IT Cost Transparency

In support of the state’s goal for an effective, efficient and open government, IT Cost Transparency includes processes and tools that enable the state enterprise to model and track the total cost to deliver and maintain IT services, ultimately restoring the public’s trust in government by improving cost-effectiveness, transparency and accountability.

Introducing IT Cost Transparency as a new CIO priority, ETS in 2016 piloted the technology-based management (TBM) financial model and tools within the office to test effectiveness prior to broad deployment. The TBM model provides a data-driven framework for measuring, managing and communicating the budget, cost, consumption, and return on investment of IT.

Next Steps

  • Collaborate with Department of Accounting and General Services’ Accounting Division to implement consistent accounting codes and criteria to ensure improved visibility with regard to departmental IT expenditures. (The latter directly addresses widespread inconsistency in departments’ tracking of IT expenditures, as identified in the State Auditor’s Report on Selected Departments’ Information Technology Expenditures submitted in March 2016.)
  • Demonstrate effectiveness and benefit of TBM and apply the model to all IT expenditures throughout the executive branch.
  • Utilize data provided through TBM to reduce enterprise IT operational and maintenance contracts.

2016 CIO Annual Report
2016 CIO Annual Report