it is resolved.
2
Problem:
The system (or network) has suffered significant, but not essential, functional loss.
The system is experiencing significant operational difficulties.
The system is experiencing transaction servicing integrity problems.
The majority of transactions are successfully processed, but there is a significant impact to the business relationship between FIS and the customer, or between the customer and their customer.
State Support Services enters the problem in CMS and notifies ASG the same day. ASG assigns it to a staff member the same day. The assigned staff member is responsible for updating CMS at least once a day. The goal is to resolve the problem within 3 business days. ASG staff will work extended business hours troubleshooting the problem until it is resolved.
3
Problem:
The system (or network) has suffered some significant, but not essential, functional loss.
The system is experiencing significant operational difficulties.
The system is experiencing occasional transaction servicing integrity problems.
The majority of transactions are successfully processed.
State Support Services enters the problem in CMS and notifies ASG within one business day. ASG assigns it to a staff member within one business day. The assigned staff member is responsible for updating CMS at least once every 3 days. The goal is to resolve the problem within 5 business days. ASG staff will work normal business hours troubleshooting the problem until it is resolved.
20
Table 1 FIS Severity Guidelines
Severity Level Description
4
Problem:
A functional or operational problem requires correction, however, for the most part the system/network continues to perform normally.
No apparent major service interruption.
State Support Services enters the problem in CMS and notifies ASG within one business day. ASG assigns it to a staff member within one business day. The assigned staff member is responsible for updating CMS at least once a week. The goal is to resolve the problem based on timing priorities between FIS and the State. ASG staff will work normal business hours troubleshooting the problem until it is resolved.
Risk Management
Effectively managing risk means identifying problems that might occur early on, and proactively
designing and implementing countermeasures to eliminate the risk. In addition to successfully
managing various aspects of 25 EBT projects during the past 20 years, FIS is one of the largest
third-party processors of EFT transactions and is the provider of the world’s largest debit
database. Our extensive EFT and EBT experiences have provided us with the expertise to
anticipate numerous potential problems before they present true risks to the integrity of our EBT
systems and services. FIS understands risk factors associated with system development, system
conversion and implementation, and system operations.
FIS will provide the State a Risk Management Plan identifying several potential EBT project risks
and our developed approach that effectively provides the solution to each. These identified risks
include the possibilities of loss of personnel, security risks, project scheduling errors, risks during
changes or enhancements, processing capacity issues, communication issues, customer service issues,
delays in financial settlement, and delays in ACH payment. We will also supply a Risk Matrix
and Issue log as part of our project control deliverables. Throughout our years of EBT experience,
we have addressed each of these risk factors and can confidently assess and resolve the many
risks involved in EBT project management.
Our Risk Management Plan will address several key components, including:
Risk Identification: determining and documenting what risks have the potential for
impacting the project
Risk Qualification and Quantification: determining the probability and impact to calculate a
risk rating score
Risk Mitigation (deciding how to address the risk):
Avoid (change something so that the risk is no longer valid)
Transfer (apply the risk to another entity)
21
Mitigate (determine solutions to address the risk and minimize the negative impact and
maximize the positive impact)
Ignore (keep moving forward but take no action).
FIS will conduct an initial risk analysis with the State. We will then provide an overall Risk
Assessment Report identifying and qualifying all known risk impacts associated with the Florida
EBT Project.
State-wide Implementation Plan
In the transition from your current contracto to FIS, several conversion activities must be
performed. These activities will be clearly defined and the process described in the Transition
Plan. These activities include:
Recontracting with current EBT-only retailers and TPPs. FIS will begin this process as soon
as the retailer agreement is approved by the State.
Installing EBT-only retailer equipment and training retailers
Communicating conversion schedule with TPPs to coordinate routing cutover to FIS for the
State BIN
Certifying and testing conversion programs
Performing production dry-run tests to benchmark timeframes and verify data
Converting the cardholder database, including transaction history, recipient card and
demographic data, benefit files, account aging information, and expungement dates
Verifying settlement and funds movement activities
Training staff
Documenting settlement procedures
Using our knowledge and experience, FIS will prepare and deliver a draft Transition Plan to the
State according to the timeframe specified in the approved Project Work Plan. It is important to
note that an integral component to the Transition Plan is the Project Work Plan. The tasks and
timelines associated with the responsibilities detailed in the Transition Plan are incorporated into
the overall State of Florida Project Work Plan included in this section.
In addition, our proposed transition plan objectives include:
Establish a Transition Task Force (TTF). The TTF will contain representatives from FIS, the
State, assigned State staff, and the current contractor. FIS will provide and place experienced
staff on the conversion/consolidation team. The TTF will interface with the current
contractors and coordinate all conversion and implementation activities.
Provide effective and timely communications of all program conversion activities through
status reporting, the Project Work Plan, conference calls, and face-to-face meetings.
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Ensure client access to the IVR and a client Customer Service Center with fully trained staff.
Coordinate installation of retailer POS devices and associated telecommunications hardware
and software.
Prepare and provide training materials about the ebtEDGE System to State staff.
Plan and coordinate activities so that key State officials are active decision makers in the
conversion tasks. Communications from and to FIS via our Project Manager, regular status
meetings, reports, and formal work plans are relayed to the project teams.
Test the data conversion to the EBT system databases thoroughly prior to the conversion.
Database conversion activities will not occur until development activities and transition
testing are completed and sign-off has been received from the State. This testing will assure
that when the residual balances are actually converted from the current system to the FIS
ebtEDGE System, it is be done accurately, efficiently, and within the designated window
with minimal interruption to benefit availability and accessibility.
Convert the State’s data with minimal disruption to your EBT clients, retailers, and staff. In
addition, ensure that payments to the current retailers participating in the State EBT programs
are neither interrupted nor delayed by working closely with the current contractors. All
conversion activities, as documented in the Transition Plan, will be performed with minimal
disruption to the stakeholders.
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Milwaukee, WI 53224-9525
(800)EFT-8901(USA)/(414)341-5000
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